PrepNation.com - National Prep Football Poll - Week 17<br>By Jamie DeMoney

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Note: The PrepNation 101 final national rankings and expanded regional Top 25 rankings will be released on Monday December 22.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Six of last week's Top 25 teams -- including four Top 10 squads -- were upset in playoff action over the weekend, but top-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) remained unscathed.

Aquinas is ranked No. 1 in the National Prep Poll for the 11th consecutive week.

After defeating Ohio Division I runner-up Cincinnati Elder, 35-24, in their season opener, the Raiders have beaten 12 consecutive South Florida foes by 28 points or more.

With a victory this Friday against Largo, Aquinas would qualify for its 12th state championship game in 18 seasons and a possible showdown with No. 17 Lakeland.

Moving up to No. 2 in the Week 17 poll is Long Beach (Calif.) Poly. With a win Saturday against No. 18 Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita) in the CIF-SS Pac-5 championship game, the Jackrabbits would likely earn Southern California's bid to the Open Division state championship game to be played on Dec. 20.

Should Poly lose to Tesoro and No. 3 Corona Centennial repeat as Inland Division champion, the Huskies could slip into the Open Division title game.

With No. 10 Allen's upset of then-No. 2 Euless Trinity, undefeated and fourth-ranked Hightower (Missouri City) looks like the team to beat in the tough Texas 5A/I playoff bracket. Two of the Hurricanes' four playoff wins have come against teams that entered the game with unbeaten records.

Rounding out the Top 5 is Camden County (Kingsland), the favorite on paper to win Georgia's 5A state championship this weekend. The Wildcats were 20-point winners at then-regionally ranked Newnan in the state semifinals last Friday.

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The National Prep Football Poll is compiled by high school sports journalist Jamie DeMoney with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The national Top 25 with regional Top 10's follow with won-loss-tie records:

# School Record Note LW

1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas 13-0-0 three playoff wins by a combined 140-29 1

2. Long Beach, Calif., Poly 13-0-0 advanced to CIF-SS Pac-5 final 3

3. Corona, Calif., Centennial 13-0-0 playing for repeat CIF-SS Inland title 4

4. Missouri City, Texas, Hightower 12-0-0 beat then-unbeaten Pearland, 38-21, for region crown 7

5. Kingsland, Ga., Camden County 14-0-0 advanced to 5A championship 14

6. Chesapeake, Va., Oscar Smith 15-0-0 won first Division 6 title 12

7. Hampton, Va., Phoebus 15-0-0 Division 5 champ outscored foes 720-53 16

8. Cleveland, Ohio, St. Ignatius 14-1-0 avenged only loss and won 10th Division I title 8

9. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes 14-1-0 avenged only loss and earned sixth state title in seven years 9

10. Allen, Texas 13-1-0 beat then-No. 2 Euless Trinity, 34-21, to win region title and avenge only loss 19

11. Bethel Park, Pa. 15-0-0 advanced to 4A state final 15

12. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline 14-0-0 won second straight state title 13

13. West Monroe, La. 13-0-0 seeks seventh 5A title in 20 years 18

14. Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South 14-0-0 8A champion 17

15. Peoria, Ariz., Centennial 13-0-0 one win from third straight 5A/II crown 21

16. Louisville, Ky., Trinity 13-1-0 beat No. 22 St. Xavier, 28-21, in 6-A semis and avenged only loss NR

17. Lakeland, Fla. 13-0-0 six state titles since '86 20

18. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Tesoro 13-0-0 playing No. 2 Poly for Pac-5 title NR

19. Rock Hill, S.C., South Pointe 15-0-0 won 4A/II title in only its third year NR

20. Tulsa, Okla., Union 13-1-0 won fourth 6A title in seven years NR

21. Greenwood, Ind., Center Grove 14-1-0 avenged only loss and won 5A title 22

22. Louisville, Ky., St. Xavier 12-1-0 only loss to No. 16 Trinity 10

23. Cleveland, Ohio, Glenville 11-1-0 went 1-1 against No. 8 St. Ignatius 23

24. Provo, Utah, Timpview 13-0-0 three consecutive 4A titles 24

25. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep 11-1-0 won third straight poll state title NR

