Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) pulled off one of the biggest wins in program history Friday and skyrocketed into the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings after beating St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 24-21. Jesuit sealed the win with a touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback
Luke Knight to senior wide receiver
Jaydn Girard with nine seconds remaining.
The Tigers defense forced six turnovers and St. Thomas Aquinas, the two-time defending 7A state champs, committed 13 penalties for 122 yards. Jesuit enters the rankings at No. 20 while the loss dropped the Raiders 16 spots to No. 22.
Last weekend's biggest contest saw No. 7 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) hang on for a 21-20 win over Miami Central (Fla.) as the Rockets' last-second field goal attempt bounced off the crossbar. Sophomore quarterback
Micah Alejado had a monster night for the Gaels, accounting for three touchdowns. He keyed the four-play, 80-yard winning drive when he found junior wide receiver
Zachariah Branch for a 37-yard score with 3:48 left.
The win moves the Las Vegas power up two spots to No. 7 while the Rockets fall from the rankings. This is the first time in more than 15 years the Miami power has started the season 0-2 with its other loss to No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).
Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) joins Jesuit (Tampa) as the other team to join this week's MaxPreps Top 25 after beating McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.) 23-7 to improve to 2-0. The Eagles went 5-0 last spring with notable wins over DeMatha, Good Counsel and St. John's (Washington, D.C.). They have a Sept. 17 showdown against No. 15 St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia).
No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) was idle last week and returns to action Sept. 10 against Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) at the Polynesian Football Classic in Las Vegas. The Monarchs were dealt some tough news over the weekend five-star cornerback
Domani Jackson suffered a season-ending injury.
No. 2 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) won its 13th consecutive game — and second straight over an Ohio opponent — with a one-sided 58-7 win at La Salle (Cincinnati). The Ascenders have outscored their first two opponents 116-7 and host Northwestern (Miami) on Sept. 10.
No. 5 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) — the back-to-back 7A state champs — have been one of the most dominant teams in the early part of the season, posting three consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1972 and outscoring the opposition 168-0.
Jesuit pulled off the upset of the young season Friday, beating No. 22 St. Thomas Aquinas 24-21 to jump into the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings.
File photo by Chris Hull
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 1
Last week: Idle
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Liberty (Henderson, Nev.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 2
Last week: Beat La Salle (Cincinnati) 58-7
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Northwestern (Miami)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 3
Last week: Beat Bishop Amat (La Puente) 47-7
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. East St. Louis (Ill.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 4
Last week: Beat Trinity (Euless) 34-14
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Mansfield Summit (Arlington)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 5
Last week: Beat Tuscaloosa County (Northport) 58-0
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Spain Park (Hoover)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 8
Last week: Beat Smyrna (Del.) 52-6
Next week: Idle
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat Central (Miami) 21-20
Next week: Sept. 11 vs. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 7
Last week: Beat Greenville Christian (Greenville, Miss.) 37-22
Next week: Sept. 10 at Rome
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 10
Last week: Beat Klein Collins (Spring) 34-7
Next week: Sept. 10 at Westfield (Houston)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 11
Last week: Beat Carmel 41-14
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Ben Davis (Indianapolis)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 12
Last week: Idle
Next week: Sept. 9 at Bishop Amat (La Puente)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 14
Last week: Beat Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) 68-6
Next week: Sept. 10 at Saint Francis (Mountain View)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 16
Last week: Beat Cypress Woods (Cypress) 42-7
Next week: Sept. 10 at Dickinson
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 15
Last week: Beat Centennial (Peoria) 28-7
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Col.)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 17
Last week: Beat St. Mary's Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.) 40-0
Next week: Sept. 11 vs. Milton (Ga.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 18
Last week: Beat Olentangy Liberty (Powell) 49-0
Next week: Sept. 10 at Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 19
Last week: Beat Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall) 36-35
Next week: Sept. 10 at Prosper
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 20
Last week: Beat Jordan (Sandy) 70-7
Next week: Sept. 10 at Lehi
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 22
Last week: Idle
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: NR
Last week: Beat St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) 24-21
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. Bloomingdale (Valrico)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 23
Last week: Beat Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 35-14
Next week: Sept. 10 at JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano)
Record: 1-1 | Last week: 6
Last week: Lost to Jesuit (Tampa) 24-21
Next week: Sept. 10 at American Heritage (Plantation)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 25
Last week: Beat Jenks 23-15
Next week: Idle
Record: 0-1 | Last week: 13
Last week: Idle
Next week: Sept. 11 at Franklin (Reistertown)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: NR
Last week: Beat McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.) 23-7
Next week: Sept. 10 vs. St. Mary's Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.)
