Top 25 Football Rankings -- Week 12

New Jersey got hit with the upset bug for the second consecutive week, as the top two teams, Elizabeth, and Don Bosco Prep, who one week before had knocked St. Joseph Regional out of the Top 25, both were upset in first round state playoff action.

Elizabeth's upset loss came to Roxbury on the last play of the game, despite three touchdowns from Ibrahim Halsey who played even after being injured the previous week.

However, this week, the upsets were not limited to New Jersey. Overall, four teams in the Top 25 lost. And, when you include teams from the Teams to Watch, a total of seven teams suffered their first loss of the season. Of the 80 teams ranked regionally, nine teams fell from the regional rankings.

In Nebraska, Lincoln Southeast, formerly ranked 19th in the country, became victim of the biggest upset as they were annihilated by Omaha Millard West by the score of 42-0. Millard North was poised to take over as Nebraska's top team, except they also fell in Nebraska's semifinals to North Platte, the Cornhusker State's Cinderella team, 24-21.

In Minnesota, both Cretin-Derham Hall (a Team to Watch, and rated 11th in the Midwest Region) and Eden Prairie (ranked 20th in the Midwest) were upset in the Minnesota 5A quarterfinals. That leaves Alexandria and Blaine as the only undefeated teams in Minnesota Class 5A, and they meet this weekend in the state semifinals.

In Cincinnati, the biggest crowd in Ohio state playoff history saw two classic high school games last Saturday. In the opener, St. Xavier, which moves into the rankings this week, held off an upset-minded Princeton team, winning 6-0. The only score was an 11-yard run just under three minutes into the game by Enye Willingham. In the other game witnessed by 47,743 fans at Paul Brown Stadium, Colerain suffered their first and only loss of the season to Elder 35-21 as Keith Bolger accounted for 229 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. The wins set up a rematch between Elder and St. Xavier, with the first meeting won by St. Xavier 16-13.

Valdosta was the last Top 25 team to be upset, the formerly 22nd-ranked Wildcats falling to cross-town rival Lowndes County 23-10. Other former Teams to Watch that fell were Bloomfield, CT (lost to Glastonbury 27-8) and Lakewood, OH St. Edward's (lost to Warren Harding 42-26). All states are in playoffs now except for Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, and one section in California.

And now here is this week's Top 25:

1. De La Salle, Concord, CA (9-0) Last Week: 1 Result: De La Salle extended their national-record winning streak to 122 consecutive games with a 57-6 win over Deer Valley. The Spartans led this one 50-0 at the half. Their first round opponent in the CIF Northern Section Class 4A playoffs this weekend is Fremont Washington (6-2-1), the eighth seed in the section. The top six seeds in the section have records of 9-0, 8-0-1, 9-1, 9-1, and 9-1. If the Spartans are able to get through this portion of the playoffs unscathed, they will have earned it.

2. Jenks, Jenks, OK (10-0) Last Week: 2 Result: It was a good news-bad news scenario for Jenks as they crushed Stillwater 49-19 in the first round of the 6A playoffs in Oklahoma, but lost their starting quarterback Jeff Hirshburg for the season when he tore an ACL in the first quarter. Eb Trevino ran for 107 yards on 13 carries for the Trojans. The second round of the playoffs brings Owasso, a team that Jenks beat 66-24 earlier in the season, but with Hirshburg at the controls.

3. West Monroe, West Monroe, LA (11-0) Last Week: 3 Result: Edward Dade had two long touchdown runs and Demario Taylor added 109 yards rushing as the Rebels beat Broadmoor 56-8 in the first round of the Louisiana 5A playoffs. Lake Charles Barbe is the second round playoff opponent for West Monroe.

4. Woodland Hills, Pittsburgh, PA (11-0) Last Week: 4 Result: Both Kareem Dutrieuille and quarterback Steve Breaston topped the century mark rushing with 165 and 157 yards on the ground respectively in a 29-0 victory over North Hills. Breaston scored three of the four touchdowns and went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season.

5. Glades Central, Belle Glades, FL (11-0) Last Week: 5 Result: Barron Collier was held to just 91 yards of total offense as Glades Central won easily, 37-0 in the first round of the Florida 3A playoffs. Curtis Holley threw for 187 yards and two scores to extend the Raiders' winning streak to 46 straight games.

