National Pre-Season Top 100

[whiteshoes]

With Hawaii kicking off the 2024 high school football season this weekend, I thought I would post this as two Top 100 teams are in action.   

1.       Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman

2.       Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei

3.       Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy

4.       Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco

5.       DeSoto (TX)

6.       Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna

7.       Duncanville (TX)

8.       Corona (CA) Centennial

9.       Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas

10.   Milton (GA)

11.   Houston (TX) North Shore

12.   Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph Prep

13.   Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic

14.   Massillon (OH) Washington

15.   Peoria (AZ) Liberty

16.   Olney (MD) Our Lady of Good Counsel

17.   Plantation (FL) American Heritage

18.   Baltimore (MD) St. Francis Academy

19.   Lakewood (OH) St. Edward

20.   Miami (FL) Central

21.   Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha

22.   Buford (GA)

23.   Phenix City (AL) Central

24.   Draper (UT) Corner Canyon

25.   Chatsworth (CA) Sierra Canyon

26.   Cocoa (FL)

27.   Austin (TX) Westlake

28.   Akron (OH) Archbishop Hoban

29.   Alabaster (AL) Thompson

30.   Norman Park (GA) Colquitt County

31.   Mission Viejo (CA)

32.   Belleville (MI)

33.   Orange (CA) Lutheran

34.   Carrollton (GA)

35.   Kahuku (HI)

36.   Tampa (FL) Berkley Prep

37.   Folsom (CA)

38.   Wilmette (IL) Loyola Academy

39.   Southlake (TX) Carroll

40.   Hochston (GA) Mill Creek

41.   Miami (FL) Norland

42.   Humble (TX) Atascocita

43.   Peoria (AZ) Centennial

44.   Greenwood (IN) Center Grove

45.   Lehi (UT) Skybridge

46.   Houston (TX) Summer Creek

47.   Liberty (MO) North

48.   Chicago (IL) Mt. Carmel

49.   Loganville (GA) Grayson

50.   Bixby (OK)

51.   Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep Charter

52.   Miami (FL) Columbus

53.   Indianapolis (IN) Ben Davis

54.   Concord (CA) De LaSalle

55.   Marietta (GA) Walton

56.   Lakeland (FL)

57.   San Mateo (CA) Serra

58.   Katy (TX)

59.   Bryant (AR)

60.   Charlotte (NC) Providence Day

61.   Saraland (AL)

62.   Toledo (OH) Central Catholic

63.   Trophy Club (TX) Byron Nelson

64.   Mililani (HI)

65.   Aledo (TX)

66.   Chattanooga (TN) McCallie

67.   Ruston (LA)

68.   Longview (TX)

69.   American Fork (UT)

70.   Washington (DC) St. Johns

71.   Thomasville (GA) Thomas County Central

72.   Chandler (AZ)

73.   Brownsburg (IN)

74.   Louisville (KY) Trinity

75.   Severn (MD) Archbishop Spalding

76.   Denton (TX) Guyer

77.   Pinson (AL) Clay-Chalkville

78.   San Diego (CA) Lincoln

79.   Dallas (TX) South Oak Cliff

80.   Kingsland (GA) Camden County

81.   Littleton (CO) Columbine

82.   Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Santa Margarita

83.   Cibolo (TX) Steele

84.   Cincinnati (OH) Archbishop Moeller

85.   East St. Louis (IL)

86.   Venice (FL)

87.   Dripping Springs (TX)

88.   Danville (KY) Boyle County

89.   Chattanooga (TN) Baylor

90.   Greensboro (NC) Grimsley

91.   Woodbridge (VA) Freedom

92.   Lafayette (LA) St. Thomas More

93.   Louisville (MS)

94.   Rabun Gap (GA) Rabun Gap-Nacoochee

95.   Anaheim (CA) Sevite

96.   Sanford (FL) Seminole

97.   Vestavia Hills (AL)

98.   Rome (GA)

99.   Daytona Beach (FL) Mainland

100.  Bentonville (AR)

[Formerly Number 39]

Awesome that Brownsburg, BD, and CG are on the list! 

Going to be interesting to see how Mater Dei (Santa Ana) does this season. New head coach and crazy schedule with only one opponent ranked outside the pre-season top 100: Centennial #8, Bishop Gorman #1, Kahuku #35, St. Frances Academy #18, Santa Margarita #82, Servite #95, JSerra, St. John Bosco #4, and Orange Lutheran #33

[whiteshoes]

22 hours ago, Formerly Number 39 said:

Awesome that Brownsburg, BD, and CG are on the list! 

Going to be interesting to see how Mater Dei (Santa Ana) does this season. New head coach and crazy schedule with only one opponent ranked outside the pre-season top 100: Centennial #8, Bishop Gorman #1, Kahuku #35, St. Frances Academy #18, Santa Margarita #82, Servite #95, JSerra, St. John Bosco #4, and Orange Lutheran #33

Hard to believe a coach could get fired for going 12-1, winning the California Open title and finishing second in the country but heard he made several high-profile boosters angry.   The new coach, Raul Lara, had a good run at Long Beach Poly during a 13-year run there, but with the schedule listed above, it will be a tough first season although they are loaded.   The Gorman game will most likely be this year's national championship game.

