Latest USA Today and National Prep Football Poll Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle










Both USA Today and PrepNation.com added two new teams to the latest rankings this week. North Penn (Lansdale, PA) and Rock Hill (SC) enter USA Today Super 25 at #23 and #25 respectively. Phoebus (Hampton, VA) and Mullen (Denver, CO) are the newcomers to the National Prep Football Poll.

There are some changes in both that make you say huh?? For example, despite a road victory against #17 Skyline (Sammamish, WA), Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA) falls two spots to #8. By the way, Skyline only fell two spots to #19.


In the National Prep Football Poll, Elder (Cincinnati, OH) falls ten spots from #5 to #15. They actually flipped spots with defending Ohio Division 1 champ St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH). Both teams won last week?

Here are the rankings...

USA Today Super 25

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) 2-0, LW: #1
2. Byrnes (SC) 4-0, LW: #2
3. Elder (OH) 4-0, LW: #3
4. Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 1-0, LW: #4
5. Northwestern (FL) 2-0, LW: #5
6. Oscar Smith (VA) 3-0, LW: #7
7. Centennial (AZ) 4-0, LW: #8
8. Oaks Christian (CA) 3-0, LW: #6
9. Stony Point (TX) 3-0, LW: #9
10. Lowndes (GA) 4-0, LW: #10
11. Cedar Hill (TX) 4-0, LW: #11
12. The Woodlands (TX) 4-0, LW: #12
13. Maine South (IL) 4-0, LW: #14
14. Katy (TX) 3-1, LW: #13
15. Madison Central (MS) 4-0, LW: #15
16. St. Bonaventure (CA) 3-0, LW: #16
17. St. Xavier (OH) 4-0, LW: #19
18. Grayson (GA) 4-0, LW: #18
19. Skyline (WA) 2-1, LW: #17
20. DeMatha (MD) 3-0, LW: #20
21. West Monroe (LA) 3-0, LW: #22
22. Jenks (OK) 3-0, LW: #24
23. North Penn (PA) 3-0, LW: NR
24. De La Salle (CA) 1-1, LW: #25
25. Rock Hill (SC) 4-0, LW: NR

Dropped out: #21 Mt. Carmel (IL) and #23 Longview (TX)

National Prep Football Poll

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) 2-0, LW: #1
2. Byrnes (SC) 4-0, LW: #2
3. Northwestern (FL) 2-0, LW: #3
4. Lowndes (GA) 4-0, LW: #4
5. St. Ignatius (OH) 4-0, LW: #15
6. Servite (CA) 3-0, LW: #10
7. Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 1-0, LW: #7
8. Cedar Hill (TX) 4-0, LW: #6
9. Oscar Smith (VA) 3-0, LW: #8
10. St. Bonaventure (CA) 3-0, LW: #12
11. Oaks Christian (CA) 3-0, LW: #13
12. Miami Central (FL) 3-0, LW: #11
13. St. Xavier (OH) 4-0, LW: #19
14. Lakeland (FL) 2-0, LW: #14
15. Elder (OH) 4-0, LW: #5
16. Centennial (AZ) 4-0, LW: #16
17. Grayson (GA) 4-0, LW: #17
18. Skyline (TX) 3-0, LW: #18
19. DeMatha (MD) 3-0, LW: #19
20. Jenks (OK) 3-0, LW: #21
21. Stony Point (TX) 3-0, LW: #22
22. John Curtis (LA) 2-0, LW: #23
23. Independence (NC) 5-0, LW: #24
24. Phoebus (VA) 3-0, LW: NR
25. Mullen (CO) 4-0, LW: NR

Dropped out: #9 Skyline and #25 Good Council

New National Prep Football Poll Released

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Four new teams enter the National Prep Football Poll this week. Defending Ohio Division I champ St. Ignatius enters at #11 after a hard fought 14-13 win over Cleveland-area arch-rival Glenville, which was ranked #5. The other newcomers are Grayson (GA) at #16, Servite (CA) at #20 and Wheaton-Warrenville South at #25.

The National Prep Football Poll is compiled by high school sports journalist Jamie DeMoney with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches.

