Being originally from Tennessee I have to ask... Has a North Carolina team ever been number one in the nation in football? I feel like the Chris leak years at Independence would have put them number one.
Question for the old timers....
- Thread starter BigCharlieHayes
- Start date
Final National Rankings (1998)
NATIONAL SPORTS NEWS SERVICE FINAL 1998 TOP 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS Note: Also released as National Prep Poll/Student Sports Magazine
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I found online a list from USA Today for final rankings for 2004
1. Southlake -Carroll TX
2. Independence- Charlotte
3. Mission Viejo Calif
4. Hoover- Alabama
5. Colerain- Cincinnati
6. Central Catholic-Pittsburgh
7. South Panola -Batesville Miss
8- Bellevue-Washinton
9- John Curtis-River Ridge, La
10- Poly-Long Beach, Calif
11- Lowndes-Valdosta, Ga
12-Christian Brothers Academy- Syracuse, NY
13-Muskeon High, Muskeon, Mich
14- Catholic - Joliet, Ill
15- Riverdale, Murfreesboro Tenn
There were many more teams down the list (I think they had 50 teams), but these were the top 15 in the USA Today 2004 final ratings. Oddly enough, the 2004 Independence team was quarterbacked by Joe Cox, and Coached by Bill Guiller.
There probably were other polls that did not agree this list, but I had no luck finding any other polls for the end of 2004 season. I'm pretty sure Independence was never ranked #1 in any poll in any year.
1. Southlake -Carroll TX
2. Independence- Charlotte
3. Mission Viejo Calif
4. Hoover- Alabama
5. Colerain- Cincinnati
6. Central Catholic-Pittsburgh
7. South Panola -Batesville Miss
8- Bellevue-Washinton
9- John Curtis-River Ridge, La
10- Poly-Long Beach, Calif
11- Lowndes-Valdosta, Ga
12-Christian Brothers Academy- Syracuse, NY
13-Muskeon High, Muskeon, Mich
14- Catholic - Joliet, Ill
15- Riverdale, Murfreesboro Tenn
There were many more teams down the list (I think they had 50 teams), but these were the top 15 in the USA Today 2004 final ratings. Oddly enough, the 2004 Independence team was quarterbacked by Joe Cox, and Coached by Bill Guiller.
There probably were other polls that did not agree this list, but I had no luck finding any other polls for the end of 2004 season. I'm pretty sure Independence was never ranked #1 in any poll in any year.
Butler, Indy, and Richmond during their best runs were always right near the top but never broke through to number one.
In 2004 I saw SLC, Indy, and Hoover play in person. Thought SLC would have struggled a bit with Indy's OL and DL which were very impressive that season. Indy would have struggled with stopping SLC passing attack due to their complete package in that phase. Only big difference between the two would have been the specialist. SLC had a big time kicker which can cause some issues. Been a long time but I thought Indy could and would have pulled it off.
Many felt Colerain was the best team in the nation with their rushing attack and big time defense but they never went against an elite passing team so the top three may have caused them some issues.
In 2004 I saw SLC, Indy, and Hoover play in person. Thought SLC would have struggled a bit with Indy's OL and DL which were very impressive that season. Indy would have struggled with stopping SLC passing attack due to their complete package in that phase. Only big difference between the two would have been the specialist. SLC had a big time kicker which can cause some issues. Been a long time but I thought Indy could and would have pulled it off.
Many felt Colerain was the best team in the nation with their rushing attack and big time defense but they never went against an elite passing team so the top three may have caused them some issues.
Seen eleven of those schools play. Been to games at SLC, Indy, Hoover, Central Catholic, South Panola, J Curtis, Lowndes., and Joliet.
Joliet was ranked in the top ten nationally when I saw them probably 2007 or 2008. They were not a top four team in Charlotte. Think they were on a long winning streak and would lose in the state playoffs by a TD.
In 2004 Joliet Catholic was sort of living off the distant memories of the 80s and 90s. The huge south and west suburban explosion had started and they weren't recruiting as much. Naperville schools, Lincoln Way, Providence Catholic and some others had begun going vertical and took alot of talent away.
