MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings

With only a few weeks remaining in the 2012 high school football season, the Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings are coming into focus near the top.

Manatee, which has held the top spot in the rankings since the preseason, retains the No. 1 spot, but figures to get pushed by the three teams beneath it: Curtis, DeSoto and Katy.

Sleepers in the race to finish No. 1 include Norcross with potentially two big wins left on its schedule, and the top teams in California, Narbonne and De La Salle.

Whitehaven, Centennial and Gainesville all debut this week, while Archbishop Moeller makes its return after capturing Ohio's Division I state title.



Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (1) Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.), 13-0
Manatee continued its nearly perfect play with a 51-0 thrashing of Fort Pierce Central. Qwixcore

2. (2) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 13-0
With a 55-0 victory over Springfield, Curtis is one win away from a Class 2A state title.

3. (3) DeSoto (Texas), 13-0
It was tested against Bowie, but DeSoto pulled away for a 24-6 victory. Qwixcore / Game recap

4. (4) Katy (Texas), 13-0
Is Katy the top team in Texas? The argument can easily be made, in spite of DeSoto's dominance, following Katy's 55-10 dismantling of LaPorte.

5. (5) Bellevue (Wash.), 14-0
Bellevue capped off an incredible season with a 35-3 victory over Eastside Catholic.




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6. (7) Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 15-0
This season, Butler lived up to every expectation. It was never truly tested as it rolled to a 15-0 season after beating Britt 56-28.

7. (9) University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 11-0
University is one step closer to its first state title after downing Clearwater Central Catholic 42-0. Box score

8. (8) Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.), 13-0
With a 31-14 win over Memphis University to capture the Division II-AA title, Ensworth closed the season with a 515-135 points scored-points allowed ratio.

9. (11) Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.), 14-0
Narbonne defeated Los Angeles City Section foe Carson to move to 14-0 and earn a spot in the Open Division of the CIF Southern California Regional Championships. Story

10. (12) De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 13-0
After whispers of a possible upset circulated around the Bay Area, De La Salle dispelled all doubt about its dominance with a 52-7 victory over Logan. Qwixcore / Story / Photos

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11. (15) Hoover (Ala.), 15-0
In Alabama's game of the year, Hoover defeated Clay-Chalkville, 44-20. Qwixcore / Game recap

12. (13) Goose Creek (S.C.), 13-0
Season complete.

13. (16) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 13-1
Bishop Gorman captured another state title with a 63-10 win over Liberty. Qwixcore

14. (17) Steele (Cibolo, Texas), 13-0
Steele advanced to the regional final with a 38-0 blanking over Edinburg North. It will face Brandeis.

15. (18) Trinity (Louisville, Ky.), 13-1
Trinity captured its 22nd state title with a 61-7 victory over Pleasure Park Ridge.



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16. (19) Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 11-1
Season complete. WCAC champion.

17. (24) Norcross (Ga.), 13-0
With an impressive 34-20 win over Camden County, Norcross set up a semifinal matchup against Colquitt County in the AAAAAA playoffs. Qwixcore / Game recap

18. (20) Washington (Miami), 12-1
Washington looked extremely potent offensively in a 43-13 victory over perennial small school power Cocoa.

19. (21) North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), 14-0
In the AAAA quarterfinals, North Allegheny throttled McDowell 56-6. Box score / Game recap

20. (22) Jordan (Sandy, Utah), 12-1-1
Season complete. Class 5A champions.

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21. (23) Allen (Texas), 12-1
Allen rolled to a 56-24 victory over Round Rock Westwood to set up a showdown with Skyline. Qwixcore / Game recap / Photos

22. (NR) Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 12-3
Six consecutive victories help Moeller roll to a Division 1 state title, capped off by a 20-12 victory over Whitmer on Saturday. Story / Photos



23. (NR) Whitehaven (Memphis, Tenn.), 15-0
In dramatic fashion, Whitehaven outlasted Maryville in overtime, 36-35, to capture a Class 6A state title. Story

24. (NR) Centennial (Corona, Calif.), 13-1
Centennial has been perfect since a season-opening loss to St. Bonaventure (Ventura). It defeated Vista Murrieta 30-28 on Saturday after stopping a 2-point conversion in the final minutes. Story

25. (NR) Gainesville (Fla.), 13-0
Gainesville opened eyes around the state by beating Armwood 42-10, handing the Tampa-area power its worst loss in more than a decade.

Dropped out:
Whitmer (Ohio)
Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.)
Bentonville (Ark.)
Maryville (Tenn.)