POWERADE FAB 50 Rankings: Final
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After games of Saturday, Dec. 17
It's been two weeks since No. 1 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) finished its season with a state championship, but now that everything is done for 2011 there is another team that has a strong argument for the final top spot.
The Ironmen from the Garden State once again topped the voting by FAB 50 panelists, buoyed by a convincing early win over Mission Viejo (Calif.) and a road victory over a No. 12 Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.) team that just completed a dominant state championship run in a competitive climate. But thanks to a strong finish, No. 2 Armwood (Seffner, Fla.) siphoned off one first-place vote.
Armwood's case includes a win over West Region No. 1 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) as well as a victory this past weekend over previous No. 17 Miami Central (Miami) in the Florida Class 6A state final. The Hawks' ranking is also enhanced by Plant (Tampa, Fla.) beating previous No. 6 Miramar (Miramar, Fla.) in the Class 8A state final. Plant's only loss of the season came in a 21-0 defeat to Armwood, and that fact boosted Plant to No. 13 for this week's final rankings.
Voters: Kynon Codrington (Miami); Doug Huff (Wheeling, W. Va.); Jim McCormick (Philadelphia); Brian Stumpf (Torrance, Calif.); Mark Tennis (Stockton, Calif.)
State Editors and Contributors: David Auguste, Mike Grimala, Randy Jennings, Paul Muyskens, Lucas O'Neill, Brandon Parker, Chris Parish
*Ties in points are broken according to which team was ranked higher by a majority of panelists.
| 2011 POWERADE FAB 50 Football Rankings: Final | ||||
| RK (LW) | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | REC | PTS | COMMENT |
| 1 (1) | Don Bosco (4) Ramsey, NJ | 11-0 | 249 | The FAB 50 champion ran the table, thanks to devastating defense and a powerful ground game throughout the campaign. Starting the season with strong wins over respected out-of-state foes and following it up by a dominant trek through its in-state schedule proved enough to go wire-to-wire as the top team in the FAB 50 from the preseason to the final edition. Coach Greg Toal's team allowed just 92 points during the undefeated campaign to extend the program's winning streak to 46. A sixth straight Non-Public Group IV state championship will soon be joined by the FAB 50 trophy in the school's collection of hardware. |
| 2 (2) | Armwood (1) Seffner, FL | 15-0 | 246 | What made Armwood's elite defense so impressive was its penchant to put up points. An example was the two interceptions returned for scores in the team's win over FAB 50 No. 22 Miami Central (Miami) in the Class 6A state championship. Coach Sean Callahan notched his third state title after a runner-up finish last season in Class 4A. Do-it-all athlete Alvin Bailey returns on offense next year along with quarterback Daryl Richardson, while ball-hawking safety Leon McQuay will anchor the defense. |
| 3 (3) | Trinity For Boys Louisville, KY | 14-0 | 240 | The Shamrocks defeated foes from four states while winning their 20th state crown, and ninth in the last 11 seasons for coach Bob Beatty. The Class 6A titlists were led on offense by three juniors -- quarterback Travis Wright, running back Dayln Dawkins and touted wide receiver James Quick -- and outscored opponents 697-116, including five playoff wins 280-33. If Trinity can replace graduating linemen, it could be in the hunt for a preseason No. 1 ranking next year. |
| 4 (4) | Grayson Loganville, GA | 15-0 | 234 | Coach Mickey Conn's team wrapped up the school's first perfect season with a 24-0 win over FAB 50 No. 48 Walton (Marietta, Ga.) in the Class 5A state championship game. The Rams return junior defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche next year, who is being touted as the nation's top 2013 prospect, in addition to defensive standouts Wayne Gallman, Kasey Gaines, Zach Barnes, Ryan Carter, David Kamara and Austin Meadows. The Gwinnett County power could be in line for the top FAB 50 spot when the preseason rankings are released next summer. |
| 5 (5) | Good Counsel Olney, MD | 13-0 | 230 | With the first perfect season in school history, the Falcons end up in the top five thanks to their deep collection of versatile playmakers, led by senior dynamo Stefon Diggs and junior tailback Wes Brown. Good Counsel's third straight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title capped off a special season that places coach Bob Milloy's team as one of the best in the history of the D.C. metro area and the finest team in Milloy's 50 years working in football. Early-season wins over Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.) and Gilman (Baltimore) proved to be very important in justifying the team's high ranking. |
