NationalHSFootball.com
Of the 16-team field for the Pac-5 playoffs set to begin in SoCal, 10 programs will enter the bracket ranked in the HSFB100.
In what figures to be the most competitive field across the country this season there will not be a game played this upcoming week that does not include at least one nationally ranked team.
Leading the pack is St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) which navigated the top league in the nation without a blemish, winning the Trinity League and moving up this week to the No. 5 slot in the HSFB100.
View Past Polls:
If the season mirrors its games the Braves figure to be hitting their stride in the final quarter of the year.
The team has reached its 9-1 mark by outscoring opponents 487-244 on the year but when the game was in the balance it performed its best, closing out the fourth quarters by outscoring teams 150-54.
No. 15 JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, CA) put up nearly half of those points as it scored 20 points in the fourth quarter in its lone setback on the season, 49-44. The Lions pushed for a second-place finish in the Trinity League and earned the second seed in the Pac-5. Both St. John Bosco and JSerra will play teams from the Moore League and will advance into the second round without issue.
No. 28 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) is the only team to outscore St. John Bosco in the second half of a game this year, 15-7, but the Monarchs still fell, 28-25.
Mater Dei was able to down an ever improving No. 30 Corona Centennial (CA) which is the fourth-highest two-loss team in the HSFB100.
The signature win for Centennial this year was against No. 38 Long Beach Poly (CA) which has been a defensive force for much of the year and its offensive production has improved but gone largely untested in its league. It will face a team with some offensive firepower in previously-ranked Servite (Anaheim, CA).
The Mission League was just behind the Trinity League and inside the Top 5 leagues nationally. Its top team entering the Pac-5 is No. 56 Crespi (Encino, CA) which will rely on its power running attack if it is going to advance. It may have the most difficult first-round game as it will play No. 77 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) in a total contrast of styles as the Eagles will rely on its aerial attack to move the ball.
Rounding out the Mission League representative are No. 63 Serra (Gardena, CA) and No. 100 Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA).
No. 92 Westlake (Westlake Village, CA) wrapped its season at 8-2 with a one-point loss to Mater Dei and a 10-point setback against Poly.
Amat was the last team to make it into the rankings this week and pushed the total to 10 for the Pac-5 after it closed its season with five straight wins. It could have been the top team in the league if not for a loss to Crespi on the road and it may have been ranked as such despite the loss if it were not for an inexplicable loss to Chino Hills (CA) in mid-September.
While it is quite unlikely that all 10 will remain ranked into the final weeks of the season it is noteworthy the level of competition compacted into one league playoffs and that many of these teams will not have a chance to play in any of the postseason bowl games in California despite making up all but three of the top teams in the state.
View all the moves below:
Join the HSFB100 chatter: Get a free user name | Post on The Varsity Board
| RK (L) | TEAM CITY (ST) | RECORD | LAST WEEK | |
| 1 (1) | Bishop Gorman Las Vegas (NV) | 11-0 | def. Desert Oasis, 63-0 | |
| Bishop Gorman continues to crush its Nevada opposition and ride its strength of schedule to the top spot in the HSFB100. This week the team downed Desert Oasis by a final of 63-0 and got to work in some of its younger players. Being the defacto winner of the aforementioned Trinity League by beating four of its five playoff teams gives a major boost to the teams bottom line. | ||||
| 2 (2) | De La Salle Concord (CA) | 10-0 | def. California, 42-0 | |
