Week 16 PrepNation National Prep Football Poll

Tigers eye first Prep Poll title

Katy (Texas) -- which has outscored opponents 706-55 and recorded nine shutouts -- ascends to No. 1 

The National Prep Football Poll is compiled by Jamie DeMoney of XOS Digital with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The Week 16 national Top 25 and regional Top 15's follow with current won-loss records:

NATIONAL TOP 25

1. Katy HS (Texas), 14-0 (Last week: 3)

2. Centennial HS (Corona, Calif.), 14-0 (5)

3. Colquitt County HS (Moultrie, Ga.), 14-0 (4)

4. Bishop Gorman HS (Las Vegas), 15-0 (2)

5. Allen HS (Texas), 14-0 (6)

6. St. John Bosco HS (Bellflower, Calif.), 13-1 (1)                           

7. De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.), 12-1 (7)

8. Lake Travis HS (Austin, Texas), 13-0 (9)

9. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 8-0 (10)

10. St. Edward HS (Lakewood, Ohio), 14-1 (14)

11. Male HS (Louisville, Ky.), 15-0 (14)

12. Roswell HS (Ga.), 14-0 (25)

13. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 14-0 (16)

14. Center Grove HS (Greenwood, Ind.), 14-0 (17)

15. Steele HS (Cibolo, Texas), 14-0 (18)

16. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.), 14-0 (19)

17. DeMatha HS (Hyattsville, Md.), 11-1 (20)

18. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 9-3 (NR)

19. St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 12-1 (NR)

20. Central HS (Miami), 11-2 (NR)

21. Eastside Catholic HS (Sammamish, Wash.), 13-0 (NR)

22. Spanish Fort HS (Ala.), 15-0 (NR)

23. Blue Springs South HS (Mo.), 14-0 (NR)

24. Gilman School (Baltimore), 10-1 (23)

25. Kahuku (Hawaii), 13-0 (24)

Dropped out: Grayson (Ga.) 8, Wayne (Ohio) 11, Clay-Chalkville (Ala.) 12, Mill Creek (Ga.) 13, Maryville (Tenn.) 21

NORTHEAST REGION

1. Don Bosco Prep HS (Ramsey, N.J.), 9-3 (Last week: 1)

2. Central Catholic HS (Pittsburgh), 13-1 (3)

3. St. Joseph Regional HS (Montvale, N.J.), 8-4 (2)

4. Upper Dublin HS (Fort Washington, Pa.), 14-0 (4)

5. Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), 13-0 (5)

6. Xaverian Brothers HS (Westwood, Mass.), 12-0 (6)

7. Aquinas Institute (Rochester, N.Y.), 13-0 (7)

8. Archbishop Stepinac HS (White Plains, N.Y.), 12-0 (8)

9. Southington HS (Conn.), 11-0 (9)

10. Bergen Catholic HS (Oradell, N.J.), 7-4 (10)

11. Middletown South HS (N.J.), 12-0 (11)

12. Parkland HS (Allentown, Pa.), 13-1 (12)

13. Northern Valley HS (Old Tappan, N.J.), 12-0 (NR)

14. Darien HS (Conn.), 10-0 (14)

15. Cumberland Valley HS (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), 12-2 (NR)

EAST COAST REGION

1. DeMatha HS (Hyattsville, Md.), 11-1 (1)

2. Gilman School (Baltimore), 10-1 (2)

3. Northwestern HS (Rock Hill, S.C.), 13-1 (6)

4. Oscar Smith HS (Chesapeake, Va.), 13-0 (4)

5. Mallard Creek HS (Charlotte, N.C.), 13-2 (8)

6. Charlotte Catholic HS (N.C.), 14-0 (7)

7. Highland Springs HS (Va.), 13-1 (9)

8. Damascus HS (Md.), 14-0 (13)

9. Wise HS (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 14-0 (NR)

10. Dorman HS (Roebuck, S.C.), 11-3 (NR)

11. Lexington HS (S.C.), 13-1 (NR)

12. Westfield HS (Chantilly, Va.), 13-1 (NR)

13. Byrnes HS (Duncan. S.C.), 12-2 (5)

14. Spartanburg HS (S.C.), 12-2 (4)

15. Lake Taylor HS (Norfolk, Va.), 14-0 (12)

SOUTHEAST REGION

1. Colquitt County HS (Moultrie, Ga.), 14-0 (1)

2. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 8-0 (3)

