With just a couple weeks left in the regular season things are starting to get very interesting in the Blitz 5 Top 25 powered by TriStateFootball.com with the cream rising to the top. Highlands and La Salle fell a bit after losses vs. other highly ranked teams, but regardless we don’t have any new teams in the top 10.
Week 9 features only a pair of matches versus teams within our rankings, #3 Anderson at # 7 Winton Woods and #4 Princeton at #22 Fairfield, which is this week’s Blitz 5 Game of the Week.
Here’s the Blitz 5 Top 25 for Week 9:
1. Elder (8-0) – LAST WEEK: beat then #5 HIGHLANDS (7-1), 40-16. The Panthers are sitting at 8-0 for the first time since 1991. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Bishop Chatard (IN)(7-1).
2. Moeller (6-2) – LAST WEEK: beat ST. IGNATIUS (1-6), 42-10. The Crusaders offense bounced back nicely in Week 8, breaking 40 points for the fifth time this season. NEXT UP: 10/18 – at St. Edward (7-1).
3. Anderson (8-0, 7-0) – LAST WEEK: beat WALNUT HILLS (2-6, 1-6), 53-16. The Raptors have now clinched a top 4 playoff spot per JoeEitel.com, which means a bye plus a home game. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at #7 Winton Woods (7-1, 6-1).
4. Princeton (7-1, 7-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Oak Hills (4-4, 3-4), 30-27. With a playoff berth locked up, the Vikings next order of business is winning an outright GMC title, which they’ll accomplish with a pair of wins to close out the regular season. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at #22 Fairfield (4-4, 3-4).
5. St. Xavier (6-2,1-2) – LAST WEEK: beat then #9 LA SALLE (5-3, 0-3), 28-7. After going six quarters without a touchdown the Bombers found the end zone three times in the fourth quarter as they won the King of the Road rivalry matchup with La Salle for a sixth straight season. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at St. Ignatius (1-7).
6. Kings (7-1, 6-1) – LAST WEEK: beat MILFORD (1-7, 1-6), 49-14. The Knights lead the ECC in rushing defense, yielding just 49 yards per game on the ground. They have only allowed three rushing touchdowns across eight contests. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Turpin (4-4, 3-4).
7. Winton Woods (7-1, 6-1) – LAST WEEK: won at West Clermont (2-6, 1-6), 35-0. During their current six-game winning streak the Warriors have outscored their foes by 188-47 margin. NEXT UP: 10/17 – #3 ANDERSON (8-0, 7-0).
8. Taft (8-0, 3-0) – LAST WEEK: beat WESTERN HILLS (2-6, 1-2), 58-0. The Senators have won their last five games by a combined score of 258-0. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Aiken (5-3, 2-1).
9. Highlands (6-2, 2-0) – LAST WEEK: lost at #1 Elder (8-0), 40-16. The Bluebirds scored just 16 points last week at Elder. It was the first time that they’ve failed to reach 20 points in a game since Week 1 of 2024, a span of 20 games counting the postseason . NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Mason County (3-4, 1-1).
10. La Salle (5-3, 0-3) – LAST WEEK: lost at then #6 St. Xavier (6-2, 1-2), 28-7. The Lancers fell to their GCL South rivals St. Xavier for a sixth straight time in Week 8. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Louisville (5-3).
11. Lakota West (5-3, 5-2) – LAST WEEK: beat SYCAMORE (0-8, 0-7), 56-0. The Firebirds have won three straight after a 2-3 start and have now clinched a playoff berth per JoeEitel.com. NEXT UP: 10/17 – OAK HILLS (4-4, 3-4).
12. Ryle (4-3, 0-1) – LAST WEEK: won at Campbell County (2-4, 0-1), 56-0. The Raiders pitched their second straight shutout a week ago, marking the third time this season they’ve held their opponents off the scoreboard. Only two Class 6A teams across Kentucky have ceded fewer points to opponents this season than Ryle (102). NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Great Crossing (1-6, 0-1).
13. Covington Catholic (5-3, 1-1) – LAST WEEK: beat INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (IN) (5-3), 17-10. The Colonels’ 17 points in a win in Week 8 were the second-fewest points the Colonels scored in a victory since the start of 2023. NEXT UP: 10/17 – HARRISON COUNTY (1-6, 0-2).
14. Badin (8-0, 3-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Carroll (1-7, 0-3), 55-6. The Rams have won every game by 14 points or more and have a 27.5 point average margin of victory. NEXT UP: 10/17 – ALTER (6-2, 3-0).
15. Middletown (7-1, 6-1) – LAST WEEK: won at then #20 Mason (3-5, 3-4), 37-7. The Middies lead the GMC in team defense, allowing the fewest yards per game (176.4) and points per game (8.9) in the conference. NEXT UP: 10/17 – HAMILTON (2-6, 2-5).
16. Lakota East (5-3, 4-3) – LAST WEEK: beat COLERAIN (1-7, 1-6), 44-24. East leads the GMC in total yards per game (366.9) on offense, 49.3 yards more than the next closest team and 75 more yards per contest than all but two others. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Sycamore (0-8, 0-7).
17. East Central (7-1) – LAST WEEK: beat GREENSBURG (1-2), 61-0. The Trojans have topped the 60-point mark in three straight games. NEXT UP: 10/17 –at Roncalli (5-3).
18. Cooper (4-3, 2-0) – LAST WEEK: idle. The Jaguars have won four of their last five games, outscoring their foes 170 to 106 during that span and 59 of those points came in their loss to DuPont Manual. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Scott (2-5, 1-2) .
19. Mason (3-5, 3-4) – LAST WEEK: lost to #15 MIDDLETOWN (7-1, 6-1), 37-7. The Comets are averaging just 13.6 points per game during their current three-game losing streak. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Colerain (1-7, 1-6).
20. Lebanon (6-2, 5-2) – LAST WEEK: beat TURPIN (4-4, 4-3), 41-38, 2 OT. Quarterback Luke Faler set a new school record with 505 passing yards last week, breaking Dakota Allen’s 2015 mark of 451 yards. He also tied Allen’s record for most passing touchdowns in a game (5). NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Walnut Hills (2-6, 1-6).
21. Withrow (6-2, 2-1) – LAST WEEK: beat AIKEN (5-3, 2-1), 45-6. The Tigers were impressive last week in a key battle of 5-2 CMAC teams and currently sit inside the Division II, Region 8 playoff bracket as the No. 10 seed according to JoeEitel.com. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Hughes (4-4, 1-2).
22. Fairfield (4-4, 3-4) – LAST WEEK: lost at Hamilton (2-6, 2-5), 14-7. The Indians have scored 14 or fewer points in four straight games. NEXT UP: 10/17 – #4 PRINCETON (7-1, 7-0).
23. Beechwood (6-1, 3-0) – LAST WEEK: beat ST. HENRY (2-4, 2-0), 70-0. The Tigers are averaging 69.0 points per game during their current three game winning streak. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Gallatin County (1-6, 0-3).
24. Indian Hill (8-0, 5-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Madeira (4-4, 3-2), 45-0. The Braves defense has posted four straight shutouts. NEXT UP: 10/17 – at Deer Park (5-3, 2-3).
25. CHCA (7-1, 1-0) – LAST WEEK: won at Purcell Marian (3-5, 0-1), 42-12. The Eagles have now clinched a Division IV, Region 16 playoff spot according to JoeEitel.com and now need to keep winning to earn a first-round bye. NEXT UP: 10/17 – ROGER BACON (4-4,1-0).
DROPPED OUT: none
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Clinton-Massie, Harrison, Lawrenceburg, Lloyd, Oak Hills
