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This Week in Prep Poll History - February 7, 2000

2010-02-08T12:11:00.002-06:00

PrepNation Founder and Editor Jamie DeMoney is beginning his second decade compiling World Features Syndicate's National Prep Poll. To mark the occasion, PrepNation.com begins a feature called This Week in Prep Poll History. This week, we take a look back at the Feats of the Week from February 7, 2000.

Former Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) All-American center Tyson Chandler (Photo credit: Unknown)

FEATS OF THE WEEK - February 7, 2000 - By Jamie DeMoney

The Pyramid at Long Beach State University was the site of Nike Extravaganza V, featuring a Top 5 rematch between No. 1 Compton, Calif., Dominguez and No. 3 Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill. Tyson Chandler had 17 points as Dominguez avenged a loss earlier this season to Oak Hill, winning, 60-47, before a standing-room-only crowd of 5,500.

In other Extravaganza action, regionally ranked Concord, Calif., De La Salle defeated No. 12 Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei, 55-51, avenging its only loss of the season, and No. 17 Long Beach, Calif., Poly whipped Los Alamitos 74-41.

In a father-son matchup, legendary Rockville, Md., DeMatha Coach Morgan Wootten, who owns over 1,200 career coaching wins, defeated Joe Wootten's Arlington, Va., O'Connell Knights, 69-59, in front of 1,700 at Catholic University.

Super junior DeJuan Wagner scored 80 points in Camden, N.J.'s 122-66 victory over Pennsauken Tech. Remarkably, it was only the fourth-best single-game total in school history. Wagner totaled 123 points in two games during the week.

Minnesota's state-leading scorer Ben Paxson of Anoka, Meadow Creek Christian completed a 95-point week with a game-winning three-pointer to defeat Christ's Household of Faith, 64-62. Paxson scored 35 in the game after scoring 60 in a 105-45 win over Owatonna Christian earlier in the week .

In a battle of regionally ranked teams, Philadelphia, Roman Catholic defeated St. John Neumann, 79-62, before 2,500 fans at La Salle University. Consensus No. 1 recruit Eddie Griffin had 28 points, 14 rebounds and nine blocks for Roman Catholic.

National Prep Poll Top 25 - February 7, 2000

#1. Compton, Calif., Dominguez (24-2)
#2. Chicago, Westinghouse (19-1)
#3. Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (22-2)
#4. West Orange, N.J., Seton Hall Prep (15-1)
#5. Marion, Ind. (18-0)
#6. Houston, Willowridge (27-1)
#7. Louisville, Ky., Ballard (21-2)
#8. Orchard Lake, Mich., St. Mary's (13-0)
#9. Lincroft, N.J., Christian Brothers (13-0)
#10. Bronx, N.Y., St. Raymond's (15-2)
#11. Portland, Ore., Jefferson (18-0)
#12. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (25-2)
#13. Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha (19-2)
#14. Lakewood, Calif., Artesia (22-2)
#15. Minneapolis, Henry (14-0)
#16. Gainesville, Fla. (24-2)
#17. Long Beach, Calif., Poly (23-2)
#18. Lilburn, Ga., Berkmar (22-2)
#19. New York, Rice (15-4)
#20. Detroit, Pershing (15-0)
#21. Bloomington, Ind., North (14-0)
#22. St. Louis, Vashon (18-2)
#23. Country Club Hills, Ill., Hillcrest (22-1)
#24. South Jordan, Utah, Bingham (15-0)
#25. Durham, N.C., Mount Zion (20-1)

Week 12 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2010-02-08T11:38:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- Six weeks into the year 2010 and the top five teams in the country remain the same, according to the National Prep Basketball Poll released Monday morning.

All five squads either went unbeaten or did not play last week. The most impressive showing was by No. 4 St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.), which traveled to Santa Ana, Calif., and whipped regionally ranked Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.), 91-64, at the Nike Extravaganza. However, the news was not all good for the Celtics. The team should learn this week if it will be allowed to defend its state Tournament of Champions title. It might be banned from competing in the postseason after allegations surfaced of multiple unauthorized practices being held before the start of the season.

