Top 25 high school football rankings

There was little movement in the Xcellent 25 Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, but one new team did enter the fray.

With Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.) dropping out following a surprising loss to Vance (Charlotte), previously-ranked Butler (Matthews, N.C.) re-enters the rankings. The Bulldogs, which have won 29 straight games, are No. 25.

The Bulldogs earned the No. 2 preseason ranking released on June 1, but took a hit when reigning National Junior of the Year, quarterback Christian LeMay withdrew from the school.

Sophomore Riley Ferguson has done a fine job stepping into the starting quarterback role in LeMay's absence. He accounted for four touchdowns in leading Butler to an impressive 48-21 victory over Vance on Friday.

Xcellent 25 Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (1) Trinity (Euless, Texas), 13-0
After a close call against Allen, Trinity rebounded by downing Martin 42-21. Future Oklahoma Sooner Brandon Carter rushed 11 times for 184 yards and two scores for the Trojans.

2. (2) South Panola (Batesville, Miss.), 14-0
South Panola earned a spot in the 6A title game by beating Madison Central 43-7. Qyendairs Griffin scored four times to power the Tigers.

3. (3) St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 12-0
Jacob Rudock complete 10 passes, five that went for touchdowns, in Aquinas' 49-7 victory over Cooper City.

4. (4) St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 14-0
A strong second half allowed St. Edward to outlast Whitmer 23-13. Eagles' quarterback Sam Burke was responsible for three touchdown passes to help St. Edward pull away. See Saturday Wrap.

5. (5) Katy (Texas), 13-0
In a battle between top Houston-area programs, Katy hung on for a 32-27 win over North Shore. A late defensive stop on fourth down by the Tigers preserved the victory. See Saturday Wrap.

6. (6) Centennial (Corona, Calif.), 12-0
Barrinton Collins' 302 rushing yards and five scores lifted Centennial over Upland 52-23. Quarterback Michael Eubank added three rushing touchdowns for the undefeated Huskies.

7. (7) Armwood (Seffner, Fla.), 12-0
Armwood's defense was outstanding against Hillsborough in the team's 39-6 victory. The Hawks notched three defensive touchdowns to complement a strong offensive performance by Josh Grady and Matt Jones to advance in the 4A playoffs.

8. (8) Grant (Sacramento, Calif.), 13-0
Grant overcame injuries to down a difficult St. Mary's (Stockton) team 20-11. Running back Kaiiron Richards was once again solid, finding the end zone twice for the Pacers, who will now face Folsom in another Northern California showdown.

9. (9) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 12-0
Dallas Kessman continued his fine play by rushing for 146 yards and two scores as Mission Viejo held off a very strong Santa Margarita team 31-28. See Friday Wrap.

10. (10) Hoover (Ala.), 14-0
Justin McArthur was sensational for Hoover, which won convincingly over Mountain Brook 44-20. McArthur found the end zone four times for the Bucs, who next take on Daphne in the 6A state finals.

11. (11) Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 11-0
Junior Leonte Carroo had a receiving touchdown and scored on a reverse as Don Bosco Prep throttled Thanksgiving rival St. Joseph Regional 42-7.

12. (12) Phoebus (Hampton, Va.), 13-0
A late touchdown from future Virginia Cavalier Daquan Romero helped Phoebus overcome rival Hampton 12-7. The Phantoms have now won 43-straight games. See Friday Wrap.

13. (13) West Monroe (La.), 13-0
West Monroe downed Jesuit 28-11, one week after the Rebels squeaked out a victory over Barbe. Paul Turner had two touchdowns to lead the way.

14. (14) De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 11-0
The Spartans' offense clicked on all cylinders in a 70-20 win over Heritage. Lucas Dunne and Gaetano Demattei both crossed the goal line three times while Joe Te'o scored twice for the Spartans.

15. (15) Wheaton-Warrenville South (Wheaton, Ill.), 14-0
Ron Muhitch's squad overcame a 17-14 fourth-quarter deficit to down Lake Zurich 28-17. Titus Davis had six catches for 104 yards and two scores for the Tigers, who captured their second straight 7A crown. See Saturday Wrap.

16. (16) Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 13-0
Season complete. 5A state champions.

17. (17) Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), 11-1
The Panthers took another step toward returning to the state finals with a 43-0 win over Hollywood Hills. Shawn McClaine rushed for four touchdowns.

18. (18) Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.), 14-0
Northwestern overcame its biggest challenge of the season by knocking off previously-unbeaten Goose Creek 41-34. Justin Worley accounted for five touchdowns to lead the comeback. See Friday Wrap.

19. (19) Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.), 12-0
With their 41-28 victory over Venice, the Hurricanes moved one step close to another battle with 5A title-favorite St. Thomas Aquinas. Mike Blakely rushed for 197 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown run.

20. (21) Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.), 12-0
Demetrius Hart tallied four rushing touchdowns, a receiving touchdown, and a special teams score as Dr. Phillips dominated Oak Ridge 45-0.

21. (22) Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), 12-0
Servite took a 23-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 40-16 victory over Crespi. Malik Felton scored three times and finished with 195 yards while the Friars' defense stifled Crespi's high-powered offense.

22. (23) Mullen (Denver, Colo.), 13-0
Adonis Ameen-Moore crossed the goal line four times in the first half as Mullen rolled Grandview 41-7 to advance to the 5A title game. See Saturday Wrap.

23. (24) Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas), 13-0
After trailing 7-0, Stony Point clamped down and scored 42 straight to beat A&M Consolidated 42-7. See Saturday Wrap.

24. (25) Serra (Gardena, Calif.), 14-0
Serra won in a romp over Camarillo 40-7. George Farmer and Shaquille Richard each had long touchdowns as the Cavaliers utilized their superior speed to win in a breeze.

25. (NR) Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 14-0
Sophomore quarterback Riley Ferguson connected on four touchdown passes as Butler dominated Richmond 48-21.

Dropped out: Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)