| It has been 257 games since De La Salle lost to a NorCal team and that stat is often thrown into the face of the Spartans no matter their dominance versus that group. It beat California this week 42-0 that was a shrug of the shoulders compared to many other games nationally. It will be harder for De La Salle to hold off teams behind it than jump Bishop Gorman. | ||||
| 3 (3) | Colquitt County Moultrie (GA) | 10-0 | def. Camden County, 28-24 | |
| STOCK DOWN: The game was largely meaningless as Camden was out of the playoffs and Colquitt had clinched its Region title but the Packers played like it was disinterested. The uninspiring performance did not cost the team a place in the poll nor did it hurt its title hopes. The Packers have an interesting path to a Georgia 6A title. | ||||
| 4 (4) | Allen (Texas) | 10-0 | def. Plano East, 35-13 | |
| Allen cemented itself as a legitimate national title threat last week and remained focused beating Plano East. The Texas 6A-DI playoffs will proved a few tests although it may not be what it has been in previous years with the splits — perhaps — favoring the Division II bracket as the better grouping overall. | ||||
| 5 (10) | St. John Bosco Bellflower (CA) | 9-1 | def. No. 77 Santa Margarita, 58-34 | |
| St. John Bosco has gone undefeated in consecutive seasons inside the Trinity League and that has instant credibility. The Braves have proven to be a second half team which could lead to a boost in confidence as it understands playing close and late. Nerves shouldn’t be an issue if the team falls behind in the playoffs but against a team like De La Salle it can not fade too far behind or it will lose like it did against Bishop Gorman. | ||||
| 6 (5) | Manvel (Texas) | 10-0 | def. No. 85 Pearland, 35-33 | |
| Manvel raced out to an early lead and then had to hold on for a nail-biting victory. It may have been the adversity test that the team needed after not playing a meaningful game since beating Westfield and North Shore to open the season. The team has the talent to win the state but the mental check it got from Pearland could be what really propels it. | ||||
| 7 (16) | Rummel Metarie (LA) | 11-0 | def. Brother Martin, 45-24 | |
| STOCK UP: Like going unbeaten in the Trinity League, New Jersey’s Big North United, or Cincinnati’s Greater Catholic League South being unblemished in the New Orleans Catholic League this year carries a lot of weight. The game with Brother Martin was not nearly as close as expected and Rummel enters the playoffs with one of the better strengths of schedule in the country. | ||||
| 8 (8) | Booker T. Washington Miami (FL) | 10-0 | Idle | |
| Booker T. Washington was idle this week and maintained its placement at No. 8 nationally. The Tornadoes will have to get through Cocoa (FL) and potentially Bolles (Jacksonville, FL) to win the state title. Both of those games have a chance to boost the final placement — especially with Bolles beating one of the top teams in Class 7A this week. | ||||
| 9 (12) | Folsom (California) | 10-0 | def. Woodcreek, 71-7 | |
| It can be argued that Folsom is the No. 2 team in California but with the slate of games that St. John Bosco has played it still gets that nod. The Bulldogs have improved the schedule and it may be better for it come playoffs time. Folsom figures to pair with Grant in the Division I Regional Bowl and then add a SoCal opponent in the DI Bowl. It could finish in the Top 10 this season. Beating Woodcreek did not change evaluation points from what was previously known. | ||||
| 10 (9) | Dallas Skyline (Texas) | 10-0 | def. Sunset, 55-0 | |
| Skyline is a team that is tough to get a read on. Its best win came against Cedar Hill and that has been marginalized in a major way the last few weeks and its district is simply not very good. | ||||
| 11 (15) | Bingham South Jordan (UT) | 11-1 | def. Herriman, 36-6 | |
| The Miners continue to push through the Utah playoffs and will be in the semifinals this week. Baring a total meltdown this team will win a state title and finish inside the Top 25 nationally. It would be good to see it in a rematch with the state’s No. 2 team — Brighton. | ||||