[BTF]

So you don't see any changes at the top in Indiana this year? Presuming all three of these teams have a decent amount of players returning?

[Formerly Number 39]

12 hours ago, whiteshoes said:

Hard to believe a coach could get fired for going 12-1, winning the California Open title and finishing second in the country but heard he made several high-profile boosters angry.   The new coach, Raul Lara, had a good run at Long Beach Poly during a 13-year run there, but with the schedule listed above, it will be a tough first season although they are loaded.   The Gorman game will most likely be this year's national championship game.

Yeah, he just wasn't a good fit for that program despite the record and accomplishments. I think he will get another opportunity at a big program if he wants one. It's really hard to replace a legend, and even harder when the coaching personalities are so different. I agree, the Gorman game should be great!  

[whiteshoes]

22 hours ago, BTF said:

So you don't see any changes at the top in Indiana this year? Presuming all three of these teams have a decent amount of players returning?

There may be some movement as I look for some teams to bounce back after an off year (looking at you Carmel), some others beginning the long road back (Avon) and several others that could surprise (Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Westfield, Zionsville) and make a run at the top, but for now Center Grove, Ben Davis and Brownsburg appear to be the head of the class.

[BTF]

1 minute ago, whiteshoes said:

There may be some movement as I look for some teams to bounce back after an off year (looking at you Carmel), some others beginning the long road back (Avon) and several others that could surprise (Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Westfield, Zionsville) and make a run at the top, but for now Center Grove, Ben Davis and Brownsburg appear to be the head of the class.

Interesting that you note Zionsville but not Crown Point or Carroll. That screams Indy bias to be honest. Not being combative, just an observation. Or maybe you just don't know enough about the northern teams?

[whiteshoes]

4 hours ago, BTF said:

Interesting that you note Zionsville but not Crown Point or Carroll. That screams Indy bias to be honest. Not being combative, just an observation. Or maybe you just don't know enough about the northern teams?

No Indy bias, just being realistic.   Crown Point was exposed in last year's 6A title game and Carroll is not even the best team in the SAC.  Can you honestly say that the best football in the state is not played in the Indy metro.  BTW, I live in Northern Indiana and am at a game in this area of the state every weekend, so have a good read on the strengths and weaknesses of the teams in this area.

[BTF]

11 minutes ago, whiteshoes said:

No Indy bias, just being realistic.   Crown Point was exposed in last year's 6A title game and Carroll is not even the best team in the SAC.  Can you honestly say that the best football in the state is not played in the Indy metro.  BTW, I live in Northern Indiana and am at a game in this area of the state every weekend, so have a good read on the strengths and weaknesses of the teams in this area.

No, I can't say that. Nor did I ever say that. I just found it odd that you mentioned Zionsville without giving Crown Point, Snider, Carroll, or Penn a look. Not saying your biased, it just looked that way with the mention of Zionsville. I would agree that 6A starts with Center Grove, Ben Davis, and Brownsburg. It's a crapshoot after that whether you're Central Indiana or Northern Indiana. Now, five years ago, I may have had my entire Top 10 in Central Indiana. Things feel a bit different now. 

Everyone is quick to point out what Ben Davis did Crown Point, but oblivious to what Crown Point did to Westfield. The Rocks were playing catchup that entire game and were were the best team in the best conference in the state. The year before, again, the best team in the best conference was taken out by a northern team. You lost me at Zionville is all. 

[temptation]

4 minutes ago, BTF said:

No, I can't say that. Nor did I ever say that. I just found it odd that you mentioned Zionsville without giving Crown Point, Snider, Carroll, or Penn a look. Not saying your biased, it just looked that way with the mention of Zionsville. I would agree that 6A starts with Center Grove, Ben Davis, and Brownsburg. It's a crapshoot after that whether you're Central Indiana or Northern Indiana. Now, five years ago, I may have had my entire Top 10 in Central Indiana. Things feel a bit different now. 

Everyone is quick to point out what Ben Davis did Crown Point, but oblivious to what Crown Point did to Westfield. The Rocks were playing catchup that entire game and were were the best team in the best conference in the state. The year before, again, the best team in the best conference was taken out by a northern team. You lost me at Zionville is all. 

While I agree the list of teams he chose to include is interesting, I am just sitting over here wondering what Brownsburg has done to merit top 100 consideration…

That being said, I enjoy this read every year and could not even begin to imagine the work involved to even begin to compile a competent poll.

Edited August 9, 2024 by temptation

[BTF]

2 hours ago, temptation said:

While I agree the list of teams he chose to include is interesting, I am just sitting over here wondering what Brownsburg has done to merit top 100 consideration…

That being said, I enjoy this read every year and could not even begin to imagine the work involved to even begin to compile a competent poll.

Agree. It's a great poll and I enjoy the read as well. I just would have stopped after Ben Davis, Brownsburg, Center Grove, HSE, and Westfield. Once Zionsville got involved, I had to at least ask. 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

Whoa, Penn is no where near the top 100 schools in the nation anymore. Thanks for the shoutout @BTF but we are not near the level some of these other programs are at. 

[BTF]

2 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Whoa, Penn is no where near the top 100 schools in the nation anymore. Thanks for the shoutout @BTF but we are not near the level some of these other programs are at. 

Agree, but I do think you're at least at Zionsville's level.