3. Roswell HS (Ga.), 14-0 (8)

4. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.), 14-0 (6)

5. St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 12-1 (9)

6. Central HS (Miami), 11-2 (10)

7. Spanish Fort HS (Ala.), 15-0 (13)

8. Flanagan HS (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), 11-2 (12)

9. Starkville HS (Miss.), 14-1 (14)

10. McGill-Toolen HS (Mobile, Ala.), 13-1 (NR)

11. Armwood HS (Seffner, Fla.), 14-0 (NR)

12. Osceola HS (Kissimmee, Fla.), 13-1 (NR)

13. Clay-Chalkville HS (Pinson, Ala.), 14-1 (4)

14. Catholic HS (Baton Rouge, La.), 10-3 (NR)

15. Independence HS (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.), 15-0 (NR)

MIDWEST REGION

1. St. Edward HS (Lakewood, Ohio), 14-1 (2)

2. Male HS (Louisville, Ky.), 15-0 (3)

3. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 14-0 (4)

4. Center Grove HS (Greenwood, Ind.), 14-0 (5)

5. King HS (Detroit), 14-0 (6)

6. Wayne HS (Huber Heights, Ohio), 14-1 (1)

7. Kimberly HS (Wis.), 14-0 (7)

8. Glenbard West HS (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) 14-0 (8)

9. Colerain HS (Cincinnati), 12-2 (9)

10. La Salle HS (Cincinnati), 13-2 (10)

11. Trinity HS (Louisville, Ky.), 11-2 (11)

12. St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.), 12-1 (12)

13. Romeo HS (Mich.), 13-1 (13)

14. Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park, Ill.), 12-2 (15)

15. Montini Catholic HS (Lombard, Ill.), 14-0 (NR)

MIDLANDS REGION

1. Blue Springs South HS (Mo.), 14-0 (1)

2. Valor Christian HS (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 12-2 (2)

3. Fort Osage HS (Independence, Mo.), 13-1 (3)

4. Dowling Catholic HS (West Des Moines, Iowa), 13-0 (4)

5. Herriman HS (West Herriman, Utah), 11-3 (5)

6. Mill Valley HS (Shawnee, Kan.), 12-1 (6)

7. Christian Brothers HS (St. Louis), 13-1 (7)

8. Lone Peak HS (Highland, Utah), 13-1 (8)

9. Kearney HS (Mo.), 14-1 (9)

10. Derby HS (Kan.), 12-1 (10)

11. Bingham HS (South Jordan, Utah), 10-2 (11)

12. Webb City HS (Mo.), 14-1 (12)

13. Osseo HS (Minn.), 10-3 (13)

14. Millard North HS (Omaha, Neb.), 11-2 (14)

15. Rocky Mountain HS (Meridian, Idaho), 11-1 (15)

SOUTHWEST REGION

1. Katy HS (Texas), 14-0 (2)

2. Bishop Gorman HS (Las Vegas), 15-0 (1)

3. Allen HS (Texas), 14-0 (3)

4. Lake Travis HS (Austin, Texas), 14-0 (4)

5. Steele HS (Cibolo, Texas), 14-0 (5)

6. Jenks HS (Okla.), 11-1 (7)

7. Westlake HS (Austin, Texas), 13-1 (6)

8. Mansfield HS (Texas), 12-2 (13)

9. Centennial HS (Peoria, Ariz.), 12-2 (9)

10. Fayetteville HS (Ark.), 12-2 (NR)

11. Judson HS (Converse, Texas), 13-1 (NR)

12. Trinity HS (Euless, Texas), 10-1 (14)

13. Lake Ridge HS (Mansfield, Texas), 14-0 (12)

14. Ryan HS (Denton, Texas), 13-1 (8)

15. Chandler HS (Ariz.), 11-2 (15)

WEST COAST REGION

1. Centennial HS (Corona, Calif.), 14-0 (2)

2. St. John Bosco HS (Bellflower, Calif.), 13-1 (1)

3. De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.), 12-1 (3)

4. Eastside Catholic HS (Bellevue, Wash.), 13-0 (5)

5. Kahuku HS (Hawaii), 13-0 (4)

6. Mission Viejo HS (Calif.), 14-0 (6)

7. Folsom HS (Calif.), 14-0 (7)

8. Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.), 14-0 (NR)