| 12 (13) | Mainland Daytona Beach (FL) | 10-0 | def. Fort Pierce Central, 28-17 | |
| Mainland stays inside the Top 15 with a win over what was previously thought to be a bigger test in Fort Pierce Central. Mainland is starting to have whispers of ‘peaked too early’ come from people that have seen the team the last two weeks. | ||||
| 13 (14) | Miami Central (Florida) | 9-1 | Idle | |
| The Rockets were idle entering the playoffs. It may have been appropriate to move the team ahead of Mainland this week as it may be the favorite to win the state title. | ||||
| 14 (17) | Southlake Carroll (Texas) | 10-0 | def. Bell, 38-14 | |
| After sleeping on the Dragons for much of the season its ranking continues to improve during the final stretch. The team has more balance than starpower this year and it is winning as a team. That is a formula for sustained success in the playoffs. | ||||
| 15 (19) | JSerra San Juan Capistrano (CA) | 9-1 | def. Servite, 38-21 | |
| The Lions impressively ended the regular season with a victory over Servite. It wrapped up the year with a runner-up finish in the Trinity League and only a 49-44 loss to St. John Bosco going against it. The team will play it first-ever playoff game this coming week and figures to also gain its first playoff win, too. | ||||
| 16 (18) | Chandler (Arizona) | 10-1 | def. Red Mountain, 54-14 | |
| Chandler has the look of the best team in the state and it continues to blow teams off the field. The win got the playoffs off on the right foot and it will have to stay focused against Basha this week in a rematch game that Chandler won 55-10 last months. Keeping the attention span of young kids against a team they blew out is among the most difficult coaching tasks. | ||||
| 17 (20) | Bellevue (Washington) | 10-0 | def. Bishop Blancet, 44-0 | |
| The Wolverines blanked another playoff foe on its way to a state title. It can still gain two quality wins before the season ends and as Serra keeps winning in California a boost to the schedule is factored in. | ||||
| 18 (7) | Starkville (Mississippi) | 10-0 | def. Clinton, 56-46 | |
| STOCK DOWN: The Yellow Jackets were a team that had made its mark with its defense and that side of the ball took the week off. The last two weeks were not impressive performances and the shine wore off the team as it has the look of one that doesn’t have the focus going into the playoffs. With a path that could include Tupelo and South Panola prior to a finals with Brandon or Oak Grove the team will need to regain its midseason form. | ||||
| 19 (11) | Clay-Chalkville Pinson (AL) | 11-0 | def. Scottsboro, 85-50 | |
| STOCK DOWN: Allowing 50 points against Scottsboro is not the look of a Top 15 — and arguably not a Top 25 — team. The Cougars offense was too much although it scored 28 of those points in the fourth quarter to pull away from a team that should not have been putting up this much of a fight. | ||||
| 20 (21) | Euless Trinity (Texas) | 9-1 | Idle | |
| Trinity enjoyed a bye week prior to the playoffs. It will get a South Grand Prairie team that nearly knocked off Cedar Hill this week in the first round. | ||||
| 21 (22) | St. Peter’s Prep Jersey City (NJ) | 8-1 | def. Eastern Christian, 41-14 | |
| St. Peter’s has won the last three games by a combined 172-21 and remain in the Top 25 as the playoffs are getting set to start. The Marauders crushed an Eastern Christian program that was on fumes as the season grinds to an end. | ||||
| 22 (23) | Union Tulsa (OK) | 9-1 | def. Edmond North, 51-14 | |
| Union will look to push for a state title in Oklahoma over the next few weeks. While it will likely have to go through Jenks again that may be easier this year as the rest of Oklahoma may be two steps behind the Redskins. | ||||
| 23 (27) | Hoover (Alabama) | 9-2 | def. Buskhorn, 38-13 | |
