By Jon Mahoney, Special to SI.com, Rise
1. Hoover (Ala.) 2005 Record: 14-1 Top Players: DL Kerry Murphy (6'5", 318, Sr.); OL Ryan Pugh (6'3", 270, Sr.); QB Ross Wilson (5'11", 185, Sr.); DL Josh Chapman (6'1", 280, Sr.); OL Patrick Crump (6'4", 285, Sr.) Key Game: Sept. 29 vs. No. 12 John Curtis (River Ridge, La.) Outlook: The Buccaneers have won four straight Class 6A state titles and five in six years; with standouts at nearly every position they are heavy favorites to win it all again. Wilson (2,950 passing yards and 31 touchdowns in 2005) leads the offense and will be well-protected by a dominant line featuring Pugh, Crump, senior Gary Cramer and senior Tommy Sikora. Senior RB Dennis King and senior WR Brandon Clear are game-breakers. The key to a defense led by heralded recruits Chapman and Murphy is the line, which is the best in Alabama. Senior LB Michael DeJohn is a tackling machine, and senior DB Camyren Stokes (six interceptions) anchors the secondary.
2. Lakeland (Fla.) 2005 Record: 15-0 Top Players: DL John Brown (6'2", 295, Sr.); RB Chris Rainey (5'11", 170, Sr.); RB Jamar Taylor (5'11", 210, Sr.); OL James Pouncey (6'4", 285, Sr.); OL Lashawn Pouncey (6'4", 280, Sr.); WR Paul Wilson (6'1", 175, Sr.) Key Game: Sept. 16 vs. No. 14 St. Xavier (Cincinnati) at Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge, Cincinnati Outlook: The two-time defending state Class 5A champion Dreadnaughts are loaded again: They have at least nine Division I recruits, including six who have orally committed to Florida -- Rainey, who ran for 1,571 yards in '05; the Pouncey twins, who clear the way for Rainey and Taylor; Wilson, who caught 36 passes for 489 yards and four touchdowns; and senior defensive backs Ahmad Black and Steve Wilks. Taylor, who committed to Alabama, is coming off a 27-touchdown season, and Brown (undecided) is one of the nation's top defensive linemen.
3. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) 2005 Record: 13-0 Top Players: QB Jimmy Clausen (6'3", 208, Sr.); RB Marc Tyler (6'1", 220, Sr.); WR-DB Marshall Jones (6'1", 188, Sr.); OL-DL Duke Lemmens (6'5", 251, Sr.); LB Casey Matthews (6'2", 222, Sr.); DB Anthony Gildon (6'2", 186, Sr.) Key Game: Sept. 22 at No. 10 St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.) Outlook: All eyes will be on the Lions this year because of Clausen (box, page 63), who has led his team to the CIF Southern Section Division XI title each of the last three seasons, but he's not the only reason Oaks Christian is ranked this high. Tyler rushed for 2,195 yards and 39 touchdowns in '05, adding 421 yards and six TDs on 22 receptions. Two-way standout Jones scored 15 TDs, including two on defense. Both gamebreakers have committed to USC. Lemmens, Matthews and Gildon head up a tough defense. "I'd rather deal with the high expectations than everyone expecting you to lose," says coach Bill Redell.
4. Warren Central (Indianapolis) 2005 Record: 14-1 Top Players: RB Darren Evans (6'1", 212, Sr.); DB-WR Jerimy Finch (6'2", 212, Sr.); WR Adrien Robinson (6'5", 225, Sr.); DL Jeff Boyd (6'4", 280, Sr.); TE Ed Hazelett (6'8", 235, Soph.) Key Game: Sept. 8 vs. Ben Davis (Indianapolis) Outlook: No Indiana school has ever won four consecutive state championships, but the Warriors are one Class 5A title shy of accomplishing that feat. They have a new coach, Steve Tutsie, the defensive coordinator for the past five seasons, who was promoted after longtime coach Kevin Wright left for Union (Tulsa). Sixteen returning starters, including two of the nation's top recruits (Evans and Finch), will help Tutsie's cause. Evans, who has committed to Virginia Tech, rushed for 2,165 yards and 39 touchdowns in '05, while the Michigan-bound Finch is a two-way standout. Seniors Matt Upshaw and Durell Martin will battle for playing time at quarterback.
5. Carroll (Southlake, Texas) 2005 Record: 16-0 Top Players: RB Tre' Newton (6'1", 185, Jr.); QB Riley Dodge (5'11", 175, Jr.); DL Kyle Russo (6'3", 245, Sr.); LB Justin Padron (6 feet, 215, Sr.) Key Game: Sept. 14 vs. Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.) Outlook: The Dragons are coming off their third state Class 5A Division II title in four years and were SI.com's No. 1 team for '05. But repeating will be much tougher this year because coach Todd Dodge has to replace 53 graduated seniors. The new quarterback is the coach's son, Riley, who in part-time duty last season threw for 767 yards and seven touchdowns while also running for 717 yards and seven more scores. He'll be looking for senior wideouts Blake Tomlin and Anthony Ford. Newton, whose father, Nate, was a Pro Bowl tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, rushed for 1,372 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. Russo, who had 14 sacks, and Padron, who was in on 186 tackles, key the defense.
6. Independence (Charlotte) 2005 Record: 15-0 Top Players: QB Darryl McFadden (6'2", 217, Sr.); LB Darryl Smith (6 feet, 210, Sr.); LB Justin McFadden (5'10", 215, Sr.); WR Jason Barnes (6'3", 195, Sr.) Key Game: Nov. 3 at Butler (Matthews, N.C.) Outlook: The Patriots have won six consecutive state Class 4AA titles -- the first three came with current Florida quarterback Chris Leak under center -- and enter the season with the nation's longest winning streak, at 92 games. Among the 10 starters returning are Darryl McFadden, who has committed to East Carolina after throwing for 3,877 yards and 33 touchdowns last season, plus four offensive linemen: seniors Terry Jones, Karston Grant and Willie Simmons and junior Erik Thompson. The defense is lacking that experience, however, as only three starters are back; one of those is Justin McFadden (no relation to Darryl). He and Smith, both linebackers, will be counted on heavily.