Meanwhile, this week's snowy weather did not allow top-ranked Northland (Columbus, Ohio) to travel to Michigan for a scheduled matchup with No. 22 Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.). The Detroit News reports the game might be rescheduled for this Saturday.

This Week in Prep Poll History - January 31, 2000

2010-02-01T11:49:00.001-06:00

Former Christ the King (N.Y.) All-American guard Omar Cook (Photo credit: R.L. Bello, AllSport)

FEATS OF THE WEEK - January 31, 2000 - By Jamie DeMoney

St. John’s recruit Omar Cook celebrated his 18th birthday with 42 points, 10 assists, six steals and broke the school’s season and career three-point records, formerly held by the NBA’s Khalid Reeves, in Middle Village, N.Y., Christ the King’s 84-78 victory vs. Archbishop Molloy. Cook also holds the school’s career assist record, once held by NBA player Derrick Phelps.

Playing without star Marcus Toney-El, No. 3 West Orange, N.J., Seton Hall Prep defeated No. 19 New York, Rice, 66-58, before 2,500 fans at the Hoop Group Converse Challenge Series at Seton Hall University. Div. I guard prospect Robert Sullivan led the way with 19 points.

Four nationally ranked teams from California took part in the SoCal Classic in Lynwood. No. 4 Compton, Dominguez defeated Philadelphia, Roman Catholic, 80-59, No. 7 Santa Ana, Mater Dei downed Irvine, University, 87-63, No. 14 Lakewood, Artesia whipped Fresno, Washington Union, 95-56, and No. 17 Long Beach, Poly pounded Richmond, 87-45.

Deon Saunders had a triple-double in Washington, D.C., Spingarn’s 98-78 victory vs. league-rival Ballou.

No. 15 Minneapolis, Henry defeated No. 16 Gainesville, Fla., 80-68, at Minneapolis’ Target Center. Oklahoma recruit Johnny Gilbert led the way with 26 points and 13 rebounds.

University of Houston recruit Alton Ford posted 44 points and 28 rebounds as Houston, Milby defeated Houston, Washington, 86-67.

Week 11 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2010-02-01T11:25:00.003-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- The top five teams in the nation are the same for the fifth consecutive week, according to the latest National Prep Poll rankings released Monday.

There have been minor movements in the order of the top five since the beginning of 2010, but not at the top. Defending Ohio Division I champion Northland (Columbus) is No. 1 for the seventh consecutive week. The Vikings already have beaten two Top 25 ranked teams and have a chance to add a third to their total Saturday when they travel to University Center, Mich., to play No. 23 Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.).

Despite losing last week at No. 13 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), defending Prep Poll champion Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) stayed put at No. 2 in this week's poll. The Pilots have four wins against current Top 25 teams this season, which is the most of any team in the poll.

Week 10 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2010-01-25T08:47:00.003-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- The Top 10 of this week's National Prep Basketball Poll includes three teams from the state of New Jersey.

No. 5 St. Patrick (Elizabeth) is still the top-rated member of the Garden State trio, although the Celtics dropped three spots after losing twice last week. One of the defeats was at the hands of No. 6 St. Benedict's (Newark), which won, 65-64, on a late bucket from junior point guard Myck Kabongo (Texas). St. Patrick's highly touted junior forward Michael Gilchrist did not play in the game.

The Celtics (11-2) also lost a 71-70 heartbreaker to No. 2 Findlay (Henderson, Nev.) last Monday at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

For the sixth consecutive week, the nation's No. 1 ranking belongs to Northland (Columbus, Ohio). Ohio State-bound big man Jared Sullinger scored 24 points for the Vikings, who routed Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) at the Ohio Play-by-Play Classic in Columbus. It was Northland's third win against an out-of-state opponent this season.

Week 9 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2010-01-18T10:28:00.003-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- After defeating a Top 10 team for the second time in less than a month, Northland (Columbus, Ohio) solidified its position as the No. 1 team in the National Prep Poll released Monday.