| 6 (7) | Carroll Southlake, TX | 16-0 | 226 | Junior quarterback Kenny Hill accounted for 345 total yards and had a hand in all four of his team's touchdowns as the Dragons defeated Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City) 36-29 in the Class 5A Division I state title game at Cowboys Stadium. Hill was named offensive MVP and linebacker Will Davis took defensive honors. Southlake Carroll won its eighth state title and came out of a strong side of the bracket that also included Skyline (Dallas), Martin (Arlington), Euless Trinity (Euless) and Allen. Allen was No. 3 in the FAB 50 when it lost to Euless Trinity. |
| 7 (8) | Miami Norland Miami, FL | 15-0 | 219 | Perhaps no player was more valuable to his team this postseason than senior running back Duke Johnson, who carried the Vikings to a 38-0 thrashing of Wakulla (Crawfordville, Fla.) in the Class 5A title bout. Johnson rushed for 130 yards and four touchdowns and added a 69-yard kick return score. The Vikings captured their second state championship and first undefeated season. Next year, the Vikes return starting linebacker Treyvon Williams, defensive tackle Anari Ragin and defensive back William Townsend. |
| 8 (9) | Bishop Gorman Las Vegas, NV | 15-1 | 213 | For the third straight season, the Gaels ended with a state championship as they steamrolled their way through in-state competition, ending with a 72-28 win over Reed (Sparks, Nev.) in the Class 4A finals. In their 13 games against teams from Nevada, the Gaels, led by senior running back Shaquille Powell and junior quarterback Anu Solomon, averaged over 57 points per game. Key out-of-state wins were against FAB 50 No. 20 Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), which was No. 1 in Southern California at the time. The only loss was 20-17 to FAB 50 No. 2 Armwood (Seffner, Fla.). |
| 9 (12) | Lake Travis Austin, TX | 16-0 | 209 | The Cavaliers completed their "Drive for Five" by winning a fifth straight Class 4A state title, taking down Midway (Waco) 22-7 Friday night at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Baker Mayfield threw for 294 yards and a touchdown, and senior Colin Lagasse had 209 total yards. The win was the 30th consecutive playoff victory for the Cavs. |
| 10 (11) | De La Salle Concord, CA | 13-1 | 202 | Cal-bound linebacker Michael Barton led the way with nine tackles as the Spartans' defense shutout previous No. 13 Westlake (Westlake Village, Calif.) 35-0 to win the CIF Open Division state bowl title. On offense, Wisconsin-bound Bart Houston went to 3-0 as a starter in CIF bowl games and had 180 yards passing (one touchdown) plus two scores rushing in this year's title win. De La Salle battled injuries early in the season, which wasn't an excuse for the only loss to St. Thomas Aquinas of Florida, but was a factor. And, as usual, the Spartans under coach Bob Ladouceur were markedly improved by the postseason. |
| 11 (10) | Bellevue Bellevue, WA | 14-0 | 201 | Undeniably the class of Washington state high school football -- previously unbeaten teams Lakes (Lakewood, Wash.) and O'Dea (Seattle) were no match for the Wolverines in the final two Class 3A state playoff games. The Wolverines also notched wins against Class 4A state champ Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.) and Southern California powerhouse Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.). Top players included quarterback/defensive back Tyler Hasty and running backs Andy Boulware and John Nguyen. |
| 12 (15) | Manatee Bradenton, FL | 13-2 | 195 | This is one of the highest two-loss FAB 50 ranked teams in recent memory. And for good reason. The Canes just pounded previous FAB 50 No. 43 First Coast (Jacksonville, Fla.) 40-0 in the Class 7A state title game and those losses were to No. 1 Don Bosco Prep and No. 5 Good Counsel. Both games could have gone the other way, too. Next year, junior quarterback Cord Sandberg and backfield mate Anthony Lauro at running back will return to direct the Manatee offense. Coach Joe Kinnan has Week 3 circled on his calendar when he takes his squad up to New Jersey to face Don Bosco Prep once again. |
| 13 (29) | H. B. Plant Tampa, FL | 14-1 | 188 | The Panthers knocked off previous FAB 50 No. 6 Miramar (Miramar, Fla.) 31-20 in the Class 8A finale and got a surge of FAB 50 votes this week for the final rankings since their only loss was to No. 2 Armwood (Seffner, Fla.). Coach Robert Weiner picked up his fourth state championship ring in his eighth season. Look out for the Panthers in 2012, too, as Weiner brings back running back Wesley Bullock, offensive tackle Richy Klepal, receiver Dereck Mann, receiver Austin Roberts and defensive lineman Mitchell Wright. |
