Top 25 High School Football Rankings -- Week 17

There were only a few games this week as most of the country has wrapped up their high school football seasons.

A couple of state champions were decided this past weekend as fourth-ranked Independence crushed Wilmington Laney in what was a battle of the state's best offense against the state's best defense.

However, North Carolina's top defense couldn't hold up against the likes of junior quarterback Chris Leak, who is obliterating state records left and right.

In Georgia, both Parkview and Warner Robins Northside advanced to the AAAAA title game with victories at the Georgia Dome.

In Texas, Mesquite, a "Team To Watch," and likely the next team to enter the Top 25 should one of the Georgia teams get blown out in their state title game, won the Division I state championship with a 14-13 victory over San Antonio Taft. Taft had a 13-0 halftime lead, but the Skeeters came back and Brandon Douglas caught a 55-yard touchdown for the game-winner. Douglas also picked off a pass late that sealed the title.

This weekend's big games will include state championships in Texas (classes A through 5A in Division II, which includes regionally ranked teams Ennis and Lufkin), the Georgia state championships, which besides the big matchup in AAAAA will also feature regionally ranked Statesboro in the AAAA final.

Finally, Class 3A in North Carolina will hold their championship this weekend in Chapel Hill. The matchup is between Crest, ranked 18th in the South Region and the only team to beat Independence in the past two seasons and Parkland, a 14-1 team that knocked off Wilson Hunt 28-20 to advance. The 3A finals were delayed a week because of a court case involving one of the teams who was forced to forfeit games by the NCHSAA.

And now here is this week's Top 25:

1. De La Salle, Concord, CA (12-0) Last Week: 1 Result: Season complete. North Coast Section Class 4A Champions. The Spartans' winning streak is now at a national-record 125 games after knocking off San Leandro 48-13 for the section title.

2. Jenks, Jenks, OK (13-0) Last Week: 2 Result: Season complete. Oklahoma Class 6A Champions. The Trojans knocked off Putnam City North 38-28 to win their sixth straight state title.

3. Harrison, Farmington Hills, MI (14-0) Last Week: 3 Result: Season complete. Michigan Division III Champions. Knocked off a previously unbeaten Fruitport team 28-6 for the title and enter 2002 with a 36-game winning streak.

4. Independence, Charlotte, NC (16-0) Last Week: 4 Result: Independence claimed its second straight Class 4A state title and extended its winning streak to 30 games with a 49-25 victory over Wilmington Laney. Laney had allowed just 54 points the entire season going into the state title game. Junior quarterback Chris Leak finished just eight yards short of the state record for season yardage he set last year, finishing 2001 with 4,521 yards through the air. Leak finished with a state-record 57 touchdown passes. In the championship game, Leak threw for 298 yards and four scores as the Patriots scored 42 consecutive points after falling behind 13-0 early in the game. Mario Crowe ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

5. Ben Davis, Indianapolis, IN (15-0) Last Week: 5 Result: Season complete. Indiana Class 5A State Champions. Won the championship 35-16 over Valparaiso. The Giants' top player is quarterback James Davis, whose skills are very similar to that of Indiana University quarterback Antwaan Randle-El. The title was the sixth for Ben Davis, all since 1987.

6. Parkview, Lilburn, GA (14-0) Last Week: 6 Result: The dream matchup in Georgia was set as Parkview knocked off storied powerhouse Valdosta 30-14 in the Class AAAAA semifinals. Sean Dawkins, a junior, ran for 139 yards and three touchdowns, and sophomore Brad Lester added 85 rushing yards. The Panthers will take on 10th-ranked Warner Robins Northside for the state title on Saturday.

7. Neshaminy, Langhorne, PA (15-0) Last Week: 7 Result: Season complete. Pennsylvania AAAA Champions. Won state title with a 21-7 victory over former Top 5 Woodland Hills. Jamar Brittingham proved he was one of the top running backs in the state of Pennsylvania, rolling up 157 yards and two touchdowns on 30 mud-trodden carries as Neshaminy won their first state title.

8. Blue Springs, Blue Springs, MO (14-0) Last Week: 8 Result: Season complete. Missouri Class 5A State Champions. Won championship 28-12 over Hazelwood East out of St. Louis. Darius Witherspoon was the ringleader of an awesome defense that set a state record with 16 sacks in the championship game.

9. Chatfield, Littleton, CO (14-0) Last Week: 9 Result: Season complete. Colorado Class 5A State Champions. Chatfield was able to win the first state title in the school's history with a 9-3 verdict over Fairview for the Class 5A championship.

10. Northside, Warner Robins, GA (13-0) Last Week: 10 Result: QB Chansi Stuckey and George Washington scored touchdowns on the ground as Northside knocked off Collins Hill 17-7. Collins Hill entered the AAAAA semifinals with the worst record (10-3 going in) of the semifinal participants. The Eagles will look to knock off the defending state champs in sixth-ranked Parkview in what should be a high-quality high school football game.

11. Northridge, Layton, UT (12-0) Last Week: 11 Result: Season complete. Utah Class 5A State Champions. Northridge knocked off Skyline for the second consecutive year, this time by the score of 37-26. Northridge set a Utah playoff record by scoring 212 points in four playoff games.

12. Kahuku, Kahuku, HI (14-0) Last Week: 12 Result: Season complete. Hawaii State Champions. Knocked off Honolulu St. Louis 21-14 for their second straight title. The Red Raiders currently have a 23-game winning streak.

13. Marlboro County, Bennettsville, SC (15-0) Last Week: 13 Result: Season complete. South Carolina Class 4A-Division II State Champions. The Bulldogs knocked off local rival Conway 17-10 to win the state title.

14. Providence, New Lenox, IL (14-0) Last Week: 14 Result: Season complete. Illinois Class 6A Champions. Won title with a 41-0 blowout of previously unbeaten Oak Lawn Richards. Mike Mentz led Providence with over 1,800 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns. Linebacker Rory Steinbach led the Celtics' defense.

15. Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA (14-0) Last Week: 15 Result: Season complete. CIF Southern Section Division II Champions. Ronnie Dubois ran for 199 yards on 31 carries, including a 94-yard touchdown run to give the Diablos the title 18-9 over previously unbeaten Chino.

16. Lincoln, Tallahassee, FL (14-1) Last Week: 16 Result: Season complete. Florida Class 4A Champions. Lincoln defeated St. Thomas Aquinas 28-20 for the title. Quarterback Gavin Dickey was the leader for the Trojans this season.

17. Poly, Long Beach, CA (12-1) Last Week: 17 Result: Season complete. CIF Southern Section Division I Champions. Poly won the title 42-28 over Huntington Beach Edison. Hershel Dennis proved all year long that he is one of the top running backs in the country. The only loss for the Jackrabbits was a much-hyped (and deservedly so) game with De La Salle in which Poly lost 29-15.

18. Evangel Christian, Shreveport, LA (14-1) Last Week: 18 Result: Season complete. Louisiana Class 5A Champions. Evangel won the title with a classic, back-and-forth 34-27 win over West Monroe, avenging their only loss of the season. John David Booty proved that he is one of the top underclassman quarterbacks in the country.

19. DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville, MD (11-0) Last Week: 19 Result: Season complete. WCAC Champions. DeMatha defeated Gonzaga 20-14 to win the WCAC title.

20. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, TN (15-0) Last Week: 20 Result: Season complete. Tennessee Class 5A Champions. Riverdale knocked off Hendersonville 35-7 for the title.

21. Jackson, Monmouth, NJ (12-0) Last Week: 21 Result: Season complete. South Jersey Group 4 Champions. Jackson ended the season as the consensus top team in New Jersey and takes a 25-game winning streak into next season.

22. Daphne, Daphne, AL (15-0) Last Week: 22 Result: Season complete. Alabama Class 6A Champions. Daphne avenged their only loss of the past two seasons, knocking off Hoover 48-21 for the title. Daphne was the beneficiary of eight Hoover turnovers in that game.

23. Dowling, West Des Moines, IA (12-0) Last Week: 23 Result: Season complete. Iowa Class 4-A State Champions. The Maroons were led by quarterback Ben Carpenter, who had 1,922 yards passing. Dowling defeated Iowa City 35-15 in the state championship and have won 26 consecutive games.

24. West Monroe, West Monroe, LA (14-1) Last Week: 24 Result: Season complete. Louisiana Class 5A runner-up. Lost in state title game to Evangel Christian. West Monroe and Evangel split two matchups this season.

25. Joliet Catholic, Joliet, IL (13-1) Last Week: 25 Result: Season complete. Illinois Class 5A Champions. Illinois Player of the Year J.R. Zwierzynski ran for 2,340 yards and 39 touchdowns to lead the Hilltoppers, including 1,067 yards and 20 touchdowns in the playoffs. In the 27-20 title game win over Morris, Zwierzynski ran for 168 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. Joliet Catholic has won a state-record 10 Illinois titles.

Dropped Out: None.

Teams to Watch: Mesquite, Mesquite, TX; Boyle County, Danville, KY; Poly Prep, Brooklyn, NY; Newark, Newark, DE; Lumen Christi, Jackson, MI; LaSalle, Providence, RI; Olathe North, Olathe, KS; Bellevue, Bellevue, WA; Clovis, Clovis, NM; Georgetown Prep, Rockville, MD; Ennis, Ennis, TX; McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN; Ramapo, Franklin Lakes, NJ; Robinson, Fairfax, VA; McNary, Keizer, OR.

Regional Rankings
East
1. Neshaminy, Langhorne, PA (15-0)
2. DeMatha, Hyattsville, MD (11-0)
3. Jackson, Monmouth, NJ (12-0)
4. Poly Prep, Brooklyn, NY (8-0)
5. Newark, Newark, DE (12-0)
6. La Salle, Providence, RI (12-0)
7. Georgetown Prep, Rockville, MD (11-0)
8. Ramapo, Franklin Lakes, NJ (11-0)
9. Woodland Hills, Pittsburgh, PA (14-1)
10. Urbana, Ijamsville, MD (12-0)
11. Bellport, Brookhaven, NY (11-0)
12. West Allegheny, Imperial, PA (13-2)
13. Strath Haven, Wallingford, PA (14-1)
14. Manheim Central, Manheim, PA (13-1)
15. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, PA (13-1)
16. Webster, Webster, NY (12-1)
17. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, NJ (11-1)
18. Acton-Boxboro, Acton, MA (11-1)
19. J.P. Stevens, Edison, NJ (11-0)
20. Camden Wilson, Camden, NJ (11-0)

Midwest
1. Harrison, Farmington Hills, MI (14-0)
2. Ben Davis, Indianapolis, IN (15-0)
3. Blue Springs, Blue Springs, MO (14-0)
4. Providence, New Lenox, IL (14-0)
5. Dowling, West Des Moines, IA (12-0)
6. Joliet Catholic, Joliet, IL (13-1)
7. Boyle County, Danville, KY (14-0)
8. Lumen Christi, Jackson, MI (13-0)
9. Olathe North, Olathe, KS (12-0)
10. Webb City, Webb City, MO (14-0)
11. Salina Central, Salina, KS (11-0)
12. Prospect, Mt. Prospect, IL (12-0)
13. Trinity, Louisville, KY (13-1)
14. St. Ignatius, Cleveland, OH (11-4)
15. Millard West, Omaha, NE (11-1)
16. Morris, Morris, IL (13-1)
17. St. Xavier, Cincinnati, OH (13-1)
18. Colerain, Cincinnati, OH (11-1)
19. Bismarck, Bismarck, ND (12-0)
20. Bishop Luers, Ft. Wayne, IN (14-0)

South
1. Jenks, Jenks, OK (13-0)
2. Independence, Charlotte, NC (16-0)
3. Parkview, Lilburn, GA (13-0)
4. Northside, Warner Robins, GA (12-0)
5. Marlboro County, Bennettsville, SC (15-0)
6. Lincoln, Tallahassee, FL (14-1)
7. Evangel Christian, Shreveport, LA (14-1)
8. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, TN (15-0)
9. Daphne, Daphne, AL (15-0)
10. West Monroe, West Monroe, LA (14-1)
11. Mesquite, Mesquite, TX (15-0)
12. Ennis, Ennis, TX (15-0)
13. McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN (13-0)
14. Robinson, Fairfax, VA (12-1)
15. St. Thomas Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (14-1)
16. Lufkin, Lufkin, TX (14-1)
17. Statesboro, Statesboro, GA (14-0)
18. Crest, Boiling Springs, NC (14-0)
19. Rockledge, Rockledge, FL (14-1)
20. Ryan, Denton, TX (15-0)

West
1. De La Salle, Concord, CA (12-0)
2. Chatfield, Littleton, CO (14-0)
3. Northridge, Layton, UT (12-0)
4. Kahuku, Kahuku, HI (14-0)
5. Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA (14-0)
6. Poly, Long Beach, CA (12-1)
7. Bellevue, Bellevue, WA (13-0)
8. Clovis, Clovis, NM (13-0)
9. McNary, Keizer, OR (13-1)
10. Eagle, Eagle, ID (12-0)
11. Hart, Newhall, CA (13-0)
12. Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA (13-0)
13. Rock Springs, Rock Springs, WY (11-0)
14. C.M. Russell, Great Falls, MT (12-0)
15. St. Bonaventure, Ventura, CA (14-0)
16. Elk Grove, Elk Grove, CA (14-0)
17. Red Mountain, Mesa, AZ (13-1)
18. Edison, Huntington Beach, CA (11-1-1)
19. Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV (13-1)
20. Kentwood, Kentwood, WA (13-1)