Despite getting only three points from blue chip center Jared Sullinger (Ohio St.), the Vikings defeated No. 8 Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 47-46, Saturday at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. On December 17, Northland beat defending Prep Poll champion and No. 3 Findlay (Henderson, Nev.), 53-52.

The Vikings' next major test is a February 6 trip to Saginaw, Mich., where they are scheduled to play No. 22 Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.). If Northland -- which features four players committed to Big Ten or Big East colleges -- can finish the season undefeated, it likely will become the first public school to capture a Prep Poll title in basketball since Lawrence North (Indianapolis) did it in 2006.

This Week in Prep Poll History: January 10, 2000

2010-01-13T13:07:00.002-06:00

Former Mercer Island (Wash.) Coach Ed Pepple (Photo credit: Mark Harrison, Seattle Times)

FEATS OF THE WEEK - January 10, 2000 - By Jamie DeMoney

Krum, Texas, won its state-record 139th consecutive district game, defeating Aubrey, 65-31. The new record beats a mark that stood for 36 years.

Mercer Island, Wash., defeated Issaquah, 68-58, giving Coach Ed Pepple his 700th victory at the school and his 772nd overall career coaching win.

Queens, N.Y., Archbishop Molloy attained its 800th victory in school history with a 59-43 win vs. Holy Cross.

The Nike Super Six takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden, with top teams from New Jersey and New York matched against each other. No. 12 New York, Rice vs. Elizabeth, N.J., St. Patrick’s is the featured game.

No. 23 Middle Village, N.Y., Christ the King headlines the field at Springfield, Mo.’s annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions next weekend. Regionally ranked Raytown, Mo., South and St. Louis, DeSmet are also in the field.

One of the nation’s oldest holiday tournaments, The King Cotton Holiday Classic, held for the past 17 tears in Pine Bluff, Ark., will no longer be played due to a lack of attendance and media coverage.

Week 8 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2010-01-11T08:57:00.002-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- While there were a few changes in ranking positions, all 25 teams were the same in the Week 8 National Prep Basketball Poll released Monday.

There were absolutely no changes in the Top 10 rankings. Northland (Columbus, Ohio), which won two games last week following a 17-day layoff, remained the No. 1 team in the country. The Vikings will attempt to beat a Top 10 team for the second time this season when they play No. 8 Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) Saturday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) picked up three easy wins last week to stay No. 2 in the poll, but was dealt a serious blow when superstar junior forward Michael Gilchrist suffered a knee injury. He is not expected to play when the Celtics face No. 3 Findlay (Henderson, Nev.) next Monday at the Hoophall Classic.

This Week in Prep Poll History: January 3, 2000

2010-01-04T20:01:00.000-06:00

PrepNation Founder and Editor Jamie DeMoney is beginning his second decade compiling World Features Syndicate's National Prep Poll. To mark the occasion, PrepNation.com begins a feature called This Week in Prep Poll History. Today, we take a look back at the Feats of the Week from January 3, 2000.

FEATS OF THE WEEK - January 3, 2000 - By Jamie DeMoney

Holiday tournaments were in full swing across the nation, with most nationally ranked teams taking part. No. 1 Chicago, Westinghouse won the Proviso West, Ill., Holiday Shootout, defeating Country Club Hills, Hillcrest, 60-50, before 3,990 fans.

No. 2 Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill defeated a field that included No. 3 West Orange, N.J., Seton Hall Prep and No. 22 Lilburn, Ga., Berkmar at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

No. 5 Compton, Calif., Dominguez was the winner of the Best in the West Classic, defeating host No. 13 Lakewood, Artesia and No. 20 Long Beach, Poly.

No. 6 Louisville, Ky., Ballard placed fifth at Delaware's loaded Slam Dunk to the Beach Classic, No. 7 Houston, Willowridge took first place, with No. 16 Philadelphia, Roman Catholic second and No. 21 Rockville, Md., Montrose Christian also taking part.

No. 8 Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei was champion at the Nike Prep Classic in San Diego.

