2015 preseason small schools national high school football rankings

Video: Trinity Christian, FL - Jalin Buie highlights
See highlights of one of the top players on one of the top small-school teams in the nation.

Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) finished the 2014 season as the top-ranked small school team in the nation, according to MaxPreps. Despite losing a dozen Division I prospects, that's where the Conquerors will start the 2015 season.

The Conquerors were among the top teams in the country last year, regardless of school size. While graduation losses were high, Trinity Christian Academy still has enough talent returning to start the season at the top. Trinity Christian Academy will be seriously challenged to repeat as Class 3A state champion, however, as Oxbridge Academy (West Palm Beach) begins the season ranked No. 3 in the small schools rankings.

Ohio has the most members of the top 25 with six teams, led by perennial powerhouse Coldwater at No. 4. Texas has four teams, