Two weeks in and things are starting to take shape across the Blitz 5 Top 25 presented by TriStateFootball.com after some surprising outcomes and fast starts from around the entire Tri-state area.
There were no changes of teams inside of our latest rankings updates, but definitely some squads on the move. La Salle and Kings are the biggest risers while Cooper and Winton Woods are falling down the board after the latest week of action.
Week 3 features some great matchups, including four games between Top 25 teams in our rankings – No. 3 Lakota West at No. 18 Hamilton; No. 16 Cooper at No. 7 Ryle; No. 9 Lakota East at No. 23 Mason; and this week’s Blitz 5 Game of the Week, No. 22 West Clermont at No. 21 Lebanon.
Here’s the Blitz 5 Top 25 for Week 3:
1. St. Xavier (2-0) – LAST WEEK: beat CENTERVILLE, 20-7. The Bombers moved into our top spot after holding their second straight opponent to a single touchdown . NEXT UP – 9/5 at Cathedral, IN (1-1).
2. Moeller (1-1) – LAST WEEK: lost at Mount Carmel (1-0), 43-42. The Crusaders lost in heart-breaking fashion on a TD and two-point conversion as time expired and dropped a spot in the poll as a result. NEXT UP: 9/5 – LOUISVILLE TRINITY (2-0) at Mount St. Joseph University.
3. Lakota West (1-1) – LAST WEEK: won vs. MASON (0-2), 35-13. The Firebirds bounced back nicely after a tough loss in Week 1 with a convincing victory to open up GMC play. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at #18 Hamilton (1-1).
4. Anderson (2-0) – LAST WEEK: won vs. WEST CLERMONT (1-1), 49-7. The Raptors rolled on with another impressive performance. They have now scored 101 points and combined for 1,048 yards of total offense through just two weeks. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at Little Miami (0-2).
5. Elder (2-0) – LAST WEEK: beat COVINGTON CATHOLIC (1-1), 28-20. After doing it with defense in the opener, the offense took charge in Week 2 as they tallied 401 total yards and were an impressive 5-of-7 on third downs vs. the visiting Colonels. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at Springboro (2-0).
6. Princeton (1-1) – LAST WEEK: won at Colerain, 32-2. The Vikings regrouped nicely after being overmatched a bit in the opening week vs. Moeller. They’ll get another test this week vs. another top 5 foe. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at Sycamore (0-2).
7. Ryle (2-0) – LAST WEEK: won vs. CONNER (0-2), 44-0. The Raiders had no issue on either side of the ball in their home opener. The Raiders have now won seventh straight vs. their county rivals and have outscored the Cougars 247-53 in that span. NEXT UP: 9/5 – #16 COOPER (0-2).
8. Highlands (2-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Cooper (0-2), 28-14. The Bluebirds scored on their first two drives and never looked back, playing lock down defense and winning the battle of turnovers. The Highlands’ front line dominated on both sides of the ball and will be a force all season. NEXT UP: 9/5 – CAMPBELL COUNTY (12-0).
9. Lakota East (2-0) – LAST WEEK: defeated OAK HILLS (1-1), 14-7 . An eye-popping 564 yard offensive explosion against reigning Region 2 champion Centerville has put the Thunderhawks on everyone’s radar. NEXT UP: 9/5 at #23 Mason (0-2).
10. Kings (2-0) – LAST WEEK: knocked off WINTON WOODS (1-1), 16-14. The Knights pulled off the upset of the then fifth-ranked Warriors 16-14 and jumped eight spots in this week’s rankings as a result. NEXT UP: 9/5 – LOVELAND (0-2).
11. Winton Woods (1-1) – LAST WEEK: lost at Kings (2-0), 16-14. The Warriors fell six spots after following to Kings, but look for the Warriors to bounce back. They haven’t dropped games in back-to-back weeks since 2021, which is also the last time they lost in the regular season to Kings. NEXT UP: 8/29 – at Milford (1-1).
