PrepNation.com: Preseason National Prep Football Poll released

WAUKEE, Iowa -- Fortified by a roster teeming with top-level college prospects, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) looks in prime position to capture a national championship for the third time in seven seasons. The Raiders are top-ranked in the preseason National Prep Poll. They are the fourth Florida team in the last six seasons to begin the year No. 1.

^National Prep Football Poll – Preseason=
^By Jamie DeMoney=
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The National Prep Football Poll is compiled by Jamie DeMoney of XOS Digital with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The national Top 25 and regional Top 10's follow with 2013 won-loss records:
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#1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas (10-3), seeks eighth state title since 1992
#2. Lakewood, Ohio, St. Edward (11-2), six seniors have BCS scholarship offers
#3. Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman (13-2), plays four ranked out-of-state opponents
#4. Allen, Texas (16-0), favored to win third consecutive state crown
#5. Hoover, Ala. (15-0), eight-time state champ since 2000
#6. Concord, Calif., De La Salle (14-1), only six-time Prep Poll champion
#7. Powder Springs, Ga., McEachern (11-3), features Oregon-bound sr. RB Taj Griffin
#8. Cedar Hill, Texas (14-2), 12 starters back from Class 5A/II title squad
#9. Miami, Booker T. Washington (14-0), defending Prep Poll titlist
#10. Katy, Texas (15-1), 99 wins since 2007
#11. Clifton, Va., Centreville (15-0), 6A state champion returns 16 starters
#12. Plantation, Fla., American Heritage (14-1), opens Aug. 29 vs. No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas
#13. Bellflower, Calif., St. John Bosco (16-0), led by UCLA-committed sr. QB Josh Rosen
#14. Miami, Central (13-1), two-time defending 6A state champ
#15. Bellevue, Wash. (14-0), trying for its seventh straight 3A state crown
#16. Folsom, Calif. (14-1), Washington-bound sr. QB Jake Browning 75 TD passes in 2013
#17. Jersey City, N.J., St. Peter's Prep (10-1), sr. RB-DB Minkah Fitzpatrick will play at Alabama
#18. DeSoto, Texas (14-1), only losses last two seasons to No. 4 Allen
#19. Anaheim, Calif., Servite (6-6), opponents’ winning percentage was .750 last year
#20. Philadelphia, St. Joseph's Prep (12-3), reigning 4A state champ
#21. Chandler, Ariz. (10-3), sr. QB Bryce Perkins headed to Arizona St.
#22. Buford, Ga. (15-0), aims for seventh state crown in eight years
#23. New Orleans, Warren Easton (10-4), won National Select 7-on-7 title last month in Hoover, Ala.
#24. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco (7-4), plays top-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas Sept. 13
#25. Warminster, Pa., Archbishop Wood (13-2), 16 starters return from 3A state championship
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^Northeast=
#1. Jersey City, N.J., St. Peter's Prep, 10-1
#2. Philadelphia, St. Joseph's Prep, 12-3
#3. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco, 7-4
#4. Warminster, Pa., Archbishop Wood, 13-2
#5. Paramus, N.J., Catholic, 10-2
#6. Harrisburg, Pa., Bishop McDevitt, 14-2
#7. Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph Regional, 10-1
#8. Pittsburgh, Central Catholic, 15-1
#9. Rochester, N.Y., Aquinas, 13-0
#10. Philadelphia, Imhotep, 12-3
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^East Coast=
#1. Clifton, Va., Centreville, 15-0
#2. Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha, 11-1
#3. Charlotte, N.C., Mallard Creek, 16-0
#4. Rock Hill, S.C., Northwestern, 15-0
#5. Elkton, Md., Eastern Christian, 9-3
#6. Owings Mills, Md., McDonogh, 11-0
#7. Matthews, N.C., Butler, 11-4
#8. Washington, Gonzaga, 6-5
#9. Virginia Beach, Va., Ocean Lakes, 12-1
#10. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes, 12-2
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^Southeast=
#1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas, 10-3
#2. Hoover, Ala., 15-0
#3. Powder Springs, Ga., McEachern, 11-3
#4. Miami, Booker T. Washington, 14-0
#5. Plantation, Fla., American Heritage, 14-1
#6. Miami, Central, 13-1
#7. Buford, Ga., 15-0
#8. New Orleans, Warren Easton, 10-4
#9. Miramar, Fla., 12-1
#10. Nashville, Tenn., Ensworth, 11-1
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^Midwest=
#1. Lakewood, Ohio, St. Edward, 11-2
#2. Cincinnati, Moeller, 14-1
#3. Carmel, Ind., 10-4
#4. Bolingbrook, Ill., 10-1
#5. Chicago, Mount Carmel, 13-1
#6. Detroit, Cass Tech, 12-1
#7. Cincinnati, St. Xavier, 5-6
#8. Huber Heights, Ohio, Wayne, 11-2
#9. Indianapolis, Ben Davis, 8-3
#10. Louisville, Ky., Male, 12-2
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^Midlands=
#1. South Jordan, Utah, Bingham, 14-0
#2. Blue Springs, Mo., 14-0
#3. Lee’s Summit, Mo., West, 13-1
#4. Olathe, Kan., North, 8-4
#5. West Des Moines, Iowa, Dowling Catholic, 14-0
#6. Salt Lake City, Brighton, 12-2
#7. Wichita, Kan., Bishop Carroll, 10-1
#8. Provo, Utah, Timpview, 13-1
#9. Greenwood Village, Colo., Cherry Creek, 10-2
#10. Fridley, Minn., Totino-Grace, 9-3
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^Southwest=
#1. Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman, 13-2
#2. Allen, Texas, 16-0
#3. Cedar Hill, Texas, 14-2
#4. Katy, Texas, 15-1
#5. DeSoto, Texas, 14-1
#6. Chandler, Ariz., 10-3
#7. Jenks, Okla., 14-0
#8. Denton, Texas, Guyer, 14-2
#9. Bentonville, Ark., 11-2
#10. Manvel, Texas, 12-2
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^West Coast=
#1. Concord, Calif., De La Salle, 14-1
#2. Bellflower, Calif., St. John Bosco, 16-0
#3. Bellevue, Wash., 14-0
#4. Folsom, Calif., 14-1
#5. Anaheim, Calif., Servite, 6-6
#6. Gardena, Calif., Serra, 13-1
#7. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei, 11-3
#8. Portland, Ore., Central Catholic, 14-0
#9. Corona, Calif., Centennial, 12-3
#10. Honolulu, Punahou, 11-0
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FEATS OF THE WEEK: Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas begins the 2014 season atop the National Prep Poll, further bolstering Florida’s reputation as a premier hotbed for high school football. It’s the fourth time in six years the Sunshine State starts with the No. 1-ranked squad. By season’s end, an unbeaten record and fifth state title in eight seasons could earn St. Thomas Aquinas its third Prep Poll title since 2008 and fifth for Florida in the last nine years. The Raiders boast an extremely talented roster featuring at least 19 players with scholarship offers from FBS colleges. Two of the key offensive threats will be senior running back Jordan Scarlett and junior receiver Sam Bruce. Both are committed to Miami and were Broward All-County selections playing for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., University last season. Key contributors on defense include highly-touted junior lineman Nick Bosa (uncommitted), senior linebacker Chris Hart (uncommitted) and senior defensive back Damon Arnette (South Carolina). The first three opponents the Raiders will face are in the preseason poll, beginning with No. 12 Plantation, Fla., American Heritage on August 29 at Sun Life Stadium. That’s followed by a trip to Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y., to play No. 24 Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco on Sept. 13. The following week, St. Thomas Aquinas is back in South Florida to take on regionally-ranked Miramar, Fla. Rocco Casullo enters his fourth season as Raiders head coach with a 33-8 record. Casullo was an assistant when St. Thomas Aquinas won Prep Poll titles in 2008 and 2010 under George Smith.