No. 9 Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha placed second behind No. 14 New York, Rice in Raleigh, N.C.'s Glaxco Wellcome Classic.

No. 12 Gainesville, Fla., was upset by Johnson City, Tenn., Science Hill and finished third at the Arby's Holiday Classic.

No. 15 Lincroft, N.J., Christian Bros. Acad. defeated No. 23 Harrisburg, Pa. to claim the Red Cross/Rotary Classic in Charleston, S.C.

No. 25 Middle Village, N.Y., Christ the King's Omar Cook had 24 points and 13 assists in a 77-74 championship game win over No. 18 Oxon Hill, Md. in the Stop DWI Holiday Classic at Binghamton, N.Y.

No. 19 Bronx, N.Y., St. Raymond's ended Lexington, Ky., Catholic's four-year, 40-game home winning streak in the semifinals of the Kentucky Holiday Classic before losing in the championship game to Georgetown, Ky., Scott County.

No. 24 St. Louis, Vashon took first place at the Popular Bluff (Mo.) Showdown.

No. 16 Roman Catholic defeated Camden, N.J., 72-47, before 10,006 fans at Temple University and a live television audience

Arthur Johnson of Detroit, Pershing had 22 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks in a 90-78 win over Detroit, Henry Ford.

Week 7 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2010-01-04T06:33:00.002-06:00

There were three newcomers in the National Prep Basketball Poll rankings released Monday. All three earned their spot with wins over nationally or regionally ranked opponents last week.

Bellaire (Texas) had the highest debut at No. 20. The Cardinals dispatched former Top 25 team Memphis White Station, 72-68, at the John Lucas Holiday Xplosion in Houston.

No. 21 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) proved it belonged on the national scene by winning the Beachball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Gaels took out No. 23 Columbia (Decatur, Ga.), 54-52, in the tournament final.

Rounding out this week's national poll is No. 25 Ridgeway (Memphis). The Roadrunners defeated then-No. 24 Westlake (Atlanta), 60-54, at the Memphis vs. Atlanta Roundball Christmas Classic in Jonesboro, Ga.

Week 6 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2009-12-28T11:12:00.003-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- Following bang-up performances at two of the nation's top holiday tournaments, Paterson Catholic (N.J.) and Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) entered the Top 10 of the weekly National Prep Basketball Poll released Monday.

Paterson Catholic leaped 15 spots from No. 23 to No. 8. The Cougars beat No. 11 Winter Park (Fla.), 62-54, for the championship of the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

Likewise, Philadelphia Catholic power Neumann-Goretti also moved up 15 spots from No. 24 to No. 9. The Saints defeated two ranked teams -- No. 19 Rockville, Md., Montrose Christian and regionally ranked Kinston, N.C. -- before losing a 97-96 thriller to No. 6 Yates (Houston) for the Iolani Classic championship in Honolulu.

Westlake (Atlanta) was the lone team entering the rankings this week. The No. 24 Lions defeated then-No. 18 Rice (New York) to win the Chick-fil-A Classic in Columbia, S.C.

Week 5 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2009-12-21T08:32:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- There is a new No. 1 team in the Week 5 National Prep Basketball Poll.

Defending Ohio Division I champion Northland (Columbus) is now the nation's top-ranked team. The Vikings moved up from No. 4 after last week's 53-52 defeat of defending Prep Poll champion and then-No. 1 Findlay (Henderson, Nev.). Ohio State-bound big man Jared Sullinger was the star of the game, scoring 32 points and grabbing 17 rebounds.

Not since future NBA megastar LeBron James led St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron) to the 2003 Prep Poll title has the nation's top-rated team hailed from the state of Ohio.

Final National Prep Football Poll released

2009-12-20T18:19:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- The Northeast's most dominant team of the decade now has a National Prep Poll title to show for it. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) is No. 1 in the final National Prep Football Poll of the season, becoming the first team from the region to finish as the country's top-ranked high school football team in the 23-year history of the poll.