National Prep Football Poll (released August 31, 2009)

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) 1-0 LW: #1
2. Byrnes (SC) 1-0) LW: #2
3. Northwestern (FL) 0-0 LW: #3
4. Katy (TX) 1-0 LW: #4
5. Lowdnes (GA) 1-0 LW: #11
6. Oscar Smith (VA) 1-0 LW: #6
7. Elder (OH) 1-0 LW: #12
8. Bellevue (WA) 0-0 LW: #8
9. Skyline (WA) 0-0 LW: #9
10. Cedar Hill (TX) 1-0 LW: #10
11. St. Ignatius (OH) 1-0 LW: NR
12. Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 0-0 LW: #13
13. Oaks Christian (CA) 0-0 LW: #14
14. Lakeland (FL) 0-0 LW: #16
15. De La Salle (CA) 0-0 LW #17
16. Grayson (GA) 1-0 LW: NR
17. Liberty (PA) 0-0 LW: #19
18. Centennial (AZ) 1-0 LW: #20
19. Skyline (TX) 0-0 LW: #21
20. Servite (CA) 0-0 LW: #NR
21. Jenks (OK) 0-0 LW: #22
22. DeMatha (MD) 0-0 LW: #23
23. John Curtis (LA) 0-0 LW: #24
24. Independence (NC) 2-0 LW: #25
25. Wheaton-Warrenville South 1-0, LW: NR

St. Thomas Aquinas #1 in National Prep Poll & ESPN Rise Fab 50

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

When I first began my television career back in the early 90s, I remember the excitement that ran through the Allentown Central Catholic football program when the Vikings were ranked by USA Today. Yes, back in 1993, the Super 25 meant something...even if it didn't truly mean anything, because...well you know why!

Now, every major media outlet is in on the act. However, I still like USA Today the best, because they've been doing it since 1982.

Tradition means something at The High School Football Huddle!

So with all that being said, let's look at the first couple of polls to be released...ESPN Rise's Fab 50 and Prep Nation. USA Today will release it's Super 25 later.

At least for the pre-season polls, ESPN and Prep Nation are in agreement on #1 and #2. Both polls have the "defending" national champs, St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) at the top spot to start the season. The Raiders are followed by Byrnes (Duncan, SC). If all goes according to plan, the Raiders and Rebels will collide on October 2nd in Florida in a nationally-televised game.

There's no surprise when it comes to which states standout in both polls. Texas leads the Prep Nation Poll with four teams in the Top 25, Florida and California landed three teams in the National Prep Football Poll. The State of Washington is smiling with Bellevue and Skyline cracking the Top 10 in the National Prep Football Poll.

In the ESPN Rise Fab 50...California, Florida and Texas each landed seven teams in the Top 50.

Let's start with the National Prep Football Poll, which is America's second oldest weekly poll produced by Jamie DeMoney, who does a great job of keeping fans up-to-date. Below you can learn more about PrepNation.com.

Prep Nation's National Football Poll

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 15-0
2. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 14-1
3. Northwestern (Miami, FL) 13-2
4. Katy (TX) 13-3
5. Glenville (Cleveland, OH) 11-1
6. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 15-0
7. Lakewood (CA) 10-3
8. Bellevue (WA) 14-0
9. Skyline (Sammamish, WA) 14-0
10. Cedar Hill (TX) 12-2
11. Lowndes (Valdosta, GA) 12-1
12. Jenks (OK) 12-2
13. Elder (Cincinnati, OH) 13-2
14. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 11-1
15. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA) 14-0
16. Allen (TX) 15-1
17. Lakeland (FL) 14-1
18. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 12-2
19. Prattville (AL) 13-1
20. Liberty (Bethlehem, PA) 15-1
21. Centennial (Peoria, AZ) 14-0
22. Skyline (Dallas, TX) 12-2
23. Independence (Charlotte, NC) 13-1
24. DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) 10-2
25. John Curtis (River Ridge, LA) 14-1

About the National Prep Poll: Compiled weekly weekly since 1987 and distributed by World Features Syndicate and the Associated Press, the National Prep Poll is the nation's second oldest weekly high school sports rankings. Doug Huff of ESPN RISE compiled the rankings from 1987 until 1999. Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season. The National Prep Poll is the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and Web sites around the United States by the Associated Press national wire service. The National Prep Poll is the first high school football and boys basketball poll to released in the preseason and during each week of the regular season. Criteria considered for the National Prep Poll rankings are strength of schedule, the ability to accomplish the ultimate goal on a team's schedule (i.e. winning a championship), impact players and performers, a team's coaching and recent tradition.

