Comebacks, surprises, upsets — this week had it all.
St. Frances meets a new rankings neighbor in Hough this week, after lukewarm performances from DeMatha and Grimsley, and three new teams make their East Region Super 15 debut with impressive showings.
Here are USA TODAY Sports' Week 4 East Region Super 15 rankings.
1. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
Record: 3-0
St. Frances keeps rolling. They ran into no issues against Vero Beach (FL) last week, taking the win 38-6 as sophomore QB Justin Merriman completed 12-of-20 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns.
Next game: Friday, Sept. 11, at Bryant (AK), 7 p.m. CT
2. Hough (Cornelius, NC)
Record: 3-0
The Huskies emphasized their dominance this weekend, rolling over in-state foe Providence
Day 30-3 in what many expected might be a decent challenge for them. Their win streak extends to 17 games, with an opportunity to keep it going against Mooresville this Friday.
Next game: Friday, Sept. 11, at Mooresville (NC), 7 p.m. ET
3. DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
Record: 2-0
DeMatha squeaked out a win this week, but it wasn't pretty. They escaped Imhotep Charter (PA) 21-20 with a go-ahead touchdown in the game's final minutes — surely not the performance many were expecting. The shaky showing dropped them out of the USA TODAY Sports National Super 25 rankings, and has knocked them down a peg here in the East.
Next game: Friday, Sept. 11, vs. Roman Catholic (PA), 7 p.m. ET
4. Grimsley (Greensboro, NC)
Record: 3-0
Grimsley had a similarly lukewarm performance this week, coming out on top of East Forsyth (NC) 13-7 in a defensive slog. They'll continue their run of in-state foes next week against Southwest Guilford.
Next game: Friday, Sept. 18, vs. Southwest Guilford (NC), 7 p.m. ET
5. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ)
Record: 2-0
The Ironmen just continue to prove themselves. They jumped out 38-0 over a previously ranked Roman Catholic (PA) program, hanging on to take the win 38-14 and cement themselves atop the list of Jersey's powerhouses this season. Quarterback Carson Shoen had a strong showing, throwing for 93 yards and two TDs alongside a rushing TD.
Next game: Saturday, Sept. 12, at Pope John XXIII (NJ), 12 p.m. ET
6. St. James Academy (Springfield, VA)
Record: 2-0
St. James Academy dominated a pretty strong team in Paramus Catholic (NJ) last weekend, coming out on top 54-14. The Strivers are averaging 60 points across their first two games — a very small sample size, to be sure, but an accomplishment nonetheless.
Next game: Friday, Sept. 18, vs. Mt. Zion Prep Academy (MD), 7:30 p.m. ET
7. St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, PA)
Record: 1-0
What a weekend for St. Joseph's Prep. The Hawks squeaked out a blockbuster win over struggling powerhouse Brentwood Academy (TN) 31-23, fending off a second-half comeback that narrowed their lead from an early 28-16 to 28-25. Ohio State commit Jett Harrison, son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, hauled in five catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns in the marquee win.
Next game: Saturday, Sept. 12, at Bergen Catholic (NJ), 1 p.m. ET
8. Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, PA)
Record: 2-0
Central Catholic sneaks up a couple spots this week after its 45-0 rout of Woodland Hills (PA), on the back of its season-opening marquee victory over Bergen Catholic.
Next game: Friday, Sept. 11, vs. Pine-Richland (PA), 7 p.m. ET
9. Providence Day (Charlotte, NC)
Record: 2-1
The Chargers suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of North Carolina powerhouse Hough on Friday, falling 30-3 in the two teams' first ever meeting. Butler offers them a decent chance to rebound and, hopefully, not start to slide.
Next game: Thursday, Sept. 10, at Butler (NC), 7 p.m. ET
10. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA)
Record: 1-0
The first list debutant of the trio, Oscar Smith opened their season Friday with a 29-6 win over Warwick (VA). Up next: Varina.
Next game: Friday, Sept. 11, vs. Varina (VA), 7 p.m. ET
11. St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, NJ)
Record: 2-0
St. Peter's Prep didn't take the field this week. Their most recent result was a 30-27 win over St. Thomas More (CT).
Next game: Friday, Sept. 11, at St. Anthony’s (NY), 7 p.m. ET
12. DePaul Catholic (Wayne, NJ)
Record: 2-0
DePaul makes its first appearance on the East Region list this week after beating a generally strong Seton Hall Prep squad, 28-17.
Next game: Saturday, Sept. 12, at Monsignor Farrell (NY), 1 p.m. ET
13. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, NJ)
Record: 0-2
The Green Knights drop a few slots this week after a tough, 49-20 loss to Creekside (GA), falling to 0-2 on the season. Sophomore quarterback Ralph Tristani's 157 yards and two TDs through the air just weren't enough, and the team frayed around the edges as a 14-13 score at the half turned into their eventual 29-point deficit.
Next game: Saturday, Sept. 12, at Delbarton (NJ), 1 p.m. ET
14. Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury, MA)
Record: 0-0
Catholic Memorial will, finally, kickoff its season this Thursday against a strong Andover squad.
Next game: Thursday, Sept. 10, at Andover (MA), 7 p.m. ET
15. St. John’s (DC)
Record: 2-0
St. John's makes its list debut after taking down a previously-ranked Archbishop Spalding (MD) squad, 21-18. The Cadets progress to 2-0, adding onto their 45-8 domination of Mt. Zion Prep Academy (MD) in their season opener.
Next game: Saturday, Sept. 12, vs. Lewis J. Bennett/Olmsted/Middle Early College/East (DC), 1 p.m. ET
Who dropped out
- Archbishop Spalding (Severn, MD)
- Bergen Catholic (Oradell, NJ)
- Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, PA)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY Sports Super 15 East region football rankings, Week 4