Northeast Region
1. Bethel Park, Pa. (15-0) (2)
2. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep (11-1-0) (3)
3. Bethlehem, Pa., Liberty (14-1-0) (5)
4. Jefferson Hills, Pa., Jefferson (14-1-0) (6)
5. Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph Regional (11-1-0) --
6. West Lawn, Pa., Wilson (14-1-0) (4)
7. Lansdale, Pa., North Penn (14-1-0) (1)
8. Medford, N.J., Shawnee (12-0-0) (9)
9. Orchard Park, N.Y. (13-0-0) (8)
10. Wayne, N.J., Wayne Hills (12-0-0) --

East Coast Region
1. Chesapeake, Va., Oscar Smith (150) (2)
2. Hampton, Va., Phoebus (15-0-0) (3)
3. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes (14-1-0) (1)
4. Rock Hill, S.C., South Pointe (15-0-0) (6)
5. Greensboro, N.C., Dudley (15-0-0) --
6. Sandy Spring, Md., Sherwood (14-0-0) (5)
7. Roebuck, S.C., Dorman (13-1-0) (7)
8. Clarksville, Md., River Hill (14-0-0) (9)
9. Vienna, Va., Oakton (13-1-0) --
10. Charleston, W.Va., South Charleston (14-0-0) --

Southeast Region
1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas (13-0) (1)
2. Kingsland, Ga., Camden County (14-0-0) (4)
3. West Monroe, La. (13-0-0) (5)
4. Lakeland, Fla. (13-0-0) (6)
5. Tampa, Fla., Plant (12-1-0) --
6. Memphis, Tenn., Memphis University (13-0-0) --
7. Meridian, Miss. (14-1-0) --
8. Prattville, Ala. (13-1-0) (9)
9. Miami, Fla., Northwestern (11-2-0) --
10. Destrehan, La. (13-0-0) --

Midwest Region
1. Cleveland, Ohio, St. Ignatius (14-1) (1)
2. Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South (14-0-0) (3)
3. Louisville, Ky., Trinity (13-1-0) --
4. Greenwood, Ind., Center Grove (14-1-0) (4)
5. Louisville, Ky., St. Xavier (12-1-0) (2)
6. Cleveland, Ohio, Glenville (11-1-0) (5)
7. Muskegon, Mich. (14-0-0) (6)
8. Cincinnati, Ohio, Elder (13-2-0) (7)
9. Mequon, Wis., Homestead (14-0-0) (8)
10. East St. Louis, Ill. (13-1-0) (9)

Midlands Region
1. Provo, Utah, Timpview (13-0) (1)
2. Plymouth, Minn., Wayzata (13-0-0) (2)
3. West Des Moines, Iowa, Valley (14-0-0) (3)
4. Sandy, Utah, Alta (13-1-0) (4)
5. Denver, Colo., Mullen (12-2-0) (5)
6. Omaha, Neb., Millard West (13-0-0) (6)
7. Junction City, Kan. (13-0-0) (7)
8. Murray, Utah, Cottonwood (13-1-0) (8)
9. Florissant, Mo., Hazelwood Central (11-2-0) (9)
10. Pocatello, Idaho, Highland (10-2-0) (10)

Southwest Region
1. Missouri City, Texas, Hightower (12-0) (2)
2. Allen, Texas (13-1-0) (3)
3. Peoria, Ariz., Centennial (13-0-0) (4)
4. Tulsa, Okla., Union (13-1-0) (6)
5. Euless, Texas, Trinity (13-1-0) (1)
6. Spring Branch, Texas, Smithson Valley (13-1-0) (8)
7. Austin, Texas, Lake Travis (14-0-0) --
8. Reno, Nev., McQueen (14-0-0) (9)
9. Bentonville, Ark. (12-1-0) (10)
10. Las Cruces, N.M. (13-0-0) --