| 14 (19) | Skyline Dallas, TX | 14-1 | 183 | Junior quarterback Devante Kincade threw for 3,270 yards and 37 touchdowns and rushed for 857 yards and 17 touchdowns in a season that ended in a 28-24 state semifinal loss to eventual Class 5A Division I state champion Carroll (Southlake). Skyline won in its quarterfinal game against FAB 50 ranked Martin (Arlington). |
| 15 (16) | Carmel Carmel, IN | 14-1 | 182 | The Greyhounds captured their seventh state title in dominating fashion in the Class 5A finals -- a 54-0 rout of previously unbeaten Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.). It was the fourth crown for coach Kevin Wright, who won three at rival Warren Central (Indianapolis). Carmel split decisions with FAB 50 No. 39 Warren Central--a 22-20 regular season loss and a 34-30 playoff win over the Warriors. Carmel outscored foes 620-163. Tailback Jalen Duncan led the ground attack. |
| 16 (6) | Miramar Miramar, FL | 13-1 | 179 | Miramar's quest for a Class 8A state crown was denied in a 31-20 loss to FAB 50 No. 13 Plant (Tampa, Fla.). Senior quarterback Camren Hudge tossed two touchdowns and senior defensive back Tracy Howard, an ESPNU 150 prospect, recorded his 10th interception in defeat. The heralded "Dark Side" defense returns hard-hitting linebacker Jermaine Grace next fall. |
| 17 (18) | Maryville Maryville, TN | 15-0 | 169 | A state record 13th state title was the reward for the the Rebels after a dominating season. The Class 6A champions also will take a 29-game win streak into next season. They were anchored by Gatorade State Player of the Year quarterback Patton Robinette, a North Carolina recruit and MVP of the title game win over previously unbeaten Whitehaven (Memphis, Tenn.). Coach George Quarles also now has nine state titles and has directed the team to eight straight state finals. |
| 18 (20) | Page Greensboro, NC | 15-0 | 160 | The Pirates left no doubt they were the top-ranked team in the Tar Heel State with key wins in their final three Class 4-AA playoff games against two-time defending champion Butler (Matthews, N.C.) and previous unbeatens Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.), ranked No. 47 in the FAB 50, and Garner (Garner, N.C.). The team anchor was quarterback and finals' MVP James Summers, a North Carolina State recruit. |
| 19 (22) | Archbishop Wood Warminster, PA | 14-1 | 159 | The Vikings' season began with a close loss to cross-state foe Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pittsburgh), but the team didn't lose again, having outscored opponents by a 699-to-124 margin over the course of the season. Wood drubbed Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.) 52-0 over the weekend in the PIAA AAA championship to secure the school's first state title. Even as a team on the AAA level, the Vikings proved to be the class of the Keystone State for 2011. |
| 20 (21) | Chaparral Scottsdale, AZ | 14-1 | 158 | A 42-22 loss to FAB 50 No. 8 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in the first game ended up being the only loss for the Firebirds. They rolled over previously unbeaten Cienega (Vail, Ariz.) 37-14 in the Division II state final, which was the team's third straight state crown. Texas-bound QB Connor Brewer and multi-talented Davonte Neal were the highlight players. |
| 21 (24) | Gilman School Baltimore, MD | 10-1 | 154 | The Greyhounds won the first-ever Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship in a double-overtime thriller over a tough and respected Calvert Hall (Baltimore) team several weeks back. Thanks to the dynamic play of senior athlete Cyrus Jones and a strong season from junior quarterback Shane Cockerille, coach Biff Poggi's team once again turned in one the best seasons in the East region. The high ranking also is justified since the only loss was to No. 5 Good Counsel and one of the wins was over FAB 50 No. 43 Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.). |
| 22 (17) | Miami Central Miami, FL | 13-1 | 141 | The team's 40-31 loss to FAB 50 No. 2 Armwood (Seffner, Fla.) in its bid to repeat as Class 6A state champs only resulted in a minor drop in the final rankings. Sophomore running backs Joseph Yearby and Dalvin Cook scored all four Rocket touchdowns. Coach Telly Lockette was emotional after his team's loss, but vowed to get back to the Citrus Bowl next year, site of the state finals, for a school-record third straight season. |
