Preseason PrepNation National Prep Football Poll

WAUKEE, Iowa -- For the fifth time in the last eight years, a Florida team is No. 1 in the preseason National Prep Poll.

Top-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) – which was also the top-ranked preseason team in 2014 -- is a heavy favorite to claim what would be their seventh state title in 10 seasons. Fourteen starters are back from a Class 7A titlist squad including University of Florida-committed senior quarterback Jake Allen and leading tackler Drew White, a Notre Dame-bound linebacker.

According to RankByOffers.com, an absurd 34 players on the Raiders' roster have received FBS scholarship offers. Eleven Aquinas seniors are ranked among the Top 200 Class of 2017 prospects in Florida by 247Sports.

The Raiders face a challenging schedule highlighted by road games against No. 24 Booker T. Washington (Miami) on August 27 and a September 30 battle in Las Vegas against No. 2 Bishop Gorman.

St. Thomas Aquinas won Prep Poll titles under former coach (and current athletic director) George Smith in 2008 and 2010. The team is now led by Roger Harriott, who went 13-1 in his first year at his alma mater and has a 91-16 record overall.

If the Raiders win it all this season, they would become only the second team in the 30-year history of the National Prep Poll to finish ranked No. 1 more than twice. (Concord De La Salle, Calif., has six Prep Poll titles.) Aquinas would also become the only team in Prep Poll history to win Prep Poll titles with two different coaches. 

The National Prep Football Poll is compiled by high school sports expert Jamie DeMoney of XOS Digital with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The preseason national Top 25 and regional Top 15's follow with last season's won-loss records:

NATIONAL TOP 25

1. St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 13-1

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

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

4. Cedar Hill HS (Texas), 9-2

5. Grayson HS (Loganville, Ga.), 13-1

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

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

8. Central Catholic HS (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 15-1

9. Katy HS (Texas), 16-0

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

11. Mallard Creek HS (Charlotte, N.C.), 14-2

12. Colerain HS (Cincinnati), 12-2

13. Lake Travis HS (Austin, Texas), 15-1

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

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

16. Allen HS (Texas), 14-1

17. Booker T. Washington HS (Miami), 9-5

18. Northwestern HS (Rock Hill, S.C.), 14-1

19. American Heritage HS (Plantation, Fla.), 9-2

20. Centennial HS (Corona, Calif.), 14-1

21. Central HS (Miami), 12-2

22. Colquitt County HS (Moultrie, Ga.), 15-0

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

24. Roswell HS (Ga.), 14-1

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

NORTHEAST

1. Central Catholic HS (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 15-1

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

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

4. St. Joseph Prep (Philadelphia), 7-3

5. Pine-Richland HS (Gibsonia, Pa.), 10-2

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

7. St. Peters Prep (Jersey City, N.J.), 8-3

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

9. Imhotep Charter HS (Philadelphia), 15-0

10. Paramus Catholic HS (N.J.), 3-6

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

12. Parkland HS (Allentown, Pa.), 14-2

13. Archbishop Wood HS (Warminster, Pa.), 11-1

14. New Canaan HS (Conn.), 11-1

15. Bishop Hendricken HS (Warwick, R.I.), 11-0

EAST COAST

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

2. Mallard Creek HS (Charlotte,    N.C.), 14-2

3. Northwestern HS (Rock Hill, S.C.), 14-1

4. Fort Dorchester HS (North Charleston, S.C.), 15-0

5. Good Counsel HS (Olney, Md.), 7-5

6. Westfield HS (Chantilly, Va.), 14-1

7. Highland Springs HS (Va.), 14-1

8. Scotland HS (Laurinburg, N.C.), 12-1

9. Saint Johns College HS (Washington), 7-4

10. South Pointe HS (Rock Hill, S.C.), 14-1

11. Dorman HS (Roebuck, S.C.), 11-4

12. Dudley HS (Greensboro, N.C.), 13-2

13. Oscar Smith HS (Chesapeake, Va.), 13-1

14. Gilman School (Baltimore, Md.), 10-1

15. Gonzaga HS (Washington), 11-2

SOUTHEAST

1. St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 13-1

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

3. Grayson HS (Loganville, Ga.), 13-1

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

5. Booker T. Washington HS (Miami), 9-5

6. American Heritage HS (Plantation, Fla.), 9-2

7. Central HS (Miami), 12-2

8. Colquitt County HS (Moultrie, Ga.), 15-0

9. Roswell HS (Ga.), 14-1

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

11. Brentwood Academy (Tenn.), 12-1

12. Brandon HS (Miss.), 11-3

13. Trinity Christian HS (Jacksonville, Fla.), 14-0

14. Armwood HS (Seffner, Fla.), 14-1

15. McEachern HS (Powder Springs, Ga.), 10-2

MIDWEST

1. Colerain HS (Cincinnati), 12-2

2. Cass Tech HS (Detroit), 11-3

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

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

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

6. Cathedral HS (Indianapolis), 8-4

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

8. Warren Central HS (Indianapolis), 8-4

9. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 14-0

10. Moeller HS (Cincinnati), 5-5

11. St. Marys Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.), 12-1

12. Mentor HS (Ohio), 8-4

13. Carmel HS (Ind.), 10-3

14. Pickerington Central HS (Ohio), 8-3

15. Ben Davis HS (Indianapolis), 6-5

MIDLANDS

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

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

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

4. Bishop Miege HS (Roeland Park, Kan.), 12-1

5. East HS (Salt Lake City), 11-2

6. Valley HS (West Des Moines, Iowa), 10-3

7. Mullen HS (Denver), 7-4

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

9. Eden Prairie HS (Minn.), 11-1

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

11. Pomona HS (Arvada, Colo.), 10-4

12. Park Hill HS (Kansas City, Mo.), 11-2

13. Rocky Mountain HS (Meridian, Id.), 11-1

14. Blue Springs HS (Mo.), 6-6

15. Bellevue West HS (Neb.), 11-1

SOUTHWEST

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

2. Cedar Hill HS (Texas), 9-2

3. Katy HS (Texas), 16-0

4. Lake Travis HS (Austin, Texas), 15-1

5. Allen HS (Texas), 14-1

6. Westlake HS (Austin, Texas), 14-2

7. Steele HS (Cibolo, Texas), 14-1

8. DeSoto HS (Texas), 6-6

9. Mountain Pointe HS (Phoenix), 12-1

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

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

12. Saguaro HS (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 12-2

13. Carroll HS (Southlake, Texas), 9-3

14. Union HS (Tulsa, Okla.), 9-3

15. Ryan HS (Denton, Texas), 13-1

WEST COAST

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

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

3. Centennial HS (Corona, Calif.), 14-1

4. De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.), 13-1

5. Mission Viejo HS (Calif.), 16-0

6. Kahuku HS (Hawaii), 13-0

7. Calabasas HS (Calif.), 13-2

8. Narbonne HS (Harbor City, Calif.), 14-2

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

10. West Linn HS (Ore.), 12-2

11. Vista Murrieta HS (Murrieta, Calif.), 12-2

12. St. Louis School (Honolulu), 9-3

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

14. Oaks Christian HS (Westlake Village, Calif.), 11-1

15. Chaminade HS (West Hills, Calif.), 7-4

PAST NATIONAL PREP POLL CHAMPIONS

The National Prep Poll was originated and published by World Features Syndicate from the 1987 football season through the end of basketball season in 2015.

National High School Sports Hall of Fame journalist Doug Huff authored the National Prep Poll before he joined Student Sports in 1999. Current poll chiefs Jamie DeMoney and Jeremy Plowman took over at the start of the 1999-2000 basketball season.

Here is a listing of the 29 National Prep Poll football champion teams and their 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

2014--Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman (15-0), Tony Sanchez

2015--Katy, Texas (16-0), Gary Joseph

Editor’s note: The PrepNation National Prep Football Poll will resume with its weekly poll on Monday, August 29.

All content Copyright 2016 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.