Jamie DeMoney begins his 10th year compiling the World Features Syndicate/Associated Press National Prep Poll. He has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years and compiled the National Prep Poll since 1999. DeMoney has also compiled high school football and basketball rankings for Sporting News, School Sports, and RISE. DeMoney was managing editor of American Football Monthly and assistant national editor of All-Stater Sports/Highwired Sports. DeMoney is a graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism, and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association.

ESPN's Fab 50 looks like this...

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL)
2. Byrnes (SC)
3. Elder (OH)
4. Katy (TX)
5. Northwestern (FL)
6. Oaks Christian (CA)
7. Allen (TX)
8. Oscar Smith (VA)
9. Skyline (WA)
10. Prattville (AL)
11. Lowndes (GA)
12. Cedar Hill (TX)
13. Union (OK)
14. Centennial (AZ)
15. Lakeland (FL)
16. St. Bonaventure (CA)
17. Longview (TX)
18. Don Bosco Prep (NJ)
19. Glenville (OH)
20. Bellevue (WA)
21. DeMatha (MD)
22. North Shore (TX)
23. East St. Louis (IL)
24. De La Salle (CA)
25. Dwyer (FL)
26. Hinsdale Central (IL)
27. West Monroe (LA)
28. Miami Central (FL)
29. Orange Lutheran (CA)
30. Colerain (OH)
31. Notre Dame Prep (CA)
32. John Curtis (LA)
33. Camden County (GA)
34. Highlands (KY)
35. Bishop McDevitt (PA)
36. De La Salle Collegiate (MI)
37. St. Ignatius (OH)
38. Hamilton (AZ)
39. Stony Point (TX)
40. Bolles School (FL)
41. Grant (CA)
42. Long Beach Poly (CA)
43. Trinity (KY)
44. Jenks (OK)
45. Southlake Carroll (TX)
46. Mullen (CO)
47. Liberty (PA)
48. Pahokee (FL)
49. Skyline (TX)
50. Shiloh Christian (AR)

PrepNation.com Releases Lastest Top 25

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Losses by #13 Trinity (Louisville, KY) and #19 Colerain (Cincinnati, OH) caused some minor changes in the latest PrepNation.com National Prep Poll.

The top twelve teams held their spots with St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) holding down the top spot for the second week in a row. Coming into the poll are St. Xavier (Louisville, KY), which beat Trinity 30-6 on Friday, at #15 and Good Counsel (Olney, MD) at #21.

Here's the rest of the poll...

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 4-0, LW: #1
2. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 6-0, LW: #2
3. Trinity (Euless, TX) 5-0, LW: #3
4. Lowndes (Valdosta, GA) 6-0, LW: #4
5. South Panola (Batesville, MS) 6-0, LW: #5
6. Centennial (Corona, CA) 4-0, LW: #6
7. Armwood (Seffner, FL) 5-0, LW: #7
8. Gateway (Monroeville, PA) 6-0, LW: #8
9. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 6-0, LW: #9
10. Long Beach Poly (CA) 4-0, LW: #10
11. North Shore (Houston, TX) 3-0, LW: #11
12. Bastrop (LA) 4-0, LW: #12
13. Glenville (Cleveland, OH) 7-0, LW: #14
14. Skyline (Sammamish, WA) 5-0, LW: #15
15. St. Xavier (Louisville, KY) 5-0, LW: NR
16. Camden County (Kingsland, GA) 5-0, LW: #16
17. Lakeland (FL) 5-0, LW: #17
18. St. Bonaventure (Ventura, CA) 4-0, LW: #18
19. St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH) 6-1, LW: #20
20. Quince Orchard (Gaithersburg, MD) 5-0, LW: #22
21. Good Counsel (Olney, MD) 5-0, LW: NR
22. Stone Bridge (Ashburn, VA) 6-0, LW: #21
23. Carmel (IN) 7-0, LW: #24
24. Maryville TN) 7-0, LW: #23
25. Maine South (Park Ridge, IL) 6-0, LW: #25

PrepNation.com Top 25 Poll

Only one change major change in the latest Prep.Nation.com high school football poll.