| 23 (25) | Lake Oswego Lake Oswego, OR | 14-0 | 141 | It was a year to remember for the Lakers as they won the school's first Class 6A state football championship with a 47-14 win over unbeaten and FAB 50 ranked Sheldon (Eugene, Ore.). In their lone game against a team from another state, Lake Oswego also defeated Skyline of Sammamish, Wash.) 56-46, which turned out to be a win over an eventual state champion as the Spartans went on to capture the 4A crown in that state. In the Oregon title victory, Lake Oswego was sparked by the running of Steven Long, who rushed for 322 yards and four touchdowns. |
| 24 (26) | Tulsa Union Tulsa, OK | 13-1 | 136 | Coach Kirk Fridrich's team lost in a high-scoring 41-38 game to unranked Owasso in the regular season, but defeated Broken Arrow and Jenks twice to win a fourth straight Class 6A state title. In the final, sophomore Coleby Evans ran back a fumble 30 yards for a score with 3:51 left and then kicker Austin Butler added the PAT for a 23-22 win against Broken Arrow. |
| 25 (27) | Desert Vista Phoenix, AZ | 13-1 | 118 | The Thunder put it all together in the Division I state final with a 45-19 victory against three-time defending champ Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.). The win also avenged an earlier 35-10 loss to the Huskies. Defense set the tone for Desert Vista as that unit allowed seven points or less in half of the 14 games while allowing an averaged os just over 14 points per game on the season. |
| 26 (30) | Saint Ignatius Cleveland, OH | 13-2 | 117 | The Wildcats returned to the Division 1 state title throne under coach Chuck Kyle for the 11th time -- and first since 2008 -- by winning their final six games. One of those wins avenged a regular-season loss to Mentor (Mentor, Ohio). Ohio's top D-1 program also defeated defending state champion St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) twice. Quarterback Eric Williams led a balanced offensive attack against teams from four states. |
| 27 (45) | Santa Margarita Catholic RanchoStMargarita, CA | 13-2 | 116 | Two league losses prevent the Eagles from climbing into the top 25 for the final rankings, but they do get a major bump after topping previous FAB 50 No. 23 Bellarmine (San Jose, Calif.) 42-37 to win the CIF Division I state bowl crown. The team's final four wins over a lineup that included several of the state's top teams -- Long Beach Poly, Mission Viejo, San Clemente and the Bells -- is as tough a stretch as any team in the nation had to get through. That surge should also be a preview of what's to come as the Eagles started nine juniors on offense, including 6-foot-2, 220-pound quarterback Johnny Stanton. |
| 28 (28) | John Curtis Christian River Ridge, LA | 14-0 | 110 | Coach J.T. Curtis became the second U.S. coach to win 500 games and has 506 entering 2012. His team captured its 24th state title with a dominating Class 2A playoff run. Curtis, which outscored 14 foes 603-93, won five postseason games by 217-36 for its first crown since 2008. Running back Sherman Badie led the team's balanced running attack. |
| 29 (31) | Tucker Tucker, GA | 15-0 | 109 | The Tigers earned their second state title under coach Franklin Stephens in the last four seasons. Tucker relied heavily on its ground game this season, churning out over 4,000 yards. In their 22-7 victory over Lovejoy (Lovejoy, Ga.) in the Class 4A title game, they became only the second team to score 20 points against the Wildcats in the 2011 season. |
| 30 (33) | James Byrnes Duncan, SC | 13-2 | 101 | The underclassmen-led Rebels won their 11th state title, and eighth in the last 10 title games, by repeating as Class 4A state champs. Byrnes, which lost to FAB 50 No. 32 Gaffney (Gaffney, S.C.) in the regular season, avenged the loss with a 31-24 finals' win. Sophomore quarterback Shuler Bentley returns with several other underclassmen to make the Rebels a 2012 contender for preseason state and national honors. |
| 31 (32) | Highlands Fort Thomas, KY | 15-0 | 97 | The Bluebirds won their fifth straight state title, and 21st overall, with a dominating season that saw them set state records with 849 points, 121 touchdowns and 7,516 total yards. Highlands won the Class 4A crown while outscoring five playoff victims 263-76. Quarterback Patrick Towles, a Kentucky recruit, led the offense and was Gatorade State Player of the Year. |
| 32 (35) | Gaffney Gaffney, SC | 14-1 | 90 | The Indians dominated their first 14 foes before bowing to a regular-season victim -- FAB 50 No. 30 Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) in the Class 4A title game. Gaffney scored 701 points with a prolific offense led by quarterback Joey Copeland and wide receiver Quinshad Davis, the Gatorade State Player of the Year. |