The Ironmen won their fourth consecutive Non-Public Group IV state title and sixth in eight years. They defeated six teams that were nationally or regionally ranked this season, including a 30-6 blowout in week one of eventual California Open Division champion De La Salle (Concord).

Texas 5A/II champion Abilene, which went 15-0 and won its first state crown since 1956, finished the season ranked No. 2. North Carolina 4AA titlist Butler (Matthews) is ranked No. 3 and two-time defending Tennessee Division II-AA champion Memphis University closed the year at No. 4. Rounding out the top five is Lake Travis (Austin), which ended the season with its third straight Texas 4A title and a 46-game winning streak.

Week 4 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2009-12-14T12:01:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- National Prep Poll champions aren't crowned in December, but the groundwork for a national title can certainly be lain this time of year.

Current Top 25 teams will participate in more than a dozen different national tournaments between now and the end of the month. How those squads fare against highly touted teams from other parts of the country will have a great impact on their standing in the national rankings as the new year begins.

The City of Palms Classic, which features eight Top 25 and regionally ranked teams in its main bracket, tips off Friday. The tournament favorites include top-ranked Findlay (Henderson, Nev.), No. 5 Westchester (Los Angeles), No. 8 St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.), and No. 10 Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.).

Week 18 National Prep Football Poll released

2009-12-14T10:30:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- For the first time during the 23-year history of World Features Syndicate's National Prep Football Poll, a team from the Northeast region is poised to finish the season ranked No. 1 in the country.

Don Bosco (Ramsey, N.J.), which has won four straight Non-Public IV state titles and 23 consecutive games, moved into the top spot in the Week 18 poll. The Ironmen have been the beneficiary of seven upsets to Top 10 teams during the last two weeks.

Right behind Don Bosco at No. 2 in the rankings is North Carolina 4AA champion Butler (Matthews), which will probably receive heavy consideration for the preseason No. 1 national ranking next year. The Bulldogs feature a talented junior class, led by blue chip quarterback Christian LeMay.

No. 3 Abilene (Texas) is probably the only team that could still unseat Don Bosco from the top ranking in the final poll. The Eagles remain undefeated heading into Saturday's Texas 5A/II title game against two-time defending champion No. 7 Katy.

Week 3 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2009-12-07T11:54:00.003-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- Florida private school power Montverde Academy leads a trio of teams entering the national rankings for the first time this season. The No. 17 Eagles knocked off No. 24 Providence (Jacksonville), 66-63 in overtime, last week.

No. 23 Long Beach Poly (Calif.) moved into the poll after capturing the Redondo Pacific Shores Tournament in Redondo Beach, Calif. The Jackrabbits hammered then-regionally ranked Los Angeles Fairfax, 81-45, and outlasted regionally ranked Serra (Gardena), 58-54, to win the title.

At No. 25, Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) rounds out this week's national poll. The Eagles will be tested severely this weekend when they take on Chicago-area powers No. 13 Whitney Young and regionally ranked Waukegan at the Best of the Midwest Shootout in Marion, Ill.

Week 17 National Prep Football Poll released

2009-12-07T10:38:00.003-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- Following a playoff weekend that saw the upset of eight Top 25 teams, there are plenty of changes in the Week 17 National Prep Football Poll.

South Carolina 4A/I champion Dorman (Roebuck) leads the parade of teams entering the national poll this week. The No. 7 Cavaliers shocked then-No. 2 Byrnes (Duncan), 28-17, avenging their only loss of the season.

Tulsa Union also avenged its only loss of the year and is back in the national poll at No. 14. The Redskins hammered rival Jenks, 52-19, for the Oklahoma 6A crown.

No. 19 Northside (Warner Robins) and No. 20 Servite (Anaheim), both of which were nationally ranked earlier this season, return to the national Top 25 in advance of playing in championship games this weekend. Northside is gunning for the Georgia 5A title while Servite will meet No. 3 Edison for the CIF-SS Pac-5 crown.

No. 21 West Monroe (La.) and No. 23 Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), each no stranger to the national rankings, can add to their already impressive collection of state championship hardware this weekend.

