Mid-October is here, and Week 9 of the high school football season has already delivered, with the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 dropping a brand new No. 1 team into the rankings. This shift has immediately set up a massive Southern California showdown for Friday, promising some serious gridiron fireworks. While the Midseason USA TODAY Sports All-America team just hit the wire, the action on the field is where it’s truly at, with top squads getting pushed to their absolute limits!
The Elite Get Tested, Hard
Alright, you want drama? Week 9 brought it. The new No. 1 team, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), is currently locked in a 0-0 LIVE battle with No. 12 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) in what’s clearly the marquee matchup of the week. Talk about hitting the ground running for the top spot! But even more wild, the No. 5 team, IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL), just barely squeaked by with a 42-40 victory over NFL Academy (UK). That’s a two-point nail-biter for a top-five squad, and it tells you everything about the intensity out there. And don’t even get me started on No. 10 Thompson (Alabaster, AL), who is battling LIVE at 21-21 with Prattville (AL) right now, fighting tooth and nail to keep their perfect record alive. That’s serious pressure! Meanwhile, No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) blew out Monarch (FL) 71-20, No. 4 Allen (TX) absolutely rolled Rock Hill (TX) 70-14, and No. 3 Buford (GA) is up big 43-0 LIVE against Collins Hill (GA). Other teams like North Crowley (Fort Worth, TX) are putting up numbers, currently leading Lake Ridge (TX) 69-28 LIVE. These top teams are either dominating or getting a serious dose of reality.
Playmakers Steal the Spotlight
Beyond the top-tier drama, Week 9 also highlighted some incredible individual performances. The Midseason USA TODAY Sports All-America team release has everyone talking, but one player is already making his case loud and clear: Thomas County Central (GA) QB Aidan McPherson. This dude just got named the Super 25 Playmaker of the Week, and it’s easy to see why after he led his team to a monstrous 63-7 win over Tift County (GA). Talk about putting on a show! Elsewhere, other teams were just straight-up dominant. Carrollton (GA) crushed Northgate (GA) 62-13, Baylor (Chattanooga, TN) beat Legacy School of Sports Sciences (TX) 41-14, and Brownsburg (IN) took down Hamilton Southeastern (IN) 35-7. Hough (Cornelius, NC) shut out South Mecklenburg (NC) 47-0, Trinity (Louisville, KY) did the same to Eastern (KY) 38-0, and Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) handled Servite (CA) 38-15. It’s clear that while some teams are struggling, others are hitting their stride and proving why they belong in the Super 25.
So, what’s next? Well, we’ve still got the Saturday game on deck with St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) taking on Hun (Princeton, NJ). And of course, all those LIVE games are going to wrap up, deciding the fate of the new No. 1 and whether Thompson can hold on to perfection. This weekend is packed with high school football, and we are absolutely here for it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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