12. Covington Catholic (0-2) – LAST WEEK: lost at Elder (2-0), 28-20. Don’t let the 0-2 record fool you, this is a good CovCath team. The Colonels dropped their first two games a year ago, but then rolled off 11 straight victories on a run to the Class 4A state semifinals.. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at Simon Kenton (2-0).
13. Taft (2-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Alter (1-1), 33-27 in OT. The Senators rallied from a 20-point, fourth-quarter deficit to knock off the Knights on the road. NEXT UP: 8/29 – at Chaminade Julienne (0-2).
14. La Salle (2-0) – LAST WEEK: beat Northmont (0-2), 31-7. The Lancers are on the rise, up eight spots since last week and after outsourcing their first two opponents 73-7 people are starting to take notice. NEXT UP: 9/5 – FAIRMONT (0-2).
15. East Central (2-0) – LAST WEEK: defeated HARRISON (1-1), 21-20. The Trojans are sitting steady in the ranks after inching by their rivals, Harrison, in the Battle of I-74. NEXT UP: 9/5– Lawrence North (1-1).
16. Cooper (0-2) – LAST WEEK: lost to HIGHLANDS (2-0), 28-14. The Jaguars have faced a tough slate to start the year on a team very much still trying to find a new identity on offense. They’ll need to figure things out quickly with another top 10 foe on tap in Week 3. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at #7 Ryle (2-0).
17. Badin (2-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Dixie Heights (0-2), 66-21. The Rams were clicking on all cylinders in an interstate clash with the Colonels. After scoring 104 points in their first two road contests the Rams return home in Week 3. NEXT UP: 9/5 – EDGEWOOD (0-2).
18. Hamilton (1-1) – LAST WEEK: won at Sycamore (0-2), 37-7. It was a Big Blue bounceback in Week 2 as Hamilton outgained Sycamore 408 to 90 yards in total offense . NEXT UP: 9/5 – #3 LAKOTA WEST (1-1).
19. Middletown (2-0) – LAST WEEK: beat FAIRFIELD (0-2), 19-2. The Middes start 2-0 for the third straight year with back-to-back home wins to open season. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at Oak Hills (1-1).
20. Withrow (2-0) – LAST WEEK: beat CHAMINADE JULIENNE (0-1), 36-7. The Tigers should not be taken lightly, especially on defense. Dating back to last season they’ve now held eight straight opponents to 14 points or less. NEXT UP: 9/5 – NORTHMONT (0-2).
21. Lebanon (2-0) – LAST WEEK: won vs. LOVELAND (0-2), 28-25. Two of the Warriors three Week 1 touchdowns were on an interception return and a kickoff return. NEXT UP: 9/5 – #22 WEST CLERMONT (1-1).
22. Western Clermont (1-1) – LAST WEEK: lost at Anderson (2-0), 49-7. The Wolves hit a bump in the road last time out against a highly-ranked Raptors’ team and now 1-1 for the fourth straight year . NEXT UP: 9/5 – at #21 Lebanon (2-0).
23. Mason (0-2) – LAST WEEK: lost at Lakota West (1-1), 35-13. The Comets have struggled early on this season on third down, converting on just seven of 24 opportunities through two weeks. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at #9 LAKOTA EAST (2-0).
24. Harrison (1-1) – LAST WEEK: lost at East Central (2-0), 21-20. The Wildcats will be happy to play in front of their home crowd for the first time this year in Week 3 after mixed results on the road. NEXT UP: 9/5 – WESTERN HILLS (0-2).
25. Beechwood (1-0) – LAST WEEK: defeated Newport Central Catholic (0-2), 53-6. The Tigers looked in mid-season form after an opening-season bye. NEXT UP: 9/5 – at Dixie Heights (0-2).
DROPPED OUT: None
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Batavia, Clinton-Massie, Indian Hill, McNicholas, Simon Kenton, and Wyoming
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