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2024 Preseason Blitz 5 Top 25

St. Xavier LB/S Jakobe Clapper (photo by Greg Shoemaker)

Highlighting the 2024 Preseason Blitz 5 Top 25 presented by TriStateFootball.com is one state champion (East Central), two state runners-up (Cooper & Covington Catholic), four state semi-finalists/regional champions (Moeller, Anderson, Highlands & Beechwood) and four regional runners-up (Lakota West, Withrow, Badin & Ryle) from 2023. Yet, it is Princeton topping the marquee of the rankings. It’s the same spot the Vikings held to end the regular season a year ago.

Week 1 couldn’t be any better as #2 Moeller travels to #1 Princeton, rekindling Cincinnati’s top rivalry in the 1970’s and ‘80’s behind hall of fame head coaches Pat Macuso at Princeton and the legendary Gerry Faust, the builder of the Big Moe aura.

Passing the torch forward to this time and place, it wouldn’t be opening night without Steve Specht squaring off against Tom Bolden. Specht’s #4 St. Xavier Bombers hit the road to battle Bolden’s #3 Lakota West Firebirds in our Blitz 5 Game of the Week. It’s the 25th head-to-head meeting between the two coaches. Bolden holds a slim 13-11 advantage over Specht in those affairs.

There are three contests pitting Top 25 teams against each other to kick off the 2024 season. In Kentucky #16 Ryle plays host to #12 Covington Catholic. Bookending the weekend’s action will see #20 Withrow welcoming in #8 Elder on Thursday night while #9 Hamilton looks to avenge last season’s loss in the opener to # 23 Badin on Saturday evening at Fairfield High School.

Here’s the complete 2024 Preseason Blitz 5 Top 25:

1. Princeton (12-1 in 2023) – The Vikings head into 2024 having been atop the Blitz 5 Top 25 since Week 7 of last season. A Princeton defense that gave up just 11.0 points per game in 2023 returns six players who hold multiple Division I offers including Ohio Defensive Player of the Year, P.J. Nelson (committed to Indiana). NEXT UP: 8/23 – #2 MOELLER (10-5 in 2023).

2. Moeller (10-5) – A daunting schedule will see Big Moe play seven away games, play in 10 different stadiums and face five teams that won 12 or more contests in 2023. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at #1 Princeton (12-1).

 3. Lakota West (11-3) – The Firebirds are shooting for a fifth straight trip to the regional finals and their first ever, Division I, Region 4 championship. NEXT UP: 8/23 – #4 ST. XAVIER (7-5).

4. St. Xavier (7-5) – The Bombers will play all 10 regular season games on Friday nights for the first time in Steve Specht’s 21 years as the team’s head coach. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at #3 Lakota West (11-3).

5. Anderson (13-2) – Defending the reigning Division II, Region 8 champion Raptors will be no picnic for their foes. The Anderson offense returns a proven core that was a major reason why they averaged 441.0 yards and 40.0 points per game a year ago. NEXT UP: 8/23 – SOUTH OLDHAM (KY) (6-5).

6. Winton Woods (8-4) – A move up to Division I and a Week 1 battle versus Springfield, who has finished as the Division I state runner-up to St. Edward the past three seasons, is not an enviable position for the Warriors to start 2024 in. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at Springfield (10-6).

7. Cooper (12-3) – Falling in the Class 5A state title game last year has this team laser focused on what they couldn’t finish. The Jaguars scoreboard operator may be the busiest person in Union, Kentucky on Friday nights. Cooper returns three players that accounted for 64 of its 71 offensive touchdowns, Kegan Maher (22), Isaiah Johnson (21), Austin Alexander (19) and quarterback Cam O’Hara who threw for 47 scores in 2023. NEXT UP: 8/23 – BARDSTOWN (8-5). 

8. Elder (7-5) – The Panthers haven’t had a losing season under head coach Doug Ramsey since 2011. Never take Elder for granted. Ramsey will get the most from this team that has seen much action at the varsity level. NEXT UP: 8/22 at #20 Withrow (12-2).

9. Hamilton (8-4) – Riding a huge wave of momentum after the school’s first ever playoff victory and their most wins in 25 years in 2023, Hamilton has higher aspirations with eight First and Second Team All-GMC performers returning. The Big Blue could be in for a very special run. NEXT UP: 8/24 at #23 Badin (13-1), Alumni Stadium, Fairfield H.S.

10. East Central (15-0) – The Trojans reward for winning the last two IHSAA Class 4A state titles sees them getting bumped up to Class 5A. East Central has won an area-best 21 straight games. NEXT UP: 8/23 – LAWRENCEBURG (8-5).