6. Independence, Charlotte, NC (11-0) Last Week: 6 Result: Chris Leak was 21-for-25 for 413 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-7 victory over Charlotte Vance in the season finale. Two of the touchdown tosses went to Mario Raley, who tied the state single-season record with his 22nd touchdown reception. A rematch with Charlotte Providence, who gave Independence all they could handle earlier in the season before falling 29-19, will begin the class 4A playoffs for the Patriots.

7. Harrison, Farmington Hills, MI (12-0) Last Week: 7 Result: Harrison keeps rolling through the Michigan state playoffs, winning the Division 3 quarterfinal matchup with Allen Park 42-0. Marcus Woods ran for 224 yards and three touchdowns. This week, Harrison will face Saginaw, ranked second in Michigan by most polls and currently ranked 14th in the Midwest Region in the semifinals.

8. Hoover, Hoover, AL (11-0) Last Week: 9 Result: Hoover's winning streak was extended to 20 games as the Bucs knocked off Huntsville Grissom 42-7. Senior quarterback Blake Davidson accounted for four touchdowns (three rushing, and one passing), rushing for 97 yards, and passing for 235 yards. Hoover is expected to be tested by 10-1 Hewitt-Trussville this week.

9. St. Thomas Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (11-0) Last Week: 10 Result: Justin Montgomery scored three touchdowns and Dan Shula threw for two more scores as Aquinas romped over Punta Gorda Charlotte 55-27 in the class 4A regional quarterfinals. The Raiders had 318 yards of total offense and the defense had three interceptions. STA will take on Fort Myers this week in the regional semifinals.

10. Ben Davis, Indianapolis, IN (13-0) Last Week: 11 Result: The Giants move into the top ten this week as a beneficiary of Colerain's loss. Quarterback James Banks went left, Banks went right, Banks went up the middle in a 56-21 demolition of Warren Central in the state quarterfinals. And that was just one play for Banks, who also threw for 133 yards and finished with 124 yards rushing, including a 61-yard run in which Banks had to field a botched punt snap at his own 11-yard line and eluded numerous tacklers on the way to the end zone. The Giants will face Evansville Reitz in the state 5A semifinals this week.

11. Chatfield, Littleton, CO (11-0) Last Week: 12 Result: The Chargers routed Regis 35-0 in the first round of Colorado's 5A playoffs. Lendale White ran for 192 yards and three scores on 24 carries. Chatfield's defense held Regis to 83 yards of total offense and also had three interceptions. The 5A quarterfinals are next for Chatfield, and Eaglecrest will be the opponent.

12. Parkview, Lilburn, GA (9-0) Last Week: 13 Result: Dustin Wade threw for 138 yards and two scores as the Panthers' defense extended their scoreless streak to 15 consecutive quarters in a 21-0 win over Collins Hill. Parkview concludes their regular season this weekend at Dacula, in a game rescheduled from the tragedies of September 11.

13. Hazelwood East, St. Louis, MO (12-0) Last Week: 14 Result: The Spartans had two playoff games last week, knocking off previously unbeaten St. Louis University High 14-0 in the first round as Tony Moss and David Richards combined for 210 yards on the ground. The second game was this past Monday, and Hazelwood East scored on five of six possessions in one stretch of a 35-7 victory at Webster Groves. Moss ran for 196 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns in that one. Jackson, a contender for a Midwest Region ranking with a 12-0 record will host the Spartans on Saturday in a state semifinal game.

14. Northridge, Layton, UT (11-0) Last Week: 15 Result: Jase McCormick was 11-for-19 for 150 yards and Spence Bailey scored three rushing touchdowns as Northridge knocked off Bingham 42-26. Skyline out of Salt Lake City is now the only team that stands between the Knights and their second straight Class 5A championship. And for the second year in a row, Skyline is the state championship opponent.

15. Kahuku, Kahuku, HI (11-0) Last Week: 16 Result: Na Ali'i proved to be no match for the Red Raiders as Kahuku handed them their first loss of the season, 48-0. Na Ali'i was held to negative yards and Mulivai Pula ran for 144 yards and four touchdowns on 13 first-half carries and also ran back a kickoff 91 yards for a score in the win.

16. Blue Springs, Blue Springs, MO (12-0) Last Week: 18 Result: Blue Springs also had two playoff games this week, first knocking off Winnetonka 33-7 in a game in which they blocked two punts. In the quarterfinals, they handed Rockhurst of Kansas City their second loss of the season, 31-16. Both Rockhurst losses came at the hands of the Wildcats and Blue Springs is 12-0 for the first time in school history. Blue Springs will travel to 7-4 Jefferson City for the state 5A semifinals and could meet Hazelwood East in the finals.

