We know we say this every week — but what a week it's been.
Teams from Arizona and Georgia are officially off to the races, zooming all over our National Super 25 and kicking off their seasons with a bang. We've got a newcomer to the Top 5 this week, with Huntington Beach booting Newport Harbor after posting an 18-6 victory over the Sailors, and a bottom half that just continues to rearrange itself. It's an exciting one.
As more states begin to kick off their seasons this month, here are the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 national flag football rankings for Week 5:
1. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, CA)
We’re running out of different ways to say that JSerra simply cannot be touched. In their second week at No.
1 JSerra logged a 21-6 victory over Corona del Mar, buoyed by strong performances by quarterback Kate Meier (275 passing yards for three TDs), GG Szczuka (101 receiving yards for a touchdown) and Tessa Russell (96 receiving yards for two touchdowns). Their biggest win, however, came in a Tuesday night victory over Orange Lutheran that further cemented their No. 1 standing.
Record: 18-0
Previous ranking: 1
2. Orange Lutheran (CA)
Orange Lutheran couldn’t get it done against the nation’s top team in JSerra, but with only two losses on the season and both coming against the country’s top team, the Lancers find themselves as the No. 2 team this week.
Record: 15-2
Previous ranking: 2
3. Greenbrier (Evans, GA)
The last time Greenbrier was on a football field, they were holding a state championship trophy. Now, it’s trending in that same direction, as the Wolfpack earned a 13-7 win over a talented Milton team in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic in their season opener. They welcomed back their starting quarterback in junior Addisen Odom whose experience was evident on Saturday. Odom completed 19-of-24 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns – both of which went to Mamie Cate Pangle.
Record:
Previous ranking: 4
4. Huntington Beach (CA)
We’ve got a newcomer in the National Top 5. Huntington Beach took down Newport Harbor 18-6 last week, leaping over the Sailors and into the upper echelon of the Super 25. Huntington Beach’s Roxie Shaia threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns in the win, with three separate players hauling in those receiving touchdowns.
Record: 14-3
Previous ranking: 17
5. Willowbrook (Villa Park, IL.)
Illinois’ top team still does not look to be going anywhere anytime soon. The Warriors extended their unbeaten record to 12-0 this week with victories over Addison Trail and Oak Park-River Forest, making it look less and less likely that anyone in the Land of Lincoln will be able to catch up.
Record: 12-0
Previous ranking: 6
6. Central (AL)
The Red Devils bounced back from their two losses at the MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown with an in-state 14-6 win over Auburn. Fourteen points, however, was their lowest offensive performance all season. Sophomore quarterback Deeana Amos split time at the helm with seventh grader and LLWS superstar Kinley Rasmus – with each completing one touchdown pass. Central will look to bring some more steam into its two games against Georgia opponents Carver and Pope this weekend.
Record:
Previous ranking: 5
7. Newport Harbor (Newport Beach)
It was a tough week for Newport Harbor. An 18-6 loss to Huntington Beach flipped the two teams in the rankings as the Sailors struggled to get anything going on offense, but a loss to a team of Huntington Beach’s caliber won’t bump you down too far. Newport Harbor will look to rebound against Edison Wednesday.
Record: 15-3
Previous ranking: 5
8. Moody (AL)
Moody has still yet to lose a game and its defense is a major reason why. The Blue Devils have only allowed 27 points through eight games – with five of those being shutout victories. On the other side of the ball, quarterback Serenity Rutledge had yet another jaw dropping performance in Moody’s 49-0 win over Fairfield. She completed 9-of-11 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 23.6 yards per throw. If that isn’t impressive enough, she added 78 more yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Record: 8-0
Previous ranking: 7
9. Gilbert Highland (AZ)
Arizona flag is finally up and running! Gilbert Highland quickly established itself as the state’s premier squad, rolling over Arizona’s next-in-line Campo Verde 41-16. Star Highland QB and Nebraska recruit Lacie Nemchick threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for an additional two. She’s good, but we all knew that.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 12
10. Mountain Vista (CO)
Mountain Vista had two huge shutout victories last week, including a 40-0 win over Thunderridge and a 48-0 win over Regis Jesuit. At the helm, Peyton Marr simply cannot be stopped. She combined to complete 40-of-51 passes for 499 yards and seven touchdowns plus two touchdowns on the ground. With just five games left in the regular season, the Golden Eagles will look to finish on a high note.
Record: 9-1
Previous ranking: 8
11. St. Charles North (St. Charles, IL)
Improving to 15-0, St. Charles North is shaping up into one of the only teams that might be able to get one over on Willowbrook this year, if the opportunity arises. They added a 40-6 win over Lake Park and a 46-14 win over Simeon this week, never showing sign of struggle.