11. Mason (7-6) – The Comets separated themselves from the pack by beating the teams they were supposed to and making it three rounds deep into the playoffs in 2023. Next step for Mason is showing that it deserves to be in the talk with the upper echelon schools in Division I, Region 4. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at Gahanna Lincoln (12-1).

12. Covington Catholic (14-1) – No one is really talking about last year’s KHSAA Class 4A state runner-up Colonels. Expect nothing less than another deep run in the postseason, once again. Head coach Eddie Eviston is 100-23 in nine years at CovCath with two state championships and two state runner-up finishes. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at #16 Ryle (8-5).

13. Kings (6-6) – The Knights will be more consistent with a senior class that has been through the wars and part of 19 wins over the past two seasons. Kings will play a role in the outcome of the ECC standings and the Region 8 playoffs. NEXT UP: 8/23 – SYCAMORE (5-6).

14. La Salle (4-7) – NEXT UP: 8/23 – The Lancers head into 2024 having had back-to-back losing campaigns for the first time in a decade. La Salle is too good to have its negative trends continue and could be a real sleeper come the postseason. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at Colerain (0-10).

15. Milford (11-1) – Maintaining success is new territory for the Eagles. Milford is coming off the school’s first ever 10-0 regular season and the program’s first #1 overall seed for the Division I, Region 4 playoffs. How will the Eagles handle being the prey? NEXT UP: 8/23 – EDGEWOOD (4-7).

16. Highlands (12-2) – A heartbreaking loss to rival Cooper in the Class 5A state semifinals last season has the Bluebirds more than motivated to fly home with the school’s 24th state title. Highlands’ success is now predicated on being able to reload. NEXT UP: 8/23 – LEXINGTON CATHOLIC (9-5).

17. Ryle (8-5) – The first six opponents on the Raiders schedule went a combined 65-17 (.793 winning %) in 2023. First year quarterback Nathan Verax will have his hands full early on but come playoff time he will be well-prepared for anything “thrown” at him. NEXT UP: 8/23 – #12 COVINGTON CATHOLIC (14-1).

18. Lakota East (1-9) – The Thunderhawks’ offense with quarterback J.T Kitna, running back Ryder Hooks along with exciting receivers Zion Neal and Chris Bouyer, will be able to keep pace with anyone on the schedule. The Lakota East defense must be more opportunistic. They only created six takeaways and had just two interceptions in 2023. NEXT UP: 8/23 – CENTERVILLE (9-3)

19. Middletown (3-8) – New head coach Kali Jones is set on turning the Middies fortunes around, sooner rather than later. Middletown hasn’t won more than three games in a season since 2015 and its last winning campaign was 2011 (Jordan Marshall’s junior year). NEXT UP: 8/23 – at Troy (11-2).

20. Withrow (12-2) – Coming off the most wins and deepest playoff run in school history, the 2023 Division II, Region 8 regional runner-up Tigers will take on Elder, Alter, Northmont, St. Xavier, La Salle and Taft in their first six contests. NEXT UP: 8/22 – #8 ELDER (7-5).

21. Lebanon (7-4) – What you need to know about these tough-as-nails Warrior seniors, is that they went 1-4 in games decided by seven points or less as sophomores and 4-2 in those same battles a year ago. All four of those victories came over the last six weeks of the season. NEXT UP: 8/23 – NEW ALBANY (4-7).

22. Oak Hills (5-6) – Despite a 12-30 record over the past four seasons, the Highlanders are on a quest for their fifth straight playoff appearance. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at Turpin (3-8).

23. Badin (13-1) – The Rams are the current kings of the GCL Co-ed having won five straight league titles. Badin heads into the year having won 38 consecutive regular season games. The reward for that prosperity is a boost up to Division II, Region 8. NEXT UP: 8/24 – #9 HAMILTON (8-4), Alumni Stadium, Fairfield H.S.

24. Fairfield (3-8) – In 2023, the Indians went 2-5 in tilts decided by seven points or less. The program is out to avoid back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2011 and 2012. NEXT UP: 8/23 – WAYNE (7-4).

25. Beechwood (12-2) – The 2023 Class 2A state semifinalist Tigers are no strangers to the end zone. Quarterback Clay Hayden has thrown for 71 touchdowns while Chase Flaherty (35), Tyler Fryman (18), Luke Erdman (18), James Cusick (17) have combined to score 88 times in their careers. NEXT UP: 8/23 – at Pulaski County (4-8).

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Batesville, Clinton-Massie, Harrison, Indian Hill, Loveland, McNicholas, Mount Healthy, Simon Kenton, Taft, Wilmington, Sycamore and Wyoming

 

 

 

 

 

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