Prattville's (AL) 15-10 loss to defending 2007 PrepNation.com national champ St. Xavier (OH) in the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series knocks the defending Alabama 6A champs out of the Top 25. With Prattville out, Long Beach Poly (CA) is in.

Poly enters the poll at #12 thanks to an impressive 29-7 win over defending two-time Florida champ Northwestern (#1 in 2007 USA Today Super 25) on Saturday. Interestingly, St. Xavier, Northwestern, Katy (TX) and Prattville finished #1, #2 #3 and #4 respectively in last year's final PrepNation.com poll, and all have lost already this season.

A couple of small moves up this week were made by St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) moving from #5 to #4 after its win over Cincinnati Elder and Rockhurst (MO) ticks up two spots to #19 after its win on ESPN Sunday

Here's the latest Top 25 through the third week of the season...

1. Trinity (Euless, TX) 0-0
2. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 1-0
3. Lowndes (Valdosta, GA) 1-0
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 1-0
5. South Panola (Batesville, MS) 1-0
6. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 0-0
7. Gateway (Monroeville, PA) 1-0
8. Armwood (Seffner, FL) 0-0
9. Centennial (Corona, CA) 0-0
10. North Shore (Houston, TX) 1-0
11. Jenks (OK) 0-0
12. Long Beach Poly (CA) 1-0
13. Glenville (Cleveland, OH) 0-0
14. Bastrop (LA) 0-0
15. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 1-0
16. Trinity (Louisville, KY) 0-0
17. Lutheran (Orange, CA) 0-0
18. Skyline (Sammanish,WA) 0-0
19. Rockhurst (Kansas City, MO) 0-0
20. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 0-0
21. Mt. Carmel (Chicago, IL) 1-0
22. Plano (TX) 1-0
23. Apopka (FL) 0-0
24. Desert Vista (Phoenix, AZ) 0-0
25. Center Grove (Greenwood, IN) 2-0

Here is PrepNation.com regional rankings...

PrepNation.com Pre-Season Top 25 Poll

PrepNation.com has released its pre-season Top 25 High School Football Poll.

Trinity High School from Euless, Texas sits at the top of the poll. The Trojans are the defending Class 5A Division I champs and have won two state titles since 2005. With 11 starters returning from last year's squad, head coach Steve Lineweaver (89-16, 8 years at Trinity) expects his team to challenged for back-to-back state titles.

Here's the rest of the Prep Nation High School Football Poll with 2007 records

1. Trinity (Euless, TX) 15-1
2. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 15-0
3. Lowdnes (Valdosta, GA) 14-1
4. South Panola (Batesville, MS) 15-0
5. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 14-1
6. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 13-0
7. Gateway (Monroeville, PA) 11-2
8. Armwood (Seffner, FL) 13-1
9. Centennial (Corona, CA) 13-2
10. North Shore (Houston, TX) 14-1
11. St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH) 8-3
12. Jenks (OK) 13-1
13. Bastrop (LA) 15-0
14. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 13-1
15. Trinity (Louisville, KY) 13-2
16. Lutheran (Orange, CA) 10-2
17. Skyline (Sammanish, WA) 14-0
18. St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) 15-0
19. Prattville (AL) 15-0
20. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 12-0
21. Mount Carmel (Chicago, IL) 12-1
22. Rockhurst (Kansas City, MO) 13-0
23. Plano (TX) 13-2
24. Apopka (FL) 12-2
25. Desert Vista (Phoenix, AZ) 9-5