Opening Day of Practice in Iowa Brings Mixed Emotions in Parkersburg

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Another wave of states joined the 2009 high school football season across America yesterday. Practice began in states like Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Utah.

Hopes are always high on the first day of the season, however, the first day of practice in Parkersburg, Iowa yesterday didn't have the usual air of excitement. The Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons took to the practice field without their leader...head coach Ed Thomas, who was allegedly murdered by a former player at the end of June.



ESPN has just announced that it will broadcast the Falcons season-opener against Dike-New Hartford on August 28.

To read about the first day of practice in the tiny town, click here to read a story from USA Today. Click here for the Des Moines Register story. I think the best written piece on the tragedy was the cover story in Sports Illustrated at the beginning of July. Click here to read that moving story.

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)

Soldotna's 29-Game Win Streak Comes to an End on Opening Weekend of Football in Alaska

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

When it comes to the longest win streaks in Alaska football history, the Anchorage West Eagles has had something to say about them.

On Saturday, West beat Soldotna 34-21 to snap the three-time defending Small Schools champ's 29-game win streak. The loss leaves the Stars tied with Anchorage East for the long win streak in state football history. Back in 1988, it was West that ended East's 29-game streak.

Click here to read how West stormed back from a 14-0 deficit.

The opening week of action also saw the #1 pre-season Big Schools team lose. North Pole lost to Colony 17-7.

Alaska High School Football Scores
Saturday, August 8, 2009

Colony 17 North Pole 7 Click here for game story
Eagle River 57 Houston 0 Click here for game story
Eielson 35, Seward 0 Click here for game story
Juneau-Douglas 41 West Valley 0 Click here for game story
Kodiak 21 Barrow 7
Monroe 42, Delta 0 Click here for game story
Palmer 25 Dimond 22
Service 18, South 15 Click here for game story
Sitka 20 Thunder Mountain 6 Click here for game story
Skyview 55 Valdez 8
West 34, Soldotna 21

Alaska HIgh School Football Scoreboard - Week 1

Alaska High School Football Scores
Friday, August 7, 2009

Four games, four shutouts as the 2009 high school football season kicked-off in Alaska. Below are the scores with game stories. 11 games are on the schedule today.

Bartlett 39 Wasilla 0 Click here for game story
Chugiak 37 Anchorage East 0 Click here for game story
Homer 27 Nikiski 0
Kenai 47 Lathrop 0 Click here for game story

High School Football Officially Arrives This Weekend in Alaska

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle
They begin playing for real up north tonight as Alaska kicks-off the 2009 high school football season with three games on tonight's schedule and twelve tomorrow.

For those of you that don't know much about football in America's 49th state, there are 31 schools that battle during an eight-week regular season in two classifications...Big Schools and Small Schools Divisions. A three week post-season leads to two champions taking home the First National Bowl trophies from Anchorage Football Stadium.

History may be made tomorrow when three-time defending Small Schools champ Soldotna faces Anchorage West. The Stars will be looking for their 30th straight win, which will set a new record for consecutive wins.

Service is the defending Big Schools champ.

The Anchorage Daily News has a nice preview of all of the Anchorage-area teams. Click here to read the opening night story.

Here are some other team previews:

Delta Junction
Lathrop
Monroe Catholic
Thunder Mountain

For more on high school football in Alaska, click here to go to the Alaska High School Football Huddle.

Friday Games
Lathrop at Kenai, 6:30 p.m.
Nikiski at Homer, 6:30 p.m.
Chugiak at East, 7 p.m., Anchorage Football Stadium

Saturday's Games
Bartlett at Wasilla
Thunder Mountain at Sitka
Delta at Monroe
Valdez at Skyview
Eielson at Seward
Houston at Eagle River
Service at South
Soldotna vs. West
North Pole at Colony
Dimond at Palmer
Kodiak at Barrow
West Valley at Juneau

I Bet You Didn't Know This!

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle
On the surface, the story that Portsmouth High is getting a new football stadium this year, wasn't a big deal. I was just going to post it on the Ohio High School Football Huddle.

Then I did a little research, and I found a story that I thought Huddle readers would also like.

Portsmouth is a proud football town in southern Ohio. On September 5th, the brand new $10 million Clark Athletic Complex will be christened when the Trojans host Portsmouth West. However, the stadium that is being left behind, is what I find the most interesting part of the story.

For years the Portsmouth Spartans played at historic Spartan Stadium that was built in 1930. It was the home field of the NFL's Portsmouth Trojans from 1930-33. The original name of the field was Universal Stadium.

While Green Bay is the last small town standing in the NFL, Portsmouth in the 30's had that professional football feel until the team was sold and was moved to Detroit in 1934 to become the Lions. In fact, in my research I found an interesting tie between Portsmouth and the Packers.

On December 4, 1933, the Spartans beat the world champion Packers 19-0 in what is considered the most famous game at Universal Stadium. What made it great was the fact that Portsmouth only had only eleven players. The game became simply known at "The Iron Man Game".

I bet you didn't know this!

To learn more about the old stadium, click here to read a story about its historical designation in the state of Ohio.

Below is video from a July 14th naming ceremony. The athletic complex was made possible by a generous grant from the Clyde and Maycel Foundation.

Vick Takes Part in First Day of Practice at Virginia High School

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle
Michael Vick completed his first pass on Monday since being conditionally reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Vick was invited to take part in Landstown (VA) High's first day of practice. He threw several passes to players and then spoke with the team for about 15 minutes.

"I love working with kids and putting smiles on their faces and being able to help them in whatever capacity that I can," Vick told the Virginian-Pilot. "I've been through a lot of experiences in my life and they know it. And for the most part I can help them."

Landstown coach Tommy Reamon was Vick's coach at Warwick High School. As a three-year starter for Reamon, Vick passed for 4,846 yards and 43 touchdowns, plus ran for 1,048 yards and 18 TDs.

Click here to read the story.



Below is video of Vick during his high school career at Warwick with sounbites from Coach Beamon.

Headlines Inside The Huddle

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

There's plenty of information being uploaded to the various State Huddles. Here's a look at some of the latest headlines with links to the stories...

Georgia Huddle: North Hall Preview Click here to read story.
Utah Huddle: Utah High School Football Practice Begins Next Week Click here to read story.
South Carolina Huddle: Hilton Head-area Previews Click here to read story.
Tennessee Huddle: Comcast Game of the Week Schedule Announced for Knoxville-area Click here to read story.