| Hoover advanced in the playoffs with an easy — and meaningless — victory over Buckhorn. The offense is playing better behind Jack Hutcheson and the team may regain its placement as the top team in Alabama very soon. It may have the best two losses of any team in the country falling to Top 5 Colquitt and Top 15 Miami Central. | ||||
| 24 (6) | Paramus Catholic (New Jersey) | 8-1 | lost to No. 62 Joseph Regional, 27-0 | |
| STOCK DOWN: The game was a microcosm of all of the weaknesses for Paramus Catholic going wrong at one time. Its special teams nearly cost it against Don Bosco but didn’t. Its interceptions nearly cost it against St. Ignatius but they didn’t. This week both played major roles in being soundly defeated by St. Joseph’s Regional as poor punting and three interceptions officially ended the team’s argument for the national title. | ||||
| 25 (28) | Katy (Texas) | 9-1 | def. Cinco Ranch, 55-0 | |
| STOCK UP: We should ignore Katy rolling through district games but its offensive line has continued to improve and its defense is always tough. The Tigers could be in the right state of mind to win a state title as the top contenders in Division II have had some near stumbles in the last few weeks. This team is a lot like Hoover in that it is proving the early season belief was warranted. | ||||
| 26 (24) | St. Thomas Aquinas Ft. Lauderdale (FL) | 9-1 | def. Deerfield Beech, 42-7 | |
| 27 (25) | Flanagan Pembroke Pines (FL) | 9-0 | Idle | |
| 28 (31) | Mater Dei Santa Ana (CA) | 8-2 | def. Orange Lutheran, 49-13 | |
| 29 (34) | St. Edward Lakewood (OH) | 9-2 | def. Brunswick, 37-3 | |
| 30 (33) | Centennial Corona (CA) | 8-2 | def. Norco, 48-7 | |
| 31 (26) | Buford (Georgia) | 10-0 | def. Stephens County, 56-0 | |
| 32 (29) | Destrehan (Louisiana) | 10-0 | def. East St. John, 28-14 | |
| 33 (30) | Cedar Hill (Texas) | 8-2 | def. South Grand Prairie, 37-35 | |
| STOCK DOWN: When motivated this could be the best team in the country as was evidenced on ESPN versus DeSoto. When unmotivated it is a team that could bounced by most anyone. This was another week that the team rolled the ball out onto the field and barely came away with a win. | ||||
| 34 (32) | DeSoto (Texas) | 9-1 | def. Duncanville, 69-20 | |
| 35 (35) | South Panola Batesville (MS) | 11-0 | def. DeSoto Central, 28-0 | |
| 36 (36) | Byrd Shreveport (LA) | 10-0 | def. Haughton, 42-7 | |
| 37 (37) | St. Xavier Cincinnati (OH) | 9-2 | def. Central Crossing, 50-13 | |
| 38 (43) | Long Beach Poly (California) | 9-1 | def. Wilson, 46-0 | |
| 39 (44) | La Salle Cincinnati (OH) | 10-1 | def. Glen Este, 48-28 | |
| 40 (47) | Grant Sacramento (CA) | 10-0 | def. Jesuit, 52-14 | |
| STOCK UP: In what was expected to be a measuring stick game, Grant pounded Jesuit from gun to whistle. The Pacers make a move deeper into the Top 50 with the performance and it looks like a group ready for a playoff run. | ||||
| 41 (49) | IMG Academy Bradenton (FL)) | 10-1 | def. Champagnat Catholic, 48-8 | |
| 42 (54) | Ware County Waycross (GA) | 10-0 | def. Brunswick, 48-19 | |
| 43 (45) | Martin Arlington (TX) | 8-2 | def. North Crowley, 50-12 | |
| 44 (38) | Blackman Murfreesboro (TN) | 10-1 | def. Cane Ridge, 49-14 | |
| 45 (39) | Maryville (Tennessee) | 11-0 | def. Walker Valley, 48-0 | |
| 46 (40) | Dutch Fork Irmo (SC) | 9-2 | def. Lugoff-Elgin, 63-13 | |
| 47 (41) | Byrnes Duncan (SC) | 10-1 | def. Wade Hampton, 62-9 | |
| 48 (42) | Oakland Murfreesboro (TN) | 10-1 | def. Mount Juleit, 53-0 | |
| 49 (46) | Hudson (Ohio) | 11-0 | def. Perry, 29-0 | |
| 50 (48) | Mentor (Ohio) | 10-1 | def. Lorain, 49-34 | |
| 51 (50) | Bergen Catholic Oradell (NJ) | 7-2 | def. Ridgewood, 40-13 | |
| 52 (51) | Carmel (Indiana) | 121-0 | def. Carroll, 56-6 | |
| 53 (52) | Don Bosco Ramsey (NJ) | 6-2 | def. DePaul, 38-20 | |
| 54 (57) | Mansfield Timberview Arlington (TX) | 9-1 | def. Mansfield Summit, 48-31 | |
| 55 (63) | Wayne Huber Heights (OH) | 10-1 | def. Elder, 42-13 | |
| 56 (67) | Crespi Encino (CA) | 8-1 | def. Alemany, 34-21 | |
| 57 (74) | Brandon (Mississippi) | 10-1 | def. Provine, 31-6 | |
| 58 (55) | The Woodlands (Texas) | 9-1 | def. Kingwood, 35-27 | |