No. 24 La Salle (Wyndmoor) has advanced to the Pennsylvania 4A semifinals in its first season competing in the state playoffs.

Week 2 National Prep Basketball Poll released

2009-11-30T14:01:00.003-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- The second National Prep Basketball Poll of the season features not one but two talented teams from the basketball-rich city of Memphis, Tenn.

Melrose entered the national poll at No. 24 this week after rolling to the Martin Luther King tournament championship last week. The Golden Wildcats feature one of the top junior classes in the nation, led by rivals.com five-star recruit Adonis Thomas, a 6-foot-6 forward.

For the second straight week, Memphis White Station is also in the national rankings. The No. 14 Spartans are 3-0 with Memphis-bound point guard Joe Jackson leading the way.

Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.) is also new to the national Top 25 this week. The Stallions have started the year 4-0, including a 55-38 win over probable state-title contender Oldsmar Christian.

Week 16 National Prep Football Poll released

2009-11-29T23:29:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- A weekend filled with playoff upsets ushered six teams into this week's National Prep Poll's Top 25 rankings.

Miami Central tops the list of squads new to the rankings. The Rockets re-entered the national poll at No. 6 after they defeated then-No. 11 Miami Northwestern, 29-16, and avenged their only loss of the year.

Abilene (Texas) makes its debut appearance of the season in the poll at No. 17. The Eagles stunned then-No. 3 Cedar Hill, 41-17, in the third round of the 5A/II playoffs over the weekend.

Newnan (Ga.) is No. 19 after edging then-No. 15 Grayson (Loganville), 9-7, in the 5A quarterfinals.

No. 20 South Panola (Batesville, Miss.) is back in the national rankings for the first time since its 89-game winning streak ended in last year's 5A championship game. The Tigers upset then-No. 12 Madison Central, 36-21, in this year's 6A semifinals.

Cardinal Mooney (Youngstown, Ohio) is ranked No. 21 this week after throttling Steubenville, 45-7, in the Division III semifinals.

Finally, two-time defending Texas 5A/II champion Katy is back in the poll at No. 24 after breezing to three playoff wins by an average margin of 36 points. The Tigers were ranked No. 4 in the nation to start the season.

Week 15 National Prep Football Poll released

2009-11-23T10:44:00.002-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- The Week 15 National Prep Poll includes Washington-area power Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), a team that's no stranger to the rankings but one that had been unable to get over the hump during the postseason. All that changed Saturday when the Falcons defeated nemesis DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) -- then ranked No. 14 -- 14-7 for their first Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title.

Good Counsel is No. 18 in this week's poll. It is the second time the Falcons have been nationally ranked this season.

There is another Maryland squad in the Top 25 this week as Linganore (Ijamsville) entered the national rankings for the first time. The No. 21 Lancers moved into the Class 3A state semifinals with a 19-0 shutout at then-regionally ranked Quince Orchard (Gaithersburg).

Week 14 National Prep Football Poll released

2009-11-16T10:41:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- Cleveland public schools power Glenville is back in the Top 10 rankings of the weekly National Prep Poll. The Tarblooders, who started the season ranked No. 5, are No. 8 this week after eliminating then-No. 4 St. Ignatius from the postseason and avenging their only loss of the season.

Glenville beat the Wildcats, 30-13, in a Division I second-round playoff game Saturday. It was the fifth win in the last seven meetings over St. Ignatius for the Tarblooders, who are three wins away from capturing their first state championship.

No. 24 Memphis (Tenn.) University also entered the national poll this week. The defending Division II-AA state champion Owls have won 24 consecutive games.

Week 13 National Prep Football Poll released

2009-11-09T09:10:00.003-06:00

On the strength of its third-ever win over rival Independence (Charlotte, N.C.), Butler (Matthews) has earned its first-ever spot in the National Prep Poll's Top 25.

The Bulldogs capitalized on five turnovers to get the 31-24 win over the Patriots, who were ranked No. 18 last week. It was only the third time this season Butler did not beat an opponent by at least 21 points.

