August 5, 2009

Dallas Jackson
Rivals High Managing Editor

Last Monday RivalsHigh.com began its 2009 countdown, ranking high school teams from first through No. 100.

We started at the bottom of the rankings and will release two groups of five per day; then we'll do a daily countdown from 10th to first, with our No. 1 team to be unveiled Aug. 10 - which will be two weeks from the start of the season.

After that, we will wait until September 1 for the next rankings, and then every Monday during the season.

The team rankings were compiled by high school sports managing editor Dallas Jackson, the Rivals AMP team, football recruiting analysts, and the entire RivalsHigh network of publishers.

Top 100 Countdown: 100-96 | 95-91 | 90-86 | 85-81 | 80-76 | 75-71 | 70-66 | 65-61 | 60-56 | 55-51
50-46 | 45-41 | 40-36 | 35-31 | 30-26 | Post your thoughts on the national message board

Top 100 countdown No. 25 De La Salle, California

COACH: Bob Ladouceur LAST SEASON: 12-2, Lost CIF Division I State Final FINAL 2008 RIVALS.COM RANKING: No. 55 Nationally KEEP AN EYE ON: How the Spartans replace Kylan Butler. De La Salle always seem to have another runningback in line to fill in for the graduated star. This year they may have a committee ready to tote the rock. STAR POWER: None. This season - similar to 2008 - the Spartans will be a team effort. despite Kylan Butler signing with Arizona he was not quite the star that other RBs at De La Salle have been. Tyler Anderson and Terron Williams-Ward have a chance to make a national name for themselves if they can step up as the main cog in the offense. STRENGTHS: Bob Ladouceur. Coach Ladouceur has been a steady hand in the rise and maintenance of one of the biggest national powers. The De La Salle brand may have been stronger during their famed winning streak but teams still line up to play De La Salle to make thier name as a team to knock of the Spartans. DOING IT RIGHT: "They're just always one of the most fundmentally sound programs that I see in the entire nation." Rivals.com National Recruiting Editor Jeremy Crabtree adds, "They do all the little things right that it takes to win. They might not ever have the biggest or fastest players, but they get it done through great coaching, great team work and great chemistry."

Top 100 countdown No. 24 Miami Central, Florida

COACH: Tony Saunders LAST SEASON: 8-4 FINAL 2008 RIVALS.COM RANKING: No. 31 in Florida KEEP AN EYE ON: The defense. The Rockets have the firepower on offense to score with anyone in the nation, but the problem is that they need to figure out a way to slow the opposition down. STAR POWER: While the Rockets have several four star players the "star" of the team is Jeffrey Godfrey. He may not be the best player or the best prospect on the team but the four star dual threat QB is certainly the star. STRENGTHS: High powered offense. The Rockets have Godfrey at QB, four star Brandon Gainer in the backfield, and another four star Joshua Reese on the outside. They can score with anyone in the nation. QUOTABLE: "Central has speed and talent all over the skill positions and there may not be a more explosive offense in 6A," according to Rivals.com southeastern recruiting analyst Barton Simmons. "If they can just slow a few teams down defensively, that offense has the ability to outscore everyone it faces."

Top 100 countdown No. 23 Union, Oklahoma

COACH: Kirk Fridrich LAST SEASON: 13-1, Won Oklahoma 6A State Title FINAL 2008 RIVALS.COM RANKING: No. 12 Nationally KEEP AN EYE ON: The growth of QB Chase Boyce. Boyce started last season and lead the Redskins to a state title. With both of his WR weapons back he should have another year of growth in the system. STAR POWER: The Roberson brothers. This will be the third year starting for Thomas Roberson and James Roberson at WR. The Redskins will lean on those two for production as they gain confidence in the running game. STRENGTHS: The core of the 3-3-5 defense. Union returns leading tackler Luke Snider in the secondary as well as two solid linebackers in Bobby Lind and Mitch Bryant. The front of the defense should be strong as well with James Leach and Michael Peterson coming back as well. WINNING BREEDS WINNING: "We require a lot of commitment both as players and as students from these kids," Union coach Kirk Fridrich told RivalsHigh. "We have a level of expectation on the field and in the classroom. We want them to succeed. This group of kids are addicted to success."

Top 100 countdown No. 22 Don Bosco Prep, N.J.

COACH: Greg Toal LAST SEASON: 12-1, New Jersey Non-public Group IV State Champs FINAL 2008 RIVALS.COM RANKING: No. 17 Nationally KEEP AN EYE ON: The QB position. Entering camp Don Bosco has a three player arms race. The current leader is junior Gary Nova. Nova is a 6-foot-2 205 pound pocket passer who, according to coaches, could be a potential Division I player. STAR POWER: Stars a plenty. Don Bosco has five players already commited to Division I schools and that number could grow to 10 seniors commited to playing football in college - between Division I and the Ivy Leagues. The stars of the team are probably the pair of defensive ends that cause a lot of problems for opponents. Pitt commit Bryan Murphy and fellow three star James Kittredge, who is commited to Vandy, will be the driving force of the defense. STRENGTHS: The defensive line and the defense in general. It is generally considered a very good high school team if you can find two or three Division I players on the field let alone six on the defensive side of the ball. Aside from Murphy and Kittredge on the line, the Ironmen have two Division I linebackers in Ryan Cobb (Virginia) and Steele Divitto (Boston College) and a Yale bound cornerback in Christopher Brady. SCHEDULING: "Our kids grew a lot with the trip out to De La Salle last season," explains Don Bosco AD Nunzio Campanile. "This season De La Salle makes a return trip to play us and then we head to Prattville (Alabama) to play one of the best down there. The kids will get to experience southern football and how much passion there is surrounding that. It will be a great experience and should be a great game."

Top 100 countdown No. 21 Pahokee, Florida

COACH: Blaze Thompson LAST SEASON: 12-3, Won Florida 2B State title FINAL 2008 RIVALS.COM RANKING: No. 58 Nationally KEEP AN EYE ON: The schedule. Pahokee was supposed to play Miami Northwestern before that deal fell through which would have made for a great schuedule for the Blue Devils. With the new district they are in they up their opposition from last season. They also have Delray Beach Atlantic, Dwyer, and Glades Central still on the roster. STAR POWER: Between Chris Dunkley and De'Joshua Johnson. Johnson will be playing Qb for Pahokee this year and will thrust him into the expectations and spotlight that comes with that role. Both are great players and should lead Pahokee back to another state title. STRENGTHS: Interestingly enough with all the talent on the field Coach Thompson told RivalsHigh that the strength of the program is the youth organization. He said, "The strength of our team is built from the youth leagues up. It is a testament to those guys who start with these kids 10 years before they get to us." GETTING OUT: "The thing that has helped us more than anything," according to coach Blaze Thompson, "is that (former coach) LeRoy Foster started showing these kids that they can get cleared by the clearinghouse. He started a real emphasis on grades and testing and showing kids how they can be successful in college. Guys like Anquan (Boldin), Eric Moore, and Javaris Jenkins are people who were successful in the classroom and the kids now know those names and know they can do it too." ONE GAME AT A TIME: "The last time we looked ahead was against King's Academy and we lost," Coach Thompson explained. "It taught us all as coaches that we, just like the players, need to take one week and one game at a time."