| 59 (64) | Ensworth Nashville (TN) | 8-2 | Idle | |
| 60 (75) | Oak Grove (Mississippi) | 9-1 | def. Jim Hill, 49-7 | |
| 61 (62) | Midway Waco (TX) | 10-0 | def. Ellison, 43-0 | |
| 62 (92) | St. Joseph Regional Montvale (NJ) | 6-2 | def. No. 24 Paramus Catholic, 27-0 | |
| STOCK UP: The Green Knights exploited errors by Paramus Catholic to knock off the Paladins, 27-0. The young Knights are growing fast and could push for a higher ranking as the season continues. Its embarrassing loss to St. Edward appears to be long in the rearview mirror. | ||||
| 63 (78) | Serra Gardena (CA) | 9-2 | def. Loyola, 56-31 | |
| 64 (59) | Armwood Seffner (FL) | 10-0 | def. Stawberry Coast, 42-0 | |
| 65 (85) | Manatee Bradenton (FL) | 9-1 | def. Venice, 10-0 | |
| 66 (66) | Lake Travis Austin (TX) | 9-1 | def. Atkins, 69-6 | |
| 67 (95) | Providence Catholic New Lenox (IL) | 10-1 | def. St. Rita, 34-3 | |
| STOCK UP: In what may have been the most impressive performance in the Illinois playoffs this weekend, Providence dominated St. Rita to advance to the next round. Providence was the favorite but winning in the way it did was unexpected. | ||||
| 68 (86) | Guyer Denton (TX) | 9-1 | def. Denton Ryan, 52-7 | |
| 69 (65) | American Heritage Delray Beach (FL) | 8-1 | def. Palm Bay Heritage, 41-28 | |
| 70 (72) | Brentwood Academy Brentwood (TN) | 8-2 | Idle | |
| 71 (81) | Brother Rice Birmingham (MI) | 11-0 | def. Groves, 48-7 | |
| 72 (60) | Dr. Phillips Orlando (FL) | 10-0 | def. Winter Park, 28-17 | |
| 73 (77) | Grayson Loganville (GA) | 9-1 | Idle | |
| 74 (82) | Bothell (Washington) | 10-0 | def. Bethel, 56-7 | |
| 75 (83) | Ponchatoula (Louisiana) | 11-0 | def. Hammond, 42-7 | |
| 76 (68) | American Heritage Plantation (FL) | 7-3 | def. Kathleen, 35-13 | |
| 77 (69) | Santa Margarita Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) | 6-4 | lost No. 5 St. John Bosco, 58-34 | |
| 78 (70) | Miramar (Florida) | 6-3 | Idle | |
| 79 (79) | Webb City (Missouri) | 12-0 | def. Carl Junction, 42-12 | |
| 80 (NR) | Ben Davis Indianapolis (IN) | 10-2 | def. No. 83 Warren Central, 9-3 | |
| 81 (71) | Steele Cibolo (TX) | 9-1 | def. Canyon, 49-0 | |
| 82 (76) | Good Counsel Olney (MD) | 9-1 | Idle | |
| 83 (80) | Warren Central Indianapolis (IN) | 9-3 | lost to No. 80 Ben Davis, 40-36 | |
| 84 (84) | Moeller Cincinnati (OH) | 8-3 | def. Miamisburg, 28-7 | |
| 85 (87) | Pearland (Texas) | 9-1 | lost to No. 6 Manvel, 35-33 | |
| 86 (88) | Male Louisville (KY) | 110-0 | def. Marshall County, 62-2 | |
| 87 (89) | Dorman Roebuck (SC) | 9-2 | def. Riverside, 35-7 | |
| 88 (90) | Alter Kettering (OH) | 11-0 | def. Miami Trace, 49-7 | |
| 89 (91) | Lakeland (Florida) | 10-0 | Idle | |
| 90 (93) | Hamilton Chandler (AZ) | 10-1 | def. Valley Vista, 52-15 | |
| 91 (96) | Stevenson Lincolnshire (IL) | 12-0 | def. Loyola Academy, 24-21 | 92 (97) | Westlake Westlake Village (CA) | 8-2 | def. Oaks Christian, 35-7 |
| 93 (98) | Punahou Honolulu (HI) | 7-0 | Idle | |
| 94 (100) | Ocean Lakes Virginia Beach (VA) | 10-0 | def. Salem, 41-7 | |
| 95 (58) | First Coast Jacksonville (FL) | 10-0 | def. White, 19-14 | |
| STOCK DOWN: First Coast has the talent but it doesn’t have the consistent focus or play. The unevenness of its season could have it on the outside of the HSFB100 — and out of the playoffs — before it should be. | ||||
| 96 (73) | Brennan San Antonio (TX) | 10-0 | def. Brandeis, 21-17 | |
| 97 (NR) | Jesuit New Orleans (LA) | 9-2 | def. St. Augustine, 34-20 | |
| 98 (NR) | Glenbard West Glen Ellyn (IL) | 11-0 | def. Palatine, 41-7 | |
| 99 (NR) | Independence Charlotte (NC) | 11-0 | def. Butler, 34-28 | |
| 100 (NR) | Bishop Amat La Puente (CA) | 7-3 | def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 38-24 | |
| Teams eliminated from the HSFB100 with previous rankings shown. | ||||
| No. 53 Gilman (Baltimore, MD); No. 56 Niceville (FL); No. 61 Centerville (OH); No. 94 Pickerington Central (OH), and No. 99 Goose Creek (SC). | ||||
Join the HSFB100 chatter: Get a free user name | Post on The Varsity Board