Past National Prep Poll champs, with records and coaches:
1987--Fontana, Calif. (14-0), Dick Bruich
1988--Prichard, Ala., Vigor (13-0), Harold Clark
1989--Odessa, Texas, Permian (16-0), Gary Gaines
1990--Aldine, Texas (15-0), Bill Smith
1991--Indianapolis, Ben Davis (14-0), Dick Dullaghan
1992--Valdosta, Ga. (14-0), Nick Hyder
1993--Cleveland, St. Ignatius (14-0), Chuck Kyle
1994--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0), Bob Ladouceur
1995--Cleveland, St. Ignatius (14-0), Chuck Kyle
1996--Hampton, Va. (14-0), Mike Smith
1997--Hampton, Va. (13-0), Mike Smith
1998--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (12-0), Bob Ladouceur
1999--Shreveport, La., Evangel (15-0), Dennis Dunn
2000--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0), Bob Ladouceur
2001--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (12-0), Bob Ladouceur
2002--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0), Bob Ladouceur
2003--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0), Bob Ladouceur
2004--Southlake, Texas, Carroll (16-0), Todd Dodge
2005--Southlake, Texas, Carroll (16-0), Todd Dodge
2006--Lakeland, Fla. (15-0), Bill Castle
2007--Cincinnati, St. Xavier (15-0), Steve Specht
2008--Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas (15-0), George Smith
2009--Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco (12-0), Greg Toal
2010--Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas (15-0), George Smith
2011--Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco (12-0), Greg Toal
2012--River Ridge, La., John Curtis (14-0), J.T. Curtis
2013--Miami, Booker T. Washington (14-0), Tim Harris
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Copyright 2014 World Features Syndicate, Inc...endit

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 compiled the rankings from 1987 until 1999. Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season to the present.

PrepNation.com was originally launched August 1, 2001 by Jamie DeMoney for the purpose of creating a permanent online home for the National Prep Poll football and boys basketball rankings.

The National Prep Poll is the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and websites around the United States by the Associated Press.

Among the criteria used in the weekly compilation of 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.

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