Top 25 Ohio high school football rankings (9/12/2023)

St. Edward remains No. 1, while six teams make their debut, led by Gahanna Lincoln at No. 16

The top three teams in the SBLive Ohio Power 25 remain the same after St. Edward kicked a field goal in the final seconds to beat Elder, Avon defeated Elyria 42-7 and Toledo Central Catholic defeated Brother Rice (Michigan) 33-7.

Six teams can be found in the SBLive Ohio Power 25 for the first time this season - No. 16 Gahanna Lincoln, No. 20 Liberty Center, No. 21 Milford, No. 23 Kenston, No. 24 Canton McKinley and No. 25 Versailles.

SBLive Ohio Power 25

1. St. Edward, Lakewood (4-0)

Last week: 1

Every coach wants their team to be battle tested. St. Edward got all of that and more in a dramatic win at Elder this Saturday. Elder took a 33-31 lead on a Joe Roth 35-yard touchdown run with two minutes remaining. The Eagles proceeded to march down the field and Kellen Moyer kicked a 29-yard field goal with six seconds remaining to score the come-from-behind win, 34-33. St. Edward heads to Massillon on Friday in a top 5 showdown.

2. Avon (4-0)

Last week: 2

Avon scored on their first six possessions in a 42-6 win over Elyria. Nolan Good was 8-for-9 passing with 146 yards and three touchdowns. Future Cincinnati Bearcat Jakorion Caffey ran the ball 14 times for 109 yards and a touchdown as well as a pick-six on defense. The Eagles get a huge test on Friday when they head to undefeated North Ridgeville.

3. Toledo Central Catholic (4-0)

Last week: 3

Toledo Central Catholic ran away with a 33-7 win over Brother Rice (Michigan) in their first road game in their new conference, the Catholic High School League. Senior running back Marquan Braswell led the way with three rushing touchdowns as the Fighting Irish extended their winning streak to 19 games. They will look to make it 20 when they host Warren De La Salle on Friday.

4. Massillon (4-0)

Last week: 5

For the first time since 1935, Massillon has scored 50+ in three consecutive weeks as Massillon beat Elkhart (Indiana), 55-0. It was all Tigers from the beginning as they scored touchdowns in each of their first four possessions, only needing 12 plays to do so. Massillon scored two touchdowns in the final ten seconds of the first half, taking a 48-0 lead and a running clock into halftime. Next up is the biggest game in all of Ohio so far this season, No. 1 St. Edward at Massillon this Friday night.

5. Princeton, Cincinnati (4-0)

Last week: 4

Princeton suffocated the Mason passing game on Friday night, keeping them out of the end zone for a 20-3 win in Greater Miami Conference play. Sophomore Andrew Wells had 10 tackles, including one in the backfield for the Vikings. Jordan Houston led off the scoring with 37-yard catch for a touchdown in the first, while Antonio Hunter added another with a punt return touchdown midway through the second. The Vikings host Hamilton on Friday night.

6. Archbishop Hoban (4-0)

Last week: 6

28 yards. That is all the Akron East offense could manage as Hoban shut out the Dragons 39-0 on Saturday. Quarterback Tylan Boykin was a perfect 9-of-9 passing with two touchdowns as well as one on the ground. Running back Caleb Jones rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown in just two quarters. The Knights head to St. Ignatius this Friday night.

7. Walsh Jesuit (4-0)

Last week: 7

The Walsh Jesuit offense just keeps rolling as they took down Canisius (New York), 41-14 this past Saturday. Things were stagnant in the first quarter before Kellen Molten hit John Keough for an 82-yard touchdown strike to open the second quarter. Keough, committed to the University of Buffalo, would strike again with an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the third. The Warriors host Firestone on Friday.

8. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (3-1)

Last week: 8

St. Xavier held a Withrow team that had averaged 37.7 points per game to just three offensive points in a 14-10 win this past Friday. The only touchdown Withrow had was on the opening kickoff of the second half by Terhyon Nichols. Aside from that, it was all Bombers. Spencer Stegbauer and Jack McClatchey found the end zone for the Bombers. St. X will face Moeller this Friday at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.

9. Hudson (3-1)

Last week: 12

Hudson is back on track after a 44-14 win over Stow-Munroe Falls. Senior Teagan O’Guinn was the workhorse for the Explorers on the night, rushing for 112 yards and four touchdowns. Peyton Neher went 7-for-10 for 112 yards under center. The Explorers head to Twinsburg on Thursday for a Suburban League showdown.

10. Pickerington North (4-0)

Last week: 11

The Pickerington North vs Pickerington Central rivalrry never disappoints, regardless of the sport. This past Friday was no different as the crosstown rivals fought back and forth all night long. Preston Bowman hauled in five catches for 205 yards and three touchdowns and Ohio State commit Sam Williams-Dixon had a big performance on the ground, with 15 carries for 100 yards. But it was the Angelo McCullom 18-yard touchdown run that put the game out of reach, giving Pickerington North the 39-34 win. Pickerington North heads to Reynoldsburg for Week 5.

11. Badin, Hamilton (4-0)

Last week: 16

Alex Ritzie led a steady, controlled offense as Badin handed Roger Bacon its first loss of the season, 35-2. The senior quarterback had a season-high 225 yards, completing 16-of-21 passes for a touchdown.. Lem Grayson and Zach Yordy were a two-headed monster in the backfield, combining for 105 yards and four touchdowns. The Rams will host Hughes this coming Friday.

