SLC National Champs again

[KFDM COOP]

01:18 PM CST on Monday, December 19, 2005

By DAMON L. SAYLES / The Dallas Morning News

Southlake Carroll’s state championship win against Katy on Saturday secured back-to-back mythical national championships in two high school football polls.

Carroll finished No. 1 in the National Prep Football Poll and the Student Sports Fab 50.

Carroll has been No. 1 in the Fab 50 since the beginning of the 2004 season.

Carroll (16-0) has won 63 of 64 games since becoming a 5A school in 2002. With Saturday’s 34-20 win against Katy, Carroll avenged its only loss, a 2003 setback in the state championship.

Carroll became the fourth team to win at least two National Prep Football Poll championships, joining Concord, Calif., De La Salle (1994, 1998, 2000-04), Cleveland St. Ignatius (1993, 1995) and Hampton, Va. (1996-97).

Carroll also became the sixth school in the Fab 50 poll to earn back-to-back national titles.

Carroll's win capped an unprecedented season for area high school football.

Ten area schools – five public and five private – achieved their ultimate goal. Seven of those squads finished undefeated, from Class 5A Southlake Carroll to Southwest Preparatory Conference Division II Irving Cistercian.

"This is what every high school football player dreams about," Celina defensive lineman Cody Tomplait said after his 16-0 team capped the area's state-title spree with a 28-12 win over Omaha Paul Pewitt on Saturday night.

Local teams swept the 5A and 4A titles, something no other quartet from the same area had accomplished since 4A adopted the two-division format in 1996. There was also an area sweep of the four TAPPS 11-man divisions, which last happened when local schools did it in 1993.

The champions from the area came in all sorts of sizes and styles, with a variety of storylines.

There were perennial powers. Celina tied Brownwood and Plano for the most state championships with seven after cruising to the 2A Division II crown. Southlake Carroll won 5A Division II for the third time in four seasons to claim the program's sixth state title. Arlington Grace Prep earned its fourth state title in eight seasons by winning TAPPS 4A Division II.

And there were fresh faces. Hebron, a program in its sixth season, had never advanced past the second round before its run to the 4A Division II championship. Euless Trinity (5A Division I) and Plano Prestonwood (TAPPS Division III) also won state titles for the first time.

Highland Park ended a 48-year title drought. Carroll and TAPPS Division I champion Fort Worth Nolan defended titles. Carroll actually defended two, repeating as mythical national champions.

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1. Southlake, Texas, Carroll 16-0-0 beat then-No. 10 Katy for third 5A/II title in 4 years 1

2. Lakeland, Fla. 15-0-0 won second straight 5A crown 2

3. Springdale, Ark. 14-0-0 5A state champ, outscored foes by average of 44-8 3

4. Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Xavier 15-0-0 won first Division I state title 4

5. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes 15-0-0 captured fourth straight 4A/2 state crown 5

6. Charlotte, N.C., Independence 15-0-0 92 consecutive wins is 2nd best all-time 6

7. Batesville, Miss., South Panola 15-0-0 45 straight wins, 3 straight 5A titles 7

8. Frankfort, Ill., Lincoln-Way East 14-0-0 first 8A state title 8

9. Ventura, Calif., St. Bonaventure 14-0-0 sixth CIF title in seven seasons 9

10. Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes 14-1-0 two straight 5A state championships 11

11. Hoover, Ala. 14-1-0 fourth 6A championship in a row 12

12. Canyon Country, Calif., Canyon 13-1-0 captured CIF-SS Division II title 13

13. Tulsa, Okla., Union 13-1-0 got third 6A crown in four years 14

14. Ferndale, Wash. 14-0-0 earned 3A state championship 15

15. Morris, Ill. 14-0-0 Class 6A state titlist 16

16. Indianapolis, Ind., Warren Central 14-1-0 won third straight 5A crown 17

17. Jersey City, N.J., St. Peter's 12-0-0 won Non-Public Group IV title 18

18. Baltimore, Md., Gilman 9-0-0 only 7 points allowed in final six games 19

19. Compton, Calif., Dominguez 13-1-0 earned CIF-SS Div. III title NR

20. McKeesport, Pa. 14-2-0 rolled to 4A state championship 20

21. Dallas, Texas, Highland Park 15-0-0 hammered Marshall, 59-0, for 4A/I crown 21

22. West Monroe, La. 13-1-0 earned sixth 5A title in 13 seasons 22

23. Cincinnati, Ohio, Colerain 10-2-0 both losses, by combined 10 points, to No. 4 St. Xavier 23

24. Omaha, Neb., Millard North 12-1-0 Class A champ, avenged only loss 24

25. Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha 11-1-0 captured 14th Washington Catholic title 25

Northeast Region

1. Jersey City, N.J., St. Peter's (12-0-0) (1)

2. McKeesport, Pa. (14-2-0) (2)

3. Harrisburg, Pa., Bishop McDevitt (13-1-0) (3)

4. Brockton, Mass. (13-0-0) (4)

5. Middletown, N.J., South (12-0-0) (5)

6. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep (11-1-0) (6)

7. Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph Regional (11-1-0) (7)

8. Phillipsburg, N.J. (12-0-0) (8)

9. Murrysville, Pa., Franklin Regional (15-1-0) (9)

10. Central Valley, N.Y., Monroe-Woodbury (12-0-0) (10)

East Coast Region

1. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes (15-0-0) (1)

2. Charlotte, N.C., Independence (15-0-0) (2)

3. Baltimore, Md., Gilman (9-0-0) (3)

4. Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha (11-1-0) (4)

