[AdamKurkjian]

Alright, now with 2008 over and St. Thomas Aquinas a pretty much unanimous national No. 1 (except in the eyes of those from Louisiana ), we should look ahead to 2009.

Let's hear your top five in each state going into 2009.

As usual, I'll start with Massachusetts (of course, this is subject to change in the coming months)...

1. Xaverian - It seems strange, but the Hawks have not won a Division 1 Super Bowl since 1998, even though they are in contention just about every year. They return key pieces in just about every area and will be the preseason favorite according to just about everyone.

2. Brockton - Needs to rebuild on offense a little but quarterback Sam Previte is a nice place to start. Defense returns good linebackers and secondary.

3. Everett - Returns maybe the state's biggest recruit for 2010 in Rodman Noel. Plays secondary in HS might be an OLB at the next level, could play some offense this year. Overall not the strongest Everett team we've seen, though.

4. Walpole - Returns entire backfield, including RB Ryan Izzo, who may end up breaking the state rushing record. Troy Salvatore is another speedy option. Will have to find a new coach after Danny Villa's arrest, my guess it will go to offensive coordinator Billy O'Connell.

5. BC High - Loses just about everyone from last year's team but will be good up front. Program is on a roll of late let's see if the Eagles can keep it going.

[GMCGURU000]

NJ:

1. St. Peters Prep- Return a boatload of talent.

2. Don Bosco Prep- Would be #1 since they return probably the most in NJ... But they are losing their two best Offensive players in Knief and Romain... QB Gary Nova is a D-1 prospect physically, but he's got to prove himself on the field first.

3. St. Joes (Montvale)- Ton of talent back.

4. Piscataway- Return 3 of 5 OL, QB Malcolm Griggs (6-3 205) and one of the best WR in NJ, Deshawn Wynn (6-3 215).. This will be another deep year for them, and they'll have 4-5 D-1 kids as usual. Will be the toughest schedule they've played in a few years though.. Should be interesting.. The GMC (24 teams) and Shore Conference (43 teams) have decided to combine to form a kind of super conference... Teams will have minimum 2 crossover games, and up to 5 at some schools.

5. Bergen Catholic- This will be the most physical BC team since Cushing left.


In the mix- Wayne Hills, Shawnee, Cherokee, Mainland, Hunterdon Central, Phillipsburg... All teams had good years with young players, although a few of the teams lose the house.. but with such great programs.. You never know.

Also: Immaculata, Sayreville, Middletown South and Brick Memorial will all field good teams as well.

This post has been edited by GMCGURU000: 22 January 2009 - 08:30 AM

[sammyk]

In Pennsylvania

1. Bishop McDivitt- with several starters back and an increased enrollment look fot the Crusaders to be the team to beat in PA

2. Gateway- they will lose 6 D-1 players from last year but have 5 more for next year plus the RB transfer from Mass. has a D-1 offer from Boston College will be added to the mix.

3. Penn Hills- Loads of talent coming back and after the improvement they made last year with a new staff look for the Indians to be a force in the WPIAL

4. Liberty- with the QB and several other back off of the PIAA state title team look for the Hurricanes to reload

5. LaSalle- Philly Catholic School champs return most of their team back plus D-1 recruit at the QB and WR position.

This post has been edited by sammyk: 22 January 2009 - 12:52 PM

[AdamKurkjian]

sammyk, on Jan 22 2009, 02:21 PM, said:

In Pennsylvania

1. Bishop McDivitt- with several starters back and an increased enrollment look fot the Crusaders to be the team to beat in PA

2. Gateway- they will lose 6 D-1 players from last year but have 5 more for next year plus the RB transfer from Mass. has a D-1 offer from Boston College will be added to the mix.

3. Penn Hills- Loads of talent coming back and after the improvement they made last year with a new staff look for the Indians to be a force in the WPIAL

4. Liberty- with the QB and several other back off of the PIAA state title team look for the Hurricanes to reload

5. LaSalle- Philly Catholic School champs return most of their team back plus D-1 recruit at the QB and WR position.

sammy what do you know about Felder? I talk to his father pretty often, seems like he'll get more exposure down there. He would still be at St. John's Prep but his father was laid off and all his family is in Pittsburgh so they had to make the move. He wanted to stay up in Mass because St. John's is a good school but he needed to be back in Pitt plus they lived in an awful section of Lynn. Kid did real well at the AA Combine, we'll see how he fits in at Gateway. His sophomore film is up on rivals but his junior film is much, much better.

[Oakflat]

In Texas I would have to go with:

1. Katy- they were really young this year and got much better as the season went on. They will have 8 or 9 starters back on defense.

2. Allen- Their junior class is really good with the starting QB who missed most of the playoffs and 3 big OL. Defense will be better.

3. Cedar Hill- Always have a ton of athletes and speed and got better as the year went on with alot of experience coming back. From what I read they may have as many as 9 D1 players next year.

From here I have no idea. The Woodlands and Klein Oak should be really good and could be darkhorses, then you have Euless Trinity and North Shore who always have a good team.

[sammyk]

He will help the Gators out. The kid is good and a D-1 type kid. But the copetition in the WPIAL is a little tougher than it is in Mass.

[GMCGURU000]

sammyk, on Jan 22 2009, 02:21 PM, said:

In Pennsylvania

1. Bishop McDivitt- with several starters back and an increased enrollment look fot the Crusaders to be the team to beat in PA

2. Gateway- they will lose 6 D-1 players from last year but have 5 more for next year plus the RB transfer from Mass. has a D-1 offer from Boston College will be added to the mix.

