There wasn't a ton of movement in the power rankings this week, but there was certainly enough to keep things interesting. A special shoutout goes to Archbishop Spalding's senior Jayden Umbarger, who scored five total touchdowns in the team's most recent match.
Welcome
Despite turning the ball over three last game, National Christian Academy still found its way to the outcome it desired. It came out on top against St. Christopher's with a 27 - 19 win. Senior Jason Mackall deserves a lot of the credit as he rushed for 207 yards and one touchdown. The win also thrust National Christian Academy into the power rankings, where the team now holds the 25th spot.
No Stoppin 'Em
Mount St. Joseph was the better team in every quarter against High Point Christian Academy last week and consequently the better team overall. The final score between Mount St. Joseph and High Point Christian Academy was a 48 - 13 blowout in Mount St. Joseph's favor. Mount St. Joseph found its leader in an underclassman: Billy Atkins threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns, which was enough to make him one of the team's best players. The combined 61 points was the most of any game featuring a power-ranked team.
Can't Touch This
Given its edge in the MaxPreps state rankings, a victory looked likely for Archbishop Spalding in its matchup against Gilman. The team got that and then some. Archbishop Spalding put the hurt on Gilman with a conclusive 47 - 0 victory. At 47 points, that marked Archbishop Spalding's largest margin of victory so far this year. Senior Jayden Umbarger was a key playmaker for Archbishop Spalding. One of the top players in the power rankings for the week, he rushed for 188 yards and threw for three touchdowns.
Next Week's Big Game
The big showdown in the power rankings this week is between Gonzaga (5th in the power rankings) and St. John's (2nd). Both teams are coming in hot off of wins in their previous games. Of course, St. John's and Gonzaga can't both win again this week, so we'll learn on Saturday which team falters and which extends its success.
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