5. Damascus, Md. (14-0-0) (5)

6. Vienna, Va., Oakton (12-2-0) (6)

7. Hampton, Va. (13-1-0) (7)

8. Gaffney, S.C. (12-3-0) (8)

9. Morgantown, W.Va. (14-0-0) (9)

10. Charlotte, N.C., Catholic (16-0-0) (10)

Southeast Region

1. Lakeland, Fla. (15-0-0) (1)

2. Batesville, Miss., South Panola (15-0-0) (2)

3. Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes (14-1-0) (3)

4. Hoover, Ala. (14-1-0) (4)

5. West Monroe, La. (13-1-0) (5)

6. Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Nease (13-2-0) (6)

7. Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (13-1-0) (7)

8. Maryville, Tenn. (15-0-0) (8)

9. Homewood, Ala. (15-0-0) (9)

10. Statesboro, Ga. (15-0-0) (10)

Midwest Region

1. Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Xavier (15-0-0) (1)

2. Frankfort, Ill., Lincoln-Way East (14-0-0) (2)

3. Morris, Ill. (14-0-0) (3)

4. Indianapolis, Ind., Warren Central (14-1-0) (4)

5. Cincinnati, Ohio, Colerain (10-2-0) (5)

6. Massillon, Ohio, Washington (13-2-0) (6)

7. Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Brother Rice (12-2-0) (7)

8. Mount Prospect, Ill., Prospect (13-1-0) (8)

9. Racine, Wis., Park (13-1-0) (9)

10. Louisville, Ky., Trinity (13-2-0) (10)

Midlands Region

1. Omaha, Neb., Millard North (12-1-0) (1)

2. Plymouth, Minn., Wayzata (13-1-0) (2)

3. Peculiar, Mo., Raymore-Peculiar (13-0-0) (3)

4. West Des Moines, Iowa, Valley (13-0-0) (4)

5. Salina, Kan., Central (13-0-0) (5)

6. Castle Rock, Colo., Douglas County (13-1-0) (6)

7. Creve Coeur, Mo., DeSmet (11-2-0) (7)

8. Highlands Ranch, Colo., ThunderRidge (14-0-0) (8)

9. Boise, Idaho, Bishop Kelly (12-0-0) (9)

10. Sioux Falls, S.D., O'Gorman (13-0-0) (10)

Southwest Region

1. Southlake, Texas, Carroll (16-0-0) (1)

2. Springdale, Ark. (14-0-0) (2)

3. Tulsa, Okla., Union (13-1-0) (4)

4. Dallas, Texas, Highland Park (15-0-0) (5)

5. Euless, Texas, Trinity (14-1-0) (6)

6. Katy, Texas (14-1-0) (3)

7. Phoenix, Ariz., Brophy (13-1-0) (7)

8. Chandler, Ariz., Hamilton (13-1-0) (8)

9. Las Cruces, N.M., Mayfield (14-0-0) (9)

10. Las Vegas, Nev. (14-1-0) (10)

West Coast Region

1. Ventura, Calif., St. Bonaventure (14-0-0) (1)

2. Canyon Country, Calif., Canyon (13-1-0) (2)

3. Ferndale, Wash. (14-0-0) (3)

4. Compton, Calif., Dominguez (13-1-0) (4)

5. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline (14-0-0) (5)

6. Concord, Calif., De La Salle (11-2-0) (6)

7. Kahuku, Hawaii (11-1-0) (7)

8. Westlake Village, Calif., Oaks Christian (13-0-0) (8)

9. Los Angeles, Calif., Loyola (10-4-0) (9)

10. Portland, Ore., Jesuit (13-1-0) (10)

Dropped out: None.

FEATS OF THE WEEK: No. 1 Southlake, Texas, Carroll defeated then-No. 10 Katy, 34-20, to secure its third Class 5A/II state championship in four years and second consecutive National Prep Poll title. A crowd of 29,840 at Texas Stadium watched Carroll senior quarterback Greg McElroy pass for four touchdowns, bringing his season total to a 5A record 56. With the win, Carroll avenged its only loss since becoming a Class 5A school. (Katy defeated Carroll, 16-15, in the 2003 Division II final.) Carroll's six playoff foes finished with a combined record of 71-8-0. The Dragons have now won 63 of their last 64 games and are the fourth Texas team to win a Prep Poll title. It is the third time a team has won at least two Prep Poll titles in a row. . . .

Past National Prep Poll champs, with records and coaches:

1987--Fontana, Calif. (14-0-0), Dick Bruich

1988--Prichard, Ala., Vigor (13-0-0), Harold Clark

1989--Odessa, Texas, Permian (16-0-0), Gary Gaines

1990--Aldine, Texas (15-0-0), Bill Smith

1991--Indianapolis, Ben Davis (14-0-0), Dick Dullaghan

1992--Valdosta, Ga. (14-0-0), Nick Hyder

1993--Cleveland, St. Ignatius (14-0-0), Chuck Kyle

1994--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0-0), Bob Ladouceur

1995--Cleveland, St. Ignatius (14-0-0), Chuck Kyle

1996--Hampton, Va. (14-0-0), Mike Smith

1997--Hampton, Va. (13-0-0), Mike Smith

1998--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (12-0-0), Bob Ladouceur

1999--Shreveport, La., Evangel (15-0-0), Dennis Dunn

2000--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0-0), Bob Ladouceur

2001--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (12-0-0), Bob Ladouceur

2002--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0-0), Bob Ladouceur

2003--Concord, Calif., De La Salle (13-0-0), Bob Ladouceur

2004--Southlake, Texas, Carroll (16-0-0), Todd Dodge

2005--Southlake, Texas, Carroll (16-0-0), Todd Dodge.

[jdawg03]

very impressive indeed...

I think though Euless Trinity should be in the National top 25