The remainder of the week 13 rankings went largely unchanged. The national Top 10 remained completely intact after every one of those teams won its last game by at least 17 points.

Preseason National Prep Basketball Poll released

2009-11-02T13:31:00.004-06:00

URBANDALE, Iowa -- Findlay Prep of Henderson, Nev., is ranked No. 1 in the first National Prep Poll of the 2009-10 high school basketball season.

The Pilots, who also ended last season ranked No. 1, have a roster loaded with high-level Division I talent and are set to play a schedule sprinkled with ranked opponents.

Preseason Top 25 Team Capsules and Regional Rankings Team Sketches

Preseason NPP Top 25: No. 1 Findlay Prep

2009-11-02T13:00:00.002-06:00

1. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
Last year: 33-0, National Prep Poll champion
Coach: Michael Peck
Top players: F/C Tristan Thompson (6-10, Sr.); PG Cory Joseph (6-3, Sr.); F Goodwin Okonji (6-8, Sr.); G Jabri Brown (6-3, Jr.); Nick Johnson (6-3, Jr.); F Winston Shepard (6-7, So.); F Dekeba Battee Aston (6-8, So.)
Top games: Dec. 4 vs. Christ School (N.C.) at Marshall County Hoopfest (Benton, Ky.); Dec. 17 at No. 4 Northland (Columbus, Ohio); Dec. 19-23 at City of Palms Classic (Fort Myers, Fla.); Jan. 18 vs. No. 2 St. Patrick (N.J.) at Hoophall Classic (Springfield, Mass.); Jan. 28-30 at Montverde Academy Invitational (Montverde, Fla.); Feb. 20 vs. Duncanville (Texas) at SMU
Notable: The Pilots, who have only one loss in two seasons under Peck, are defending Prep Poll champions after defeating Oak Hill (Va.), 74-66, in the championship game of the season-ending National High School Invitational. This year’s roster is loaded with tremendous speed and strength. Two seniors – Thompson (committed to Texas) and Joseph – are top-five national recruits according to rivals.com. There are also six highly touted transfers. Brown led Salesian (Calif.) in scoring last season while Johnson averaged 15 points per game at Highland (Gilbert, Ariz.). Shepard and Battee Aston are two of the country's top-rated sophomores.

Preseason NPP Top 25: No. 2 St. Patrick

2009-11-02T12:59:00.001-06:00

2. St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)
Last year: 30-3, won state Tournament of Champions
Coach: Kevin Boyle
Top players: G Kyrie Irving (6-2, Sr.); F Michael Gilchrist (6-7, Jr.); F Julian Washburn (6-8, Sr.); F Josh Daniel (6-8, Sr.); G Kevin Boyle Jr. (5-10, Sr.); G Derrick Gordon (6-3, Jr.); F Austin Colbert (6-9, Fr.); F Chase Plummer (6-5, Sr.)
Top games: Dec. 5 vs. Bishop Loughlin (N.Y.); Dec. 26-30 at MaxPreps Holiday Classic (San Diego); Jan. 18 vs. No. 1 Findlay Prep at Hoophall Classic (Springfield, Mass.); Jan. 23 vs. No. 9 St. Benedict’s; Jan. 30 vs. No. 23 White Station (Tenn.) at The Rock Classic (Newark, N.J.); Feb. 6 vs. No. 19 Taft (Calif.) in Santa Ana (Calif.); Feb. 12 vs. No. 3 Oak Hill (Va.) at Primetime Shootout (Rutgers University); Feb. 13 vs. No. 24 Rice (N.Y.) at Primetime Shootout (Trenton, N.J.).
Notable: Boyle counts at least 10 future Division I players on his roster including experienced veterans Irving (Duke) and top-rated junior Gilchrist. The Celtics also picked up two talented transfers in Washburn (Duncanville, Texas) and Western Kentucky recruit Gordon (Word of God Academy, N.C.). The team has excellent depth and size and should be very strong on defense.
Quotable: “This has the potential to be our best team.” - Boyle, who has led the Celtics to five consecutive Top 25 finishes in the National Prep Poll.