TEAM: Loganville (Georgia) Grayson Rams
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 2 Nationally, No. 1 Georgia
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT GRAYSON: There is plenty to like about Grayson. A tough defense. A ball control offense. Good coaching. There really is a complete package with the Rams. With the state of Georgia being "up" this year if Grayson does win states and is undefeated its resume would be very strong.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Grayson has been streaky on offense this year and its best win was against a slightly underperfoming Camden County team. Is Grayson living off of beating Lowndes last year or is this team the real deal? Only time will tell and leaving them No. 2 is a risk but if they do win Georgia there will be a reward.

TEAM: Cedar Hill (Texas) High Longhorns
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 3 Nationally, No. 1 Texas
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT CEDAR HILL: The Longhorns defense is absolutely loaded with talent. It has a big and strong offensive line and athletic players at skill positions. If Cedar Hill ends the year undefeated and No. 1 in Texas they have a good as arguement as anyone for being a team right behind St. Thomas Aquinas.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: For all of the talent Cedar Hill has it has not played up to that potential. In half of their games (four) the Longhorns have given up more than 30 points - making it hard to believe they are really the No. 1 team in Texas or No. 2 in the nation. Depending on its road through the Texas playoffs the unit could be exposed or shine. The problem is waiting to find out which happens.

TEAM: Ramsey (New Jersey) Don Bosco Prep Ironmen
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 4 Nationally, No. 1 New Jersey
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE IRONMEN: Like all teams in the discussion Don Boso will be sending plenty of players to Division I schools. Also, the ace in the hole, is that it already defeated Concord (Calif.) De La Salle and Prattville (Alabama) High in convincing fashion.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: The state of New Jersey is "down" this year and Don Bosco had to fight to hold off Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic last week. The benefit Don Bosco has is that it still has games with Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter's Prep and Montvale (NJ) St. Joe's before the playoffs start. An undefeated season all but guarantees them the No. 2 spot nationally.

TEAM: Duncan (South Carolina) Byrnes Rebels
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 5 Nationally, No. 1 South Carolina
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE REBELS: Byrnes is one of the most well-oiled machines in the country. A program that starts kids out early and has them ready to play in high school is more than impressive. Also a national audience was witness as the Rebels traded punches with current No. 1 Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas. It can also be argued Aquinas did not win as much as Byrnes cost itself with multiple turnovers.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: To date Byrnes has had two tests against other solid football teams and did not pass either, losing to Aquinas and defeating rival Roebuck (SC) Dorman 17-10 last week. While they should not lose again this season is a one-loss team justified in being considered the second best team nationally over a potential handful of teams who went undefeated? We think not.

TEAM: Dallas (Texas) Skyline Raiders
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 6 Nationally, No. 2 Texas
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE RAIDERS: Skyline is one of the most balanced teams in the nation and may have the talent on the field to stay with Aquinas if the teams met on the field. The offense has scored more than 40-points five times this year while the defense has held five opponents to single digits. The linebacker core at Skyline can be argued as the best group in the nation.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Bouncing back-and-forth as the No. 1 or No. 2 team in Texas does not inspire the confidence to place the Raiders at No. 2 nationally. Despite the talent on the field it has been a long time since a city school has won a state title and can Skyline go from sub-par opponents to beating the big boys for five straight weeks?

TEAM: Hyattsville (Maryland) DeMatha Stags
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 7 Nationally, No. 1 Maryland
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE STAGS: The product on the field is very good and Coach McGregor is one of the best in the country. The Stags can score in many different ways and have one of the best offensive lines on the east coast.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: We were at the game against Olney (Md.) Good Counsel where DeMatha won in the last minutes of the game and that is usually not an indication of a No. 2 team. Also DeMatha is not eligible to play in the state playoffs and its only two resume building games will be with Good Counsel leaving its arguement a little thinner than most other teams.

TEAM: Cleveland (Ohio) St. Ignatius Wildcats
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 10 Nationally, No. 1 Ohio
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE WILDCATS: St. Ignatius is looking like the best team in Ohio - after winning the state last season. The defense, as usual, is the best part of the team. While the coaching is still among the best nationally as well. If the Wildcats repeat as state champs in Ohio, and go undefeated, another Top 5 finish should be expected.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Are the Wildcats better than last year? As the season winds down that question is still lingering. If the Wildcats do go back-to-back their resume will be top notch but can they do it with a limited talent pool on offense. They also have had to fight for victories, winning four games by one score. There is a lot of meat left on the bone before we are comfortable with St. Ignatius in the Top 5.

TEAM: Sacramento (California) Grant Pacers
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 12 Nationally, No. 1 California
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE PACERS: The killer instinct for the Pacers is unmatched. The team enjoys beating opponents and plays for respect each week. The defense has allowed one touchdown all season - on a reverse pass-back to the quarterback. The offense is also scoring points in bunches scoring over 55 in its last four.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: The best win for Grant before the playoffs begin will be a road win over Bellevue (Washington) High. The conference Grant plays in is very weak which did not slow them last year but is concerning each season.

TEAM: Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller Crusaders
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 Ranking: No. 13 Nationally, No. 2 Ohio
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE CRUSADERS: The no-nonsense approach Moeller takes to each game inspires us to believe that it can make a run through the Ohio playoffs. Moeller has scored at least 35-points in every game except one and has held all of their opponents under 20-points save the first game of the season. Being the best team in the GCL is as high a compliment as you can get in the Midwest most seasons.
WHAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Moller still has to beat Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier on Halloween night and that game is not a given. The toughness on defense has not been tested yet as the Crusaders have jumped out on their opponents early and seeing them take a punch will be interesting to see.

TEAM: Madison (Mississippi) Central Jaguars
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 RANKING: No. 8 Nationally, No. 1 Mississippi
WHY IT WON'T BE NO. 2: Seeing Madison Central in person showed us they were not the second best team in the country. Furthermore we are not sold that they are the best in Mississippi anymore with how well Batesville (Mississippi) South Panola is playing.

TEAM: Chesapeake (Virginia) Oscar Smith Tiger
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 RANKING: No. 9 Nationally, No. 1 Virginia
WHY IT WON'T BE NO. 2: Smith has been up-and-down all season, and the state of Virginia is "down" this season as well. Much of the Tigers national ranking may hinge on how Venice (Florida) High finishes the year.

TEAM: Lutcher (Louisiana) High Bulldogs
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 RANKING: No. 11 Nationally, No. 1 Louisiana
WHY IT WON'T BE NO. 2: The Bulldogs jumped up to No. 1 in Louisiana last week and could sneak into the Top 10 by seasons end but No. 2 is out of the question for Lutcher unless so many things break down nationally. Class 4A in Louisiana is the best class in the state and the state title is far from a lock.

TEAM: Peoria (Arizona) Centennial Coyotes
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 RANKING: No. 14 Nationally, No. 1 Arizona
WHY IT WON'T BE NO. 2: Centennial is a very good team and this may be the best team Centennial has had in recent memory, but to think a team from Arizona is better than the best in Texas is hard for us to do. So No. 2 will take a special team and a lot of breaks nationally.

TEAM: Huntington Beach (California) Edison Chargers
CURRENT RIVALSHIGH 100 RANKING: No. 15 Nationally, No. 2 California
WHY IT WON'T BE NO. 2: The Chargers received a lot of praise on our west coast trip last week but still have a long way to go to prove their status among the nation's elite. An undefeated season and a CIF Bowl title can move them up though.