17. Strath Haven, Wallingford, PA (10-0) Last Week: 21 Result: Keith Davis ran for 133 yards on 11 carries, including a 86-yard touchdown, and Notre Dame-bound Josh Hannum caught two touchdowns as Strath Haven extended their winning streak to 41 straight with a 45-7 win over Upper Merion in Pennsylvania District 1 AAA playoff action. Dan Miller was 8-for-11 for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Strath Haven will take on Pottsgrove in the District 1 championship this weekend.

18. DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville, MD (10-0) Last Week: 20 Result: DeMatha opened the WCAC playoffs with a 28-0 win over Bishop McNamara. Ryan Mitch completed only five passes, but two of them went for touchdowns and Elijah Brooks ran for 169 yards and two scores. DeMatha gets a rematch with Gonzaga from Washington, D.C., which fell to DeMatha 17-6 during the regular season.

19. Jesuit, Portland, OR (10-0) Last Week: 25 Result: Jesuit entered the Oregon 4A playoffs as the top seed for the second year in a row. And their first round game did nothing to show that they didn't deserve the top seed, as they handled Wilson High from Portland 48-21. Churchill is the second round opponent for the Crusaders.

20. Newark, Newark, DE (9-0) Last Week: 23 Result: Newark extended their winning streak to 31 straight in a 63-15 romp over Delcastle. They conclude their regular season this week against arch-rival William Penn, who is 7-2 and ranked sixth in Delaware.

21. Blaine, Blaine, MN (11-0) Last Week: 24 Result: The Bengals were the only regionally ranked Minnesota team to not be upset as they knocked off Maple Grove in the state semifinals 22-7. Eric Ables had two touchdown receptions and Tony George was 10-for-14 for 135 yards and all three Bengals' scores. This week's semifinal matchup against unbeaten Alexandria may be the game that gives Minnesota its eventual state champion.

22. Union, Tulsa, OK (10-0) Last Week: Team to Watch Result: Jordan Renz was 15-for-21 for 307 yards and five touchdowns in an easy 49-6 win over Tahlequah. The game was a first round 6A playoff game. Spencer McIlwain added 194 all-purpose yards for the Redskins. Union gets a second round matchup with Broken Arrow, and top QB Mick Majors. Broken Arrow led most of the way in their first meeting with Union before finally falling.

23. Naperville Central, Naperville, IL (11-0) Last Week: Team to Watch Result: Jason Paquette ran for 184 yards and three scores as the Redhawks advanced to the 5A state semifinals with a 26-7 victory over Conant. This week brings a rematch with conference foe Wheaton North for the right to play for the state championship.

24. St. Xavier, Cincinnati, OH (11-0) Last Week: Team to Watch Result: It was a close one for the Bombers as they scored just once. However, the defense had five interceptions to keep Princeton out of the scoring column. The regional final pits St. Xavier against Elder for the second time this season.

25. Neshaminy, Langhorne, PA (11-0) Last Week: Team to Watch Result: Jamar Brittingham ran for 127 yards and a touchdown and Jason Wiater threw for a touchdown as the Redskins knocked off Central Bucks East for the second time this season, this time by a 24-14 count. The win was the first playoff win for Neshaminy in 13 years. The Redskins host Downingtown in the regional semifinals.

Dropped Out: No. 8 Colerain, Cincinnati, OH lost to Cincinnati Elder 35-21. No. 17 Elizabeth, Elizabeth, NJ lost to Roxbury 27-26. No. 19 Southeast, Lincoln, NE lost to Millard West 42-0. No. 21 Valdosta, Valdosta, GA lost to Lowndes County 23-10.