West Coast Region
1. Long Beach, Calif., Poly (13-0) (1)
2. Corona, Calif., Centennial (13-0-0) (2)
3. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline (14-0-0) (3)
4. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Tesoro (13-0-0) (6)
5. Bellevue, Wash. (14-0-0) (8)
6. Ventura, Calif., St. Bonaventure (12-1-0) (5)
7. Sacramento, Calif., Grant (13-0-0) (9)
8. San Jose, Calif., Bellarmine Prep (12-1-0) --
9. Honolulu, Hawaii, Punahou (12-1-0) --
10. Beaverton, Ore., Southridge (12-2-0) --

Dropped out: Top 25: No. 5 Seffner, Fla., Armwood (12-1-0); No. 6 Batesville, Miss., South Panola (14-1-0); No. 25 Maryville, Tenn. (14-1-0). Northeast: No. 7 Monroeville, Pa., Gateway (12-1-0); No. 10 Linwood, N.J., Mainland (12-0-0). East Coast: No. 8 Frederick, Md., Linganore (13-1-0); No. 10 Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha (10-2-0). Southeast: No. 8 Newnan, Ga., (13-1-0); No. 10 Loganville, Ga., Grayson (13-1-0). Midwest: No. 10 Cincinnati, Colerain (11-2-0). Southwest: No. 5 Pearland, Texas (12-1-0); No. 7 Cedar Hill, Texas (12-2-0). West Coast: No. 4 Orange, Calif., Lutheran (10-3-0); No. 7 Lakewood, Calif. (6-7-0); No. 10 Lake Oswego, Ore. (12-1-0).

FEATS OF THE WEEK: On back-to-back nights, two of the three longest active win streaks in the nation came to an end. On Friday, a run of 89 consecutive victories -- which was the fourth longest in prep football history -- ended when then-No. 6 Batesville, Miss., South Panola lost in overtime to Meridian, 26-20, in the 5A state championship. Less than 24 hours later, then-No. 25 Maryville, Tenn., had its state-record 74-game win streak snapped by Nashville, Hillsboro, 10-7, in the 4A state final. The country's longest string of consecutive wins now belongs to Oklahoma 8-man power Shattuck, which beat Thackerville, 68-44, for its 81st consecutive victory and sixth straight state title. The longest active streak for 11-man teams belongs to Smith Center, Kan., with 67 . . . No. 20 Tulsa, Okla., Union beat archrival Jenks, 34-20, for the 6A championship before an estimated 14,000 fans at Oklahoma St. University. Senior running back Jeremy Smith (Oklahoma St.) ran for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Since 1996, every Oklahoma 6A title has been won by either Union or Jenks . . . A record-setting season culminated for senior running back Chris LaPierre, whose Medford, N.J., Shawnee team beat Hammonton, 28-7, for the South Jersey Group 3 championship. LaPierre, who will play lacrosse next year at Virginia, scored all four of the Renegades' touchdowns, giving him a state-record 44 scores and 272 points for the season.

Have something to say about the Week 17 National Prep Poll? Leave your comments and interact with poll editor Jamie DeMoney and other readers by clicking here.

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About the National Prep Poll: Compiled weekly weekly since 1987 and distributed by World Features Syndicate and the Associated Press, the National Prep Poll is the nation's second oldest weekly high school sports rankings. Doug Huff of ESPN RISE compiled the rankings from 1987 until 1999. Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season. The National Prep Poll is the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and Web sites around the United States by the Associated Press national wire service. The National Prep Poll is the first high school football and boys basketball poll to released in the preseason and during each week of the regular season. Criteria considered for the National Prep Poll rankings are strength of schedule, the ability to accomplish the ultimate goal on a team's schedule (i.e. winning a championship), impact players and performers, a team's coaching and recent tradition.

Jamie DeMoney has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years. He has compiled the National Prep Poll for World Features Syndicate and the Associated Press since 1999 and has also compiled high school football and basketball rankings for Sporting News and RISE. DeMoney was managing editor of American Football Monthly and assistant national editor of All-Stater Sports/Highwired Sports. DeMoney is a graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism, and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association.