| 33 (34) | Lafayette Oxford, MS | 16-0 | 83 | After repeating as the Class 4A state champions, the Commodores ran their win streak to 32 games. The top-ranked state team was led by dual-threat quarterback Jeremy Liggins and running back Demarkous Dennis. Lafayette County outscored foes by 694-169 and victims included Louisiana powerhouse Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.). |
| 34 (NR) | Dekaney Spring, TX | 14-2 | 82 | State champs in Texas even with two losses are going to get a rankings bump at the end and that has happened for the Wildcats. Texas AaM commit Trey Williams rushed for 196 yards, three touchdowns and was named the Offensive MVP in their 34-14 triumph over 15-1 Steele (Cibolo) in the Class 5A Division II state final Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Dekaney, in only its fourth varsity season, also got great play from its defense that limited Steele to 165 total yards. |
| 35 (23) | Bellarmine College Prep San Jose, CA | 12-2 | 77 | A go-ahead touchdown with 1:46 left by Justin Taliaferro in the CIF Division I bowl game didn't hold up as the Bells were nipped in a heart-breaker 42-37 by FAB 50 No. 27 Santa Margarita. Due to the nature of that loss, however, plus their other one -- which came in overtime to FAB 50 No. 10 De La Salle -- coach Mike Janda's team didn't drop too far for the final rankings. Bellarmine dominated the other teams it played in the San Francisco Bay Area and won its third CIF Central Coast Section Open Division title in the last four years. Quarterback Travis McHugh was the team's top player. |
| 36 (37) | Bolingbrook Bolingbrook, IL | 13-1 | 76 | The Raiders celebrated their first state title by winning the Class 8A crown. Junior dual-threat quarterback Aaron Bailey led the offense while senior all-state linebacker Antonio Morrison anchored a swarming defense as the Raiders appeared in their first state title game since 1993. Bolingbrook should be a state team to beat in 2012. |
| 37 (38) | Prattville Prattville, AL | 12-2 | 73 | The Lions captured their first Class 6A state title since 2008 with a playoff run, including wins over defending champion Daphne (Daphne, Ala.) and a title victory over 2010 runner-up Hoover (Hoover, Ala.). Two early-season losses were by a total of five points. Quarterback Justin Thomas, an Alabama recruit, led the offense and was finals' game MVP. |
| 38 (40) | Central Dauphin Harrisburg, PA | 15-1 | 72 | In a snowy battle at Hersheypark Stadium over the weekend, the Rams downed North Penn (Lansdale, Pa.) 14-7 to claim their first state crown in school history in the PIAA AAAA championship. An impressive upset of WPIAL giant and FAB 50 No. 49 North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.) in the state semis proved the team's mettle and led them to their first PIAA finals, cementing the best season in school history. |
| 39 (41) | Warren Central Indianapolis, IN | 11-1 | 63 | The Warriors split competitive decisions with rival and FAB 50 No. 15 ranked Class 5A state champion Carmel (Carmel, Ind.). Warren Central won a 22-20 regular-season thriller, but was halted in the postseason 34-30 by the Greyhounds. Defensive lineman Sheldon Day is a Notre Dame recruit and is one of several college prospects. |
| 40 (39) | Trotwood-Madison Trotwood, OH | 15-0 | 61 | Junior running back Isreal Green set Division II state finals records by rushing for 326 yards and scoring an all-class record six touchdowns in a 42-28 win over Avon (Avon, Ohio). The Rams captured their first state title after finishing runnerup in 2010. Quarterback Michael Simpson also stood out along with Green and was the Division II State Offensive Player of the Year. |
| 41 (44) | Hamilton Chandler, AZ | 13-1 | 53 | The nation's best winning streak at the time of 53 games along with a streak of three straight state titles came to an end in the Division I state championship 45-19 to FAB 50 No. 25 Desert Vista of Phoenix. Steve Belles' Huskies had gone on the road and defeated Desert Vista 35-10 earlier in the season, but came up short when it meant the most. Senior signal caller Blake Kemp passed for 2,580 yards and 24 touchdowns while also rushing for 374 yards and a team-best nine scores. |