Teams to Watch: Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA; Providence, New Lenox, IL; Pasco, Pasco, WA; Poly Prep, Brooklyn, NY; Riverdale, Murfreesboro, TN; Copperas Cove, Copperas Cove, TX; Mayfield, Las Cruces, NM; Northside, Warner Robins, GA; Dowling, West Des Moines, IA; Manheim Central, Manheim, PA; Olathe North, Olathe, KS; Jackson, Monmouth, NJ; Centreville, Clifton, VA; Tremper, Kenosha, WI; Poly, Long Beach, CA

Regional Rankings East 1. Woodland Hills, Pittsburgh, PA (11-0) 2. Strath Haven, Wallingford, PA (11-0) 3. DeMatha, Hyattsville, MD (10-0) 4. Newark, Newark, DE (9-0) 5. Neshaminy, Langhorne, PA (11-0) 6. Poly Prep, Brooklyn, NY (8-0) 7. Manheim Central, Manheim, PA (11-0) 8. Jackson, Monmouth, NJ (9-0) 9. Easton, Easton, PA (10-0) 10. Urbana, Ijamsville, MD (9-0) 11. Montclair, Montclair, NJ (9-0) 12. Georgetown Prep, Rockville, MD (10-0) 13. Xaverian, Westwood, MA (9-0) 14. Delbarton, Morristown, NJ (9-0) 15. La Salle, Providence, RI (9-0) 16. Freeport, Freeport, NY (8-0) 17. Fitch, Groton, CT (8-0) 18. Eleanor Roosevelt, Greenbelt, MD (10-0) 19. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, PA (11-0) 20. Ramapo, Franklin Lakes, NJ (9-0)

Midwest 1. Harrison, Farmington Hills, MI (12-0) 2. Ben Davis, Indianapolis, IN (13-0) 3. Hazelwood East, St. Louis, MO (12-0) 4. Blue Springs, Blue Springs, MO (12-0) 5. Blaine, Blaine, MN (11-0) 6. Naperville Central, Naperville, IL (12-0) 7. St. Xavier, Cincinnati, OH (11-0) 8. Providence, New Lenox, IL (12-0) 9. Dowling, West Des Moines, IA (11-0) 10. Olathe North, Olathe, KS (11-0) 11. Tremper, Kenosha, WI (13-0) 12. Boyle County, Danville, KY (12-0) 13. Hilliard Davidson, Hilliard, OH (12-0) 14. Saginaw, Saginaw, MI (11-0) 15. Lumen Christi, Jackson, MI (12-0) 16. Lexington Catholic, Lexington, KY (12-0) 17. Salina Central, Salina, KS (11-0) 18. Alexandria, Alexandria, MN (12-0) 19. Joliet Catholic, Joliet, IL (11-1) 20. Bismarck, Bismarck, ND (12-0)

South 1. Jenks, Jenks, OK (10-0) 2. West Monroe, West Monroe, LA (11-0) 3. Glades Central, Belle Glades, FL (11-0) 4. Independence, Charlotte, NC (11-0) 5. Hoover, Hoover, AL (11-0) 6. St. Thomas Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (11-0) 7. Parkview, Lilburn, GA (9-0) 8. Union, Tulsa, OK (10-0) 9. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, TN (12-0) 10. Copperas Cove, Copperas Cove, TX (10-0) 11. Northside, Warner Robins, GA (9-0) 12. Centreville, Clifton, VA (9-0) 13. Palm Bay, Melbourne, FL (10-0) 14. Brandon, Brandon, MS (11-0) 15. Ennis, Ennis, TX (10-0) 16. North Shore, Galena Park, TX (10-0) 17. Marlboro County, Bennettsville, SC (12-0) 18. Daphne, Daphne, AL (11-0) 19. Douglass, Oklahoma City, OK (10-0) 20. Putnam City North, Oklahoma City, OK (11-0)

West 1. De La Salle, Concord, CA (9-0) 2. Chatfield, Littleton, CO (11-0) 3. Northridge, Layton, UT (10-0) 4. Kahuku, Kahuku, HI (11-0) 5. Jesuit, Portland, OR (10-0) 6. Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA (10-0) 7. Pasco, Pasco, WA (11-0) 8. Mayfield, Las Cruces, NM (11-0) 9. Poly, Long Beach, CA (8-1) 10. Eagle, Eagle, ID (11-0) 11. Rock Springs, Rock Springs, WY (11-0) 12. Hart, Newhall, CA (9-0) 13. Bethel, Spanaway Lake, WA (11-0) 14. Clovis, Clovis, NM (10-0) 15. Roseburg, Roseburg, OR (10-0) 16. Elko, Elko, NV (11-0) 17. Mountain View, Mesa, AZ (10-0) 18. C.M. Russell, Great Falls, MT (12-0) 19. Centennial, Corona, CA (9-0) 20. Saguaro, Scottsdale, AZ (10-0)