12. Marion Local (4-0)

Last week: 19

Marion Local defeated Delphos St. John’s, 56-0 this past Friday night. Justin Knouff led the Flyers offense with two touchdown passes as well as 80 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground. Marion Local will look to keep their 36-game win streak going with a trip to New Bremen on Friday.

13. Chardon (3-1)

Last week: 18

St. Francis (New York) had no answer for the Chardon rushing attack as the Hilltoppers ran away, 35-20. Will Francis was the workhorse with 122 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. Drago Vujakila ran for 91 yards on five carries and scored two touchdowns. The Hilltoppers head to undefeated Bishop Watterson on Friday.

14. Ursuline, Youngstown (4-0)

Last week: 21

Ursuline beat crosstown rival Youngstown East 46-0 this past Friday night. C.J. Frasco opened the game with a pick-six for the Fighting Irish defense and added another interception to his stat line while Jack Ericson threw for two touchdowns for the Fighting Irish offense. The Fighting Irish host Warren G. Harding on Friday.

15. Upper Arlington (3-1)

Last week: 13

Upper Arlington bounced back with a 28-12 win over Westerville Central. The Bears’ offense struggled in the first half, trailing the Warhawks 2-0 at halftime. Connor McClellan scored a pair of touchdowns in the second half to give the Golden Bears the lead and the win, 28-12. UA heads to Groveport Madison on Friday.

16. Gahanna Lincoln (4-0)

Last week: Unranked

Gahanna Lincoln makes its SBLive Ohio Power 25 debut after a 49-6 win over Reynoldsburg. West Virginia commit Diore Hubbard has been the catalyst all season for the Golden Lions, rushing for 488 yards and six touchdowns after four weeks. The Golden Lions head to Pickerington Central in their final game before Ohio Capital Conference - Ohio Division play.

17. Highland, Medina (3-1)

Last week: 23

Highland took down Copley 88-14 this past week. Seven Hornets carrying the ball for over 40 yards individually. Highland will face Tallmadge on Friday in their first home game since Week 1.

18. Winton Woods, Cincinnati (4-0)

Last week: 10

Winton Woods picked up a 20-0 win at Turpin this past Friday, and will face Little Miami this week. The Warriors' schedule gets tougher after that with Anderson, Kings, and undefeated Milford in the following weeks.

19. Lakota West (2-2)

Last week: 22

Lakota West has won two in a row after starting the season 0-2 as the Firebirds shut out Middletown 35-0 this past week. Sam Wiles threw for 115 yards and two touchdown passes and ran for 83 more yards. Brennan Remy hauled in five catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. The Firebirds head to Colerain on Friday night.

20. Liberty Center (4-0)

Last week: Unranked

Liberty Center makes its debut in the SBLive Ohio Power 25 after a 42-14 win over previously undefeated Archbold this past Friday. Liberty Center has flown under the radar in previous years, but are finally getting some well earned attention. In 2022, the Tigers were perfect until the D-V state semifinals where they fell to eventual champions South Range. Liberty Center has won 19 straight regular season contests, dating back to 2021. They will look to make it 20 at Swanton this Friday.

21. Milford (4-0)

Last week: Unranked

Milford enters the SBLive Ohio Power 25 with a 56-35 win over previously undefeated Anderson. Nathan Webster ran for 170 yards and three touchdowns and currently leads the Eastern Cincinnati Conference with 471 yards, averaging 117.8 per game. The Eagles are at Kings this Friday.

22. Elder, Cincinnati (2-2)

Last week: Unranked

It’s not every week that a team returns to the SBLive Ohio Power 25 after a loss. However, Elder's only losses this season are to teams much earlier in this countdown and by a combined five points - by four to No. 10 Pickerington North in Week 1 and by one point to No. 1 St. Edward this past week. Things will not get any easier for Elder as they get undefeated St. Xavier (Kentucky) this Friday and another Power 25  team in conference rival St. Xavier in Week 6.

23. Kenston, Chagrin Falls (4-0)

Last week: Unranked

Welcome to the SBLive Ohio Power 25, Kenston. The Bombers made a statement with a 49-27 win over previously undefeated Villa Angela-St. Joseph  this past Friday. Sean Patrick put on a special performance with five touchdowns on the night. The Bombers’ schedule doesn’t get any easier as they host Lake Catholic on Thursday, followed by a road trip to Chardon in Week 6.

24. Canton McKinley (3-1)

Last week: Unranked

Head coach Antonio Hall appears to have the Canton McKinley program back to its glory days. The Bulldogs are 3-1 after winning their Federal League opener at Massillon Perry, 44-6. Their only loss was at the hands of No. 2 Avon, before they handed Dublin Coffman their only loss of the season. The Bulldogs host Green this Friday.

25. Versailles (4-0)

Last week: Unranked

Versailles makes its SBLive Ohio Power 25 debut this week after a 34-7 win over defending Division VII state champion New Bremen. It was the first time this season a  team has scored on the Tigers, and that touchdown came with under two minutes left in the game. The Tigers host Parkway this coming Friday.