Record: 15-0
Previous ranking: 14
12. Pope (Marietta, GA)
Begin Sept. 26
Record: 0-0
Previous ranking: 16
13. Smith’s Station (AL)
Smith’s Station split its two games last week, falling 19-6 to St. Anne-Pacelli (GA) before bouncing back to earn a 37-0 victory over Carver Montgomery. The Panthers couldn’t quite get the offense going against the Vikings, with their lone touchdown coming from sophomore Kennedi Treadwell, who added another touchdown against the Wolverines. The Panthers will have their game against No. 6 Central circled on the calendar on Oct. 7.
Record: 6-2
Previous ranking: 13
14. Dos Pueblos (Goleta, CA)
The Chargers blanked San Marcos this week, upping their season win streak to 11 with the 21-0 victory. Brooklyn Hedricks starred in that victory, hauling in three receiving touchdowns while also pulling seven flags. Mia Soto grabbed nine.
Record: 14-2
Previous ranking: 19
15. The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs, CO)
The Titans just keep winning. They added two wins this week, an 18-6 victory over Fountain-Fort Carson and a 33-12 win over Elizabeth. Senior Brooklyn Blair was a huge weapon in the backfield in the Titans’ win over the Cardinals, grabbing four interceptions. With just six games left on their schedule, the Titans should head into playoffs with quite the résumé.
Record: 9-0
Previous ranking: 23
16. Wakefield (Raleigh, NC)
Still North Carolina’s top team, Wakefield continues to prove themselves. They improved to a still-unbeaten 6-0 this week, tacking on a dominant 38-0 win over Enloe and a tighter 38-32 one over a strong Leesville squad.
Record: 6-0
Previous ranking: 18
17. North Oconee (Bogart, GA)
North Oconee kicked off its season last weekend and it wasn’t exactly the start it was hoping for. After falling 19-7 in their opening game against Jackson, the Titans bounced back with a 13-7 win over South Forsyth. There is still plenty of season ahead for the defending GHSA Division 3 state champions to find their rhythm and hopefully find themselves back at Mercedes Benz-Stadium come the end of the year.
Record: 1-1
Previous ranking: 9
18. Gilbert Campo Verde (Gilbert, AZ)
On the other end of a tough 41-16 loss to Highland, Campo Verde definitely wished things could have gone differently. Despite the loss, however, they were still posting some insane numbers: Senior quarterback Amaya Moreno threw for 419 yards and two touchdowns while sophomore Jaiyana Bogan-Jacobs logged 271 yards for those two TDs. They rebounded with a 69-0 win over McClintock.
Record: 1-1
Previous ranking: Not ranked
19. Hamilton (Chandler, AZ)
The back-to-back state champions knew this season was going to be different without star quarterback Marlie Phillips, but they seem to be doing just fine so far. They’re 2-0 to start the season, with wins over Gilbert and Canyon View, with current quarterback Athena Vasquez settling into her new role.
Record: 2-0
Previous ranking: 15
20. Dimond (AK)
The Lynx took their first loss of the season last week, falling to Colony 21-0. However, they bounced right back with a 55-0 win over BDEA. As the regular season wraps up next weekend, having a win over South Anchorage on their résumé should not only help them in the long run, but also be a confidence booster heading into playoffs.
Record: 12-1
Previous ranking: 21
21. McEachern (Powder Springs, GA)
McEachern joined Greenbrier at the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic last weekend and had the most dominant performance of the day – a 44-0 win over Long County. Ava George stole the show and gave us a look into just the threat she is on the field, completing 14-of-19 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns at the helm while also catching six balls for 80 yards and two touchdowns. You're definitely going to want to keep that name on your radar.
Record: 1-0
Previous ranking: 22
22. Glenbrook South (Glenview, IL)
The Titans stay undefeated this week, knocking out easy wins over New Trier and King to improve to 12-0. In the victory over New Trier, QB Cooper Godbout turned on the jets to run for three rushing touchdowns.
Record: 12-0
Previous ranking: Not ranked
23. Marana (Tucson, AZ)
Rounding out this week’s Super 25 is Marana. The Tigers are 1-1 to kick off their season, but led by a strong quarterback in Isabelle Garcia – the sophomore threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns in their season opener while also running for 92 yards and a TD. Sophomore Sophia Silverstein logged 110 receiving yards for three touchdowns.
Record: 1-1
Previous ranking: 10
24. Spain Park (Hoover, AL)
Welcome to the Super 25, Spain Park. To catch you up, the Jaguars remain undefeated and their past four games have been shutouts. Altogether, they have only allowed 32 points through eight games this season. However, the Jaguars are approaching a difficult back half of their schedule, including games against Moody, Vestavia Hills, St. Anne-Pacelli and Boaz.
Record: 8-0
Previous ranking: Not ranked
25. Chaparral (Parker, CO)
There’s another new name to the list this week, which happens to be another undefeated team – Chaparral. Following a 13-6 win over former No. 11 Legend, the Wolverines showed that they are here to win. Arguably the biggest game left on their schedule is this weekend, when the Wolverines face defending back-to-back CHSAA Class 5A state champions, Mountain Vista.
Record: 9-0
Previous ranking: Not ranked
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY Sports Super 25 high school flag football rankings, Week 5
