Blitz 5 Top 25: Week 2

It didn’t take long for the top spot in the Blitz 5 Top 25 presented by TriStateFootball.com to fall as #2 Moeller went into a hostile road environment and took down top ranked Princeton. If this is a sign of what is to come, 2024 promises to be another amazing year of high school football.

League play begins in the GMC and ECC which accounts for four of the five matchups between ranked teams in Week 2. The GMC leads the way with three of those tils which includes a Top 10 battle with #2 Lakota West hosting #9 Hamilton, as well as #12 Mason hitting the road at #19 Lakota East and #18 Middletown welcoming in #22 Oak Hills.

The ECC has an epic throwdown as #6 Winton Woods hosts #11 Kings. Both teams have seniors who played on Division II , Region 8 regional champions. Rounding out the action amongst ranked foes, we head to Kentucky for one of the best rivalries in the Bluegrass state with #15 Highlands heading to #17 Covington Catholic. 

Here’s the Blitz 5 Top 25 for Week 2:

1. Moeller (1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at then #1 Princeton (0-1), 38-21. Big Moe looked the part of a potential state champion. The Crusaders posted 38 points, on the road, in front of a packed house, at top-ranked Princeton who didn’t give up more than 36 points in any three-game stretch, a year ago. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Bishop Dwenger (IN) (0-1).

2. Lakota West (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat then #4 St. Xavier (1-0), 17-13. Already forming an identity of who they are going to be, the Firebirds were relentless and gritty coming out on top in their opener. NEXT UP: 8/30 – #9 HAMILTON (1-0).

3. St. Xavier (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost at then #3 Lakota West (1-0), 17-13. Despite the loss, St. X showed that it is going to be a handful to deal with come November. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Centerville (1-0).

4. Princeton (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost to then #2 Moeller (1-0), 38-21. The stay atop the rankings was short-lived. The Vikings’ defense looks to regroup after giving up 465 yards and five touchdowns. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Sycamore (0-1).

5. Anderson (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat South Oldham (KY)(0-1), 51-6. What’s new, the Raptors look unstoppable on offense, taking a 37-0 lead into halftime of their opener. In two games against South Oldham, Anderson quarterback Justice Burnam has completed 29-32 passes (90.6 completion %) for 552 yards and 11 touchdowns. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at West Clermont (1-0).

6. Winton Woods (1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Springfield (0-1), 16-6. The defense allowed just 130 yards and special teams blocked two punts leading to a safety and touchdown as Warriors get a chest-thumping win at reigning three-time Division I state runner-up, Springfield NEXT UP: 8/30 – #11 KINGS (1-0).

7. Cooper (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat Bardstown (0-1), 36-6. The reigning Class 5A state runner-up Jaguars haven’t lost a beat. Junior quarterback Cam O’Hara threw for four touchdowns versus Bardstown, upping his career total to 72. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Henry Clay (0-1). 

8. Elder (1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at then #20 Withrow (0-1), 28-6. The Panthers defense gives up a 92-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter then holds Withrow to just 12 yards on 23 carries the rest of the game. NEXT UP: 8/30 WEST CATHOLIC (MI) (0-0).

9. Hamilton (1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at #23 Badin (0-1), 15-0. The Big Blue grabs Hamilton  bragging rights away from rival Badin, returning the shutout favor after being blanked by the Rams in last season’s opener. NEXT UP: 8/30 at #2 Lakota West (1-0).

10. East Central (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat Lawrenceburg (0-1), 24-3. The Trojans upped their winning streak to 22 games. A big test awaits this young East Central squad with the ar on 74 ahead. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Harrison (1-0).

11. Kings (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat Sycamore (0-1), 42-7. A high-powered offense was on full display as the Knights racked up 627 yards of total offense (364 rush, 263 pass) and averaged 10.4 yards per carry keeping the Aviators grounded in Week 1. A big test looms on the road Friday night. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at #6 Winton Woods (1-0).

12. Mason (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost at Gahanna Lincoln (1-0), 24-10. A sputtering offense could only manage 64 yards of offense and went 1-11 on third down conversions leading to a long opening night. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at #19 Lakota East (0-1).

13. La Salle (1-0) – NEXT UP: won at Colerain (0-1), 20-7. The Division II Lancers took care of business and now aim to pick up another win versus a Division I school. NEXT UP: 8/30 – NORTHMONT (0-1).

14. Milford (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat Edgewood (0-1), 33-3. The beat keeps on going for the Eagles. Milford marches to its 13th straight regular season victory.  NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Walnut Hills (0-1).

15. Highlands (1-0) – LAST WEEK: The Bluebirds hold off a pesky LexCath team and give up just 54 yards rushing. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at #17 Covington Catholic (0-1).

16. Ryle (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat Covington Catholic (0-1), 30-14. An excellent start and great confidence builder for the Raiders, who seem to have many of the boxes checked off that you need to win championships. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Conner (1-0).

17. Covington Catholic (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost at Ryle (1-0), 30-14. The Colonels fell on the road, in a regular season game for the first time since September, 17th, 2021 (at Beechwood). NEXT UP: 8/30 – #15 HIGHLANDS (1-0).

18. Middletown (1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Troy (0-1), 28-18. It’s one step  at a time for the Middies. A good beginning to 2023 could even get better by beating Oak Hills. NEXT UP: 8/30 – #22 OAK HILLS (1-0)

19. Lakota East (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost to Centerville (1-0), 31-21. Learning to win is still a process for the Thunderhawks. The good news is that they are trending in the right direction. NEXT UP: 8/30 – #12 MASON (0-1)

20. Lebanon (1-0) – LAST WEEK: beat New Albany (0-1), 28-21. The cardiac kids are at it again. The Warriors win by seven points or less for the fifth time in their last seven contests.Lebanon is 6-1 in that span. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Loveland (1-0).

21. Withrow (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost to #8 Elder (1-0), 28-6. A tough start to the season and the physicality that the Senators will face, doesn’t get any easier over the next five contests.NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Alter (0-1).

22. Oak Hills (1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Turpin (0-1), 34-31. Game-ending heroics on a Jaxson Dorsel 34-yard field goal leaves the Highlanders feeling pretty good about themselves heading into, an already pivotal, GMC opener against the Middies. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at #18 Middletown (1-0).

23. Badin (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost to #9 Hamilton (1-0), 15-0. The Rams fared well,especially on defense, giving up only 15 points to the Division I Big Blue. No reason to panic, only to grow for Badin. NEXT UP: 8/30 – ST. FRANCIS DE SALES (0-1).

24. Fairfield (0-1) – LAST WEEK: lost to Wayne (1-0), 31-13. The Indians couldn’t take advantage of three Wayne turnovers and the o-line struggled, allowing seven sacks and 12 tackles for losses. Fairfield now must avoid disrupting a nest of angry Cardinals with their eyes on ending a 13-game losing streak against a vulnerable tribe. NEXT UP: 8/30 – at Colerain (0-1).

25. Beechwood (1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Pulaski County (0-1), 28-27. You have to admire the Tigers’ determination. A long road trip comes up very fruitful against the heavily manned Class 5A Maroons. NEXT UP: 8/30 – CAMPBELL COUNTY (1-0).

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Batesville, Clinton-Massie, Harrison, Indian Hill, Simon Kenton, Taft, Wilmington, and Wyoming

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