9. Jesuit HS (Portland, Ore.), 14-0 (13)

10. Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, Calif.), 10-3 (10)

11. Bishop Amat HS (La Puente, Calif.), 10-3 (11)

12. Serra HS (Gardena, Calif.), 9-3 (12)

13. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord, Calif.), 12-1 (14)

14. Elk Grove HS (Calif.), 12-1 (8)

15. Helix HS (La Mesa, Calif.), 11-1 (NR)

RECAPPING THE RANKINGS

Top Five Storylines

·       *St. John Bosco’s reign as the nation’s top-ranked team ended when it lost to then-No. 5 Corona Centennial, 62-52, in the Pac-5 Division championship. Centennial, now ranked No. 2, will play No. 7 De La Salle for the Open Division state championship on Dec. 19. 

·       *Katy ascended from No. 3 to No. 1 in the national poll after knocking off Manvel, 35-17, in the Texas 6A/Division II quarterfinals. The Tigers’ case for their first Prep Poll title could be bolstered with a win over No. 15 Steele in this week’s semifinals and a potential matchup with No. 8 Lake Travis for the state championship.

·      *Last year’s Prep Poll titlist, Bishop Gorman, dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 despite hammering Liberty, 62-21, in the Nevada Division I championship for its seventh consecutive state crown. The Gaels’ case for a repeat isn’t completely dead, but strength of schedule has proven to be less formidable than preseason projections. Only one of the six non-Nevada opponents on Bishop Gorman’s schedule won a state championship.

·      *A season-high five teams dropped out of the national poll after being eliminated from the postseason. Among the teams moving into the Top 25 this week are preseason top six squads St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) and Miami Central. 

·     * For the first time in two months, a team from New Jersey is nationally ranked. Despite finishing the season with three losses, two-time Prep Poll champion Don Bosco Prep soared to No. 18 this week after winning its first Non-Public Group IV state crown since 2011. Ten of the 12 teams on Don Bosco’s schedule were nationally or regionally ranked this season.

Top Five Risers

1. Wise (Md.)

2. Gonzaga Prep (Wash.)

3. McGill-Toolen (Ala.)

4. Fayetteville (Ark.)

5. Dorman (S.C.)

Top Five Feats … plus one

No. 21 Eastside Catholic overcame a 28-point deficit in the third quarter and rallied to beat Bellevue, 48-42, in overtime for its second consecutive 3A state championship. Both wins were against a Bellevue program that won six straight crowns from 2008-13.

In the Washington 4A final, regionally ranked Gonzaga Prep thumped Skyline, 34-16, to win its first state crown since 1986. The Bullpups totaled a championship-game record 521 rushing yards.

Senior running back Jake Funk added to his season touchdown record as regionally ranked Damascus hammered Dundalk, 55-14, for the Maryland 3A state crown. Funk, a Maryland commit, ran for a title-game record seven touchdowns and finished the year with 57.

No. 16 Trinity Christian Academy became the first Jacksonville-area team to capture three consecutive Florida state titles. The Conquerors clobbered American Heritage (Delray Beach), 30-3, for the 3A crown.

Although only a junior, Cotre Tapia is already Colorado’s all-time leader in sacks. Tapia had one sack in Windsor's 35-14 win over Longmont, giving him 39 for his career and surpassing the old record set by current Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell while at Denver South.

Cumberland Valley advanced to the Pennsylvania 4A state semifinals and entered the regional rankings after slipping past Central Dauphin, 62-61, in a playoffs-record seven overtimes.

All content Copyright 2015 Jamie DeMoney/PrepNation.com

About the PrepNation National Prep Poll

The PrepNation National Prep Poll is a continuation of World Feature Syndicate’s National Prep Poll, which was published and distributed to the Associated Press and other news organizations from 1987 to 2015.

The National Prep Poll is second only to the USA Today Super 25 as the longest continually published weekly high school rankings. While a product of World Features Syndicate (1987-2015), the National Prep Poll was the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and websites around the United States by the Associated Press.

Before authoring rankings for Student Sports and ESPN, National High School Sports Hall of Fame journalist Doug Huff compiled the National Prep Poll rankings from 1987 until 1999. Current author Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season to the present.

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.

About PrepNation.com

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.