Probably no surprise Mater Dei out of Santa Ana, California begins the season ranked No. 1 in the High School Football America Preseason 100. They are a two-time defending “mythical” national champions.
Florida leads the way with 13 teams, followed by California, Georgia and Texas with 12 teams each.
The big question from Pennsylvania is how many teams made the HSFA Top 100.
The answer is three teams.
The highest ranked team from Pennsylvania is the defending Class 6A champions St. Joseph’s Prep who are ranked preseason fourth by HSFA.
Prep returns several top players from last year’s (13-0) state championship team, including quarterback (Ohio State commit) Kyle McCord. He threw for over 2,800 yards and 38 touchdowns.
One of the big targets is wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.. He is the son of former NFL Hall of Fame Marvin Harrison. He has size, speed and power.
At running back, Kolbe Burrell returns. Look for him to have a big season running the ball.
The leader on defense for the Hawks is linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. who has speed and can hit hard. Teams are going to have to see where he lines up to try and slow him down.
Coatesville, out of District One, is ranked 83rd. They are led by Villanova commit quarterback Ricky Ortega. In 2018, he passed for 2,261 yards, 35 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. He rushed for 956 yards and 13 touchdowns.
In 2017, Ortega was named Class 6A EasternPAFootball.com Player of the year.
His main target in 2019 is wide receiver Dapree Bryant. He caught 52 passes for 1,009 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Look for Bryant to have a big year for the Red Raiders.
Harrisburg is ranked 96 according to HSFA. On defense Harold O’Neal leads the way at linebacker along with defensive lineman Saquon Carter-Barton.
Jahmir Plant leads the ground game. When the Cougars need to make a big play, they look to wide receiver Donte Kent. He is quick, has speed and good hands. This makes him a threat anywhere on the field.
Five teams from Pennsylvania made HSFA Honorable mention. They are Cathedral Prep, Manheim Central, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland and Southern Columbia.
Last year the Tigers finished the season 16-0 and were named Small School National Champ by High School Football America. Southern Columbia is a nine-time state champion and will bring a 32-game win streak into the 2019 season.
| Rank, Team, State | Record | Final 2018 |
| #1 Mater Dei (California) | (13-2) | 1 |
| #2 St. John Bosco (California) | (13-1) | 3 |
| #3 St. John’s College HS (Washington, DC) | (9-1) | 6 |
| #4 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) | (13-0) | 4 |
| #5 Duncanville (Texas) | (14-1) | 17 |
| #6 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, New Jersey) | (10-2) | 15 |
| #7 IMG Academy (Florida) | (7-1) | 5 |
| #8 North Shore (Houston, TX) | (16-0) | 2 |
| #9 Gonzaga (Washington, DC) | (9-3) | 14 |
| #10 St. Frances Academy (Maryland) | (10-0) | 52 |
| #11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) | (13-2) | 34 |
| #12 Colquitt County (Georgia) | (14-1) | 27 |
| #13 Corona Centennial (California) | (12-1) | 16 |
| #14 St. Edward (Ohio) | (11-3) | 33 |
| #15 DeMatha (Maryland) | (8-3) | 36 |
| #16 Allen (Texas) | (14-1) | 21 |
| #17 Miami Central (Florida) | (9-3) | 22 |
| #18 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) | (10-2) | 28 |
| #19 Dutch Fork (South Carolina) | (13-0) | 8 |
| #20 John Curtis (Louisiana) | (13-0) | 25 |
| #21 Deerfield Beach (Florida) | (12-2) | 75 |
| #22 Mallard Creek (North Carolina) | (10-1) | NR |