3. Penn Hills- Loads of talent coming back and after the improvement they made last year with a new staff look for the Indians to be a force in the WPIAL

4. Liberty- with the QB and several other back off of the PIAA state title team look for the Hurricanes to reload

5. LaSalle- Philly Catholic School champs return most of their team back plus D-1 recruit at the QB and WR position.

Central Catholic should field a decent team next year and you can't ever count out St. Joes Philly.

[AdamKurkjian]

sammyk, on Jan 23 2009, 12:05 PM, said:

He will help the Gators out. The kid is good and a D-1 type kid. But the copetition in the WPIAL is a little tougher than it is in Mass.

For the most part I agree but St. John's Prep played the toughest schedule in New England and had a very comparable schedule to Gateway this season. Their SOS rating on calpreps is only two points lower than the Gators' from 2008. They played only one true "cupcake" and their combined opponents' record was 87-39. If he were coming from the Atlantic Coast League or something the level of competition might throw him off but the Catholic Conference is the toughest league in New England and teams like Everett, Brockton, BC High and Xaverian could all compete in the WPIAL and hold their own.

[WCLfan]

A little early but I'll bite

1. Colerain - Entire backfield returns in tact, two 1,000 yard rushers and a QB who rushed for 900+.

2. Elder - Leading passer (3,331), rusher (1,137) and a 1,000 yard reciever return.

3. Glenville - Extremely talented Junior class. Return leading rusher and biggest playmaker on offfense. Boat load of D1 talent (like always)

4. St. Ignatius - Scott McVey on defense. 10 state titles. All that needs to be said.

5. Moeller - Talent on both sides of the ball. Leading QB and 2 good linebackers return.

This post has been edited by WCLfan: 24 January 2009 - 12:22 AM

[Russ]

Can't ever overlook some of the historical perrenials...Permian, Judson, Plano....and of course some newfound talent in Pearland, Hightower...and of course some recent big names like Southlake, Abilene, Pflugerville....thing is, there is just way too much talent in 5A emerging, and already existing.

And for those looking at this from out of state, these listed between Oakflat and myself are just 5A teams...4A and below aren't mentioned.

Oakflat, on Jan 22 2009, 10:07 PM, said:

In Texas I would have to go with:

1. Katy- they were really young this year and got much better as the season went on. They will have 8 or 9 starters back on defense.

2. Allen- Their junior class is really good with the starting QB who missed most of the playoffs and 3 big OL. Defense will be better.

3. Cedar Hill- Always have a ton of athletes and speed and got better as the year went on with alot of experience coming back. From what I read they may have as many as 9 D1 players next year.

From here I have no idea. The Woodlands and Klein Oak should be really good and could be darkhorses, then you have Euless Trinity and North Shore who always have a good team.

[TrojanHorse03]

1. Allen, 2. Cedar Hill, with the rest of the preseason pecking order being unclear IMO at this point in Texas.

[naughtyboi]

TrojanHorse03, on Jan 25 2009, 12:27 PM, said:

1. Allen, 2. Cedar Hill, with the rest of the preseason pecking order being unclear IMO at this point in Texas.

1. St. Thomas Aquinas
2. Lakeland
3. Miami Northwestern
4. Tampa Plant
5. Mainland

[jwave14]

Louisiana

1. John Curtis Christian
2. Evangel Christian
3. Baton Rouge Central High
4. Destrehan
5. South Plaquemine
6. Edna Karr
7. West Monroe
8. Parkview Baptist
9. Bastrop
10.Notre Dame (Crowley)

[We R Evangel]

1.JC
2.ECA
3.West Monroe
4.Desty
5.BR Central
5.ND. Crowley

[We R Evangel]

naughtyboi, on Jan 26 2009, 01:39 PM, said:

1. St. Thomas Aquinas
2. Lakeland
3. Miami Northwestern
4. Tampa Plant
5. Mainland

Cant wait to see how Lakeland matches up against DLS.

[naughtyboi]

We R Evangel, on Jan 28 2009, 09:46 PM, said:

Cant wait to see how Lakeland matches up against DLS.

You will be surprised. I will tell you this they won't whip us like STA did.

Plus our boys should be better, they were not supposed to be in states this year and made. This year we actually have a chance to win it all.

But i like our chances, DLS ain't what it used to be.

[CardinalsFan]

Would love a look at Cali. Anyone have a clue?

-CF

[GMCGURU000]

naughtyboi, on Jan 31 2009, 07:01 PM, said:

But i like our chances, DLS ain't what it used to be.

Common misconception.

They've lost to one california opponent in the past two years, by 5 points.

Let's not forget, that one opponent had as much say to the #1 national claim as anybody else in America.

DLS is the same program it always has been.

[whoat222004]

DLS is the same program it as always been. However their last few teams have certainly not been as good as the teams in their elite years.

[steeler 01]

GMCGURU000, on Feb 2 2009, 11:31 AM, said:

They've lost to one california opponent in the past two years, by 5 points.

This will happen a lot since they don't play the best teams in Cali. You won't see Poly, CC, MD, O-Lu, and other Pac 5 teams in their power years play DLS. If DLS played 2 or 3 of these teams this year Tesoro, Bonny, Poly, CC, Oaks, Chappy, O-lu etc.....and every year I'd guarantee they would have lost more than one game the last two years. This year DLS beat one team ranked in the top 20 in the state of Cali(Serra 29-28). Its not DLS's fault that their in the North, but telling people they've only lost one game in the last two years against Cali competition is misleading IMO. We could have said the same for J.W. North in the 06 and 07 seasons.