It’s not just in the state of Alabama that Central-Phenix City’s flag football team is recognized as the standard for the sport. For the second consecutive year, USA Today crowned coach Mitchell Holt’s squad as the No. 1 team in the nation.
In the final poll, Central moved into the top spot from third place ahead of previous No. 1 Hamilton of Chandler, Ariz., and No. 2 JSerra Catholic of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Vestavia Hills, which fell 46-7 to Central in the Class 6A/7A championship game, finished 12th in the USA Today Super 25 poll and 1A/5A champion Moody (22-3) was ranked No. 22. Vestavia (28-2) had been ranked sixth before the state championship game while Moody was 21st.
Central is the three-time Alabama state champion and is unbeaten in the past 57 games. The Devils finished this season at 20-0.
In the story about the final poll, USA Today said, “It was a highly contested run toward the No. 1 ranking, though, a three-way battle that also included Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) and JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.). Both Arizona and California powers also took home postseason championship hardware while going undefeated this year.
“How did Central sway the selection process?
“In the end, the Red Devils kept pace with the historic 2024 national championship team and outperformed it (which is hard to believe), highlighted by an impressive 840 points scored to only 39 allowed.”
The ranking is determined in a partnership with the NFL, the newspaper said, with a USA Today Network selection committee of editors and writers participating, officially sanctioned states and the USA Today High School Sports staff.
Here is the final USA Today Super 25:
- Central-Phenix City) – 20-0
- Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) – 21-0
- JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) – 28-0
- Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) – 19-0
- Maine South (Park Ridge, Ill.) – 26 -3
- Greenbrier (Evans, Ga.) – 22-3
- Orange Lutheran (Calif.) – 24-3
- Whitney Young (Chicago) – 22-5
- Huntington Beach (Calif.) – 25-2
- Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.) – 19-2
- Legend (Parker, Colo.) – 17-2
- Vestavia Hills – 28-2
- South Anchorage (Alaska) – 16-5)
- North Oconee (Bogart, Ga.) – 22-3
- Willowbrook (Villa Park, Ill.) – 23-1
- Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.) – 24-3
- St. Anne-Pacelli (Columbus, Ga.) – 1-19
- Glenbrook South (Glenview, Ill.) – 17-3
- Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.) – 23-3
- Arvada West (Colo.) – 13-3
- Marana (Tucson, Ariz.) – 17-1
- Moody – 22-3
- Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) – 8-20
- Southeast Bulloch (Brooklet, Ga.) – 18-2
- McClatchy (Sacramento, Calif.) – 24-5