| #23 De La Salle (California) | (12-1) | 11 |
| #24 Northwestern (Miami, Florida) | (10-5) | 47 |
| #25 Good Counsel (Maryland) | (6-4) | 58 |
| #26 Hoover (Alabama) | (9-4) | 66 |
| #27 Highland Park (Texas) | (16-0) | 35 |
| #28 Carol City (Florida) | (9-3) | 26 |
| #29 Bishop Gorman (Nevada) | (11-3) | 42 |
| #30 Saguaro (Arizona) | (13-1) | 46 |
| #31 Aledo (Texas) | (15-0) | 19 |
| #32 Folsom (California) | (13-1) | 12 |
| #33 McEachern (Georgia) | (8-4) | NR |
| #34 Lakeland (Florida) | (15-0) | 31 |
| #35 Carmel (Indiana) | (11-3) | NR |
| #36 Saint Louis (Hawaii) | (11-0) | 32 |
| #37 Parkview (Georgia) | (11-1) | 73 |
| #38 Central (Phenix City, Alabama) | (14-0) | 10 |
| #39 Pickerington Central (Ohio) | (11-3) | NR |
| #40 JSerra (California) | (9-3) | 40 |
| #41 Lake Travis (Texas) | (13-2) | 56 |
| #42 Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) | (13-0) | 13 |
| #43 Archer (Georgia) | (11-3) | 69 |
| #44 Orange Lutheran (California) | (5-6) | 90 |
| #45 Longview (Texas) | (16-0) | 41 |
| #46 Wake Forest (North Carolina) | (15-0) | 37 |
| #47 Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) | (15-0) | 9 |
| #48 Narbonne (California) | (10-4) | NR |
| #49 Katy (Texas) | (11-2) | 51 |
| #50 North Gwinnett (Georgia) | (10-3) | 92 |
| #51 Edna Karr (Louisiana) | (14-0) | 30 |
| #52 Lowndes (Georgia) | (10-4) | NR |
| #53 Colerain (Ohio) | (14-1) | 43 |
| #54 Oaks Christian (California) | (12-1) | 39 |
| #55 Milton (Georgia) | (13-2) | 20 |
| #56 Mandarin (Florida) | (11-4) | 50 |
| #57 Oakland (Tennessee) | (14-1) | 24 |
| #58 Christian Brothers College HS (Missouri) | (12-1) | 45 |
| #59 Armwood (Florida) | (13-2) | 62 |
| #60 Grayson (Georgia) | (10-3) | 78 |
| #61 Denton Ryan (Texas) | (14-1) | 63 |
| #62 Massillon Washington (Ohio) | (14-1) | 63 |
| #63 Southlake Carroll (Texas) | (13-1) | 65 |
| #64 Marrieta (Georgia) | (5-6) | NR |
| #65 Warren Easton (Louisiana) | (11-2) | 61 |
| #66 Cathedral Catholic (California) | (12-2) | 100 |
| #67 St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) | (7-4) | 68 |
| #68 Liberty (Nevada) | (7-5) | NR |
| #69 Centennial (Arizona) | (14-1) | 79 |
| #70 Venice (Florida) | (12-2) | NR |
| #71 Mission Viejo (California) | (6-6)** | 87 |
| #72 Hillgrove (Georgia) | (12-1) | 71 |
| #73 St. Ignatius (Ohio) | (8-3) | 86 |
| #74 Center Grove (Indiana) | (9-4) | NR |
| #75 Myers Park (North Carolina) | (13-2) | NR |
| #76 Owasso (Oklahoma) | (7-5) | NR |
| #77 Loyola Academy (Illinois) | (11-3) | 94 |
| #78 Lee County (Georgia) | (15-1) | 60 |
| #79 Male (Kentucky) | (14-1) | 81 |
| #80 Chaminade-Madonna (Florida) | (12-2) | 48 |
| #81 Warren Central (Indiana) | (14-0) | 7 |
| #82 American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) | (10-2) | 70 |
| #83 Coatesville (Pennsylvania) | (13-1) | 99 |
| #84 Eastside Catholic (Washington) | (13-1) | 76 |
| #85 Starkville (Mississippi) | (11-2) | NR |
| #86 Westlake (Austin, TX) | (12-2) | 54 |
| #87 Alcoa (Tennessee) | (15-0) | 23 |
| #88 Columbus (Florida) | (14-1) | 53 |
| #89 Charlotte Catholic (North Carolina) | (15-1) | NR |
| #90 Sierra Canyon (California) | (12-4) | NR |
| #91 Cartersville (Georgia) | (14-1) | NR |
| #92 Corner Canyon (Utah) | (12-0) | 93 |
| #93 Chandler (Arizona) | (13-1) | 18 |
| #94 Bryant (Arkansas) | (11-2) | 98 |
| #95 Highland Springs (Virginia) | (15-0) | NR |
| #96 Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) | (14-1) | 97 |
| #97 North Little Rock (Arkansas) | (12-1) | NR |
| #98 Phillips Academy (Illinois) | (10-3) | NR |
| #99 King (Detroit, Michigan) | (12-2) | NR |
| #100 Lone Star (Frisco, Texas) | (10-3) | NR |