| 42 (36) | Vista Murrieta Murrieta, CA | 14-0 | 42 | The 14-0 record does not include five losses by forfeit. On the field, the Broncos won the CIF Southern Section Inland Division title with a 35-28 victory over defending champion Centennial (Corona, Calif.). They were not chosen for a CIF state bowl game, but regardless of the forfeits clearly were one of the top teams in California. Coach Coley Candaele's squad should be among the best in the state again next season due to the return of big-time safety/running back/receiver Su'a Cravens and quarterback Nick Stevens. |
| 43 (43) | Oscar Frommel Smith Chesapeake, VA | 14-1 | 41 | The Tigers dominated a strong Centreville (Clifton, Va.) team in a 47-21 victory in the Group AAA Division 6 state title game several weeks back. After losing to FAB 50 No. 24 Gilman (Baltimore) in the season opener, the Tigers won 14 straight to cap an impressive season. |
| 44 (14) | Steele Cibolo, TX | 15-1 | 25 | The Knights saw their 28-game winning streak come crashing down in a 34-14 loss to FAB 50 No. 31 Dekaney (Spring) in the Class 5A Division II state championship game. Tommy Armstrong, a Nebraska commit, threw two touchdown passes and accounted for 157 of his team's 165 yards. |
| 45 (NR) | Aledo Aledo, TX | 14-2 | 24 | Johnathan Gray set the national high school record for career touchdowns with a fourth-quarter scoring run of 37 yards, helping Aledo defeat 15-1 Manvel 49-28 in the Class 4A Division II state championship game Saturday afternoon at Cowboys Stadium. Gray, a Texas commit, finished with 241 rushing yards on 30 carries. Quarterback Matthew Bishop was named offensive MVP with 186 passing yards and three touchdowns. Gray's records also are a direct result of his team getting to and winning three straight state titles. Each team surged in the playoffs, which helped diminish the importance of the two early-season losses this year. |
| 46 (47) | The Bolles School Jacksonville, FL | 13-1 | 24 | The Bulldogs recorded a Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA) record 11th state championship when they upset previous FAB 50 ranked Booker T. Washington (Miami) 33-25 on Dec. 10. For coach Corky Rogers, it also was his 10th title at the Jacksonville powerhouse program. Keep an eye next year on the backfield tandem of junior running back Tim Betros and freshman running back Dexter Carter Jr. when the 'Dogs start their title defense. |
| 47 (48) | Mallard Creek Charlotte, NC | 13-1 | 23 | The Mustangs advanced to the Class 4-AA state semifinals before bowing to FAB 50 No. 20 Page (Greensboro, N.C.) 41-27. Mallard Creek's offense was led by quarterback Andrew Goodman and tailback Jela Duncan. The Mustangs opened the season with a win over rival and two-time defending state champion Butler (Matthews, N.C.). |
| 48 (49) | George Walton Comprehensive Marietta, GA | 14-1 | 22 | The Raiders were shut out in the Class 5A state final against FAB No. 4 Grayson, but it was still a great season for the Cobb County school. Junior running back Tyren Jones led the state in rushing with 2,375 yards and accounted for 38 scores to pace the offense. Two other top players were twins Zack and Daron Blaylock in the secondary. They are the sons of former NBA player Mookie Blaylock. Jones looks to lead Walton back to the Georgia Dome in 2012, home of the state championships. |
| 49 (50) | North Allegheny Sr. Wexford, PA | 14-1 | 14 | A close loss to FAB 50 newcomer Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, Pa.) in the PIAA AAAA semis ended the Tigers' 21-game winning streak and bid at consecutive state titles. The WPIAL powerhouse would clearly prefer to have won another championship, but it was a strong season in a competitive WPIAL climate, nonetheless. |
| 50 (NR) | James Martin Arlington, TX | 12-2 | 13 | Junior running back Kyle Hicks rushed for 1,685 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 234 receiving yards to help the Warriors to their most successful season in school history. It ended in a 31-14 state quarterfinal loss to eventual Class 5A Division I state champion Carroll (Southlake). Their biggest win came when they knocked off FAB 50 ranked Euless Trinity one week after the Trojans beat Allen in a much-hyped showdown. |
| Others receiving votes: Allen (Allen, Texas) 11-1; Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 12-2; Clairton (Clairton, Pa.) 16-0; Euless Trinity (Euless, Texas) 12-1; Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) 14-0; Martinsburg (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 14-0; North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.) 13-0; Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) 14-0; Westlake (Westlake Village, Calif.) 14-1. | ||||
| Dropped out: Previous No. 13 Westlake (Westlake Village, Calif.); No. 42 First Coast (Jacksonville, Fla.); No. 46 Hightower (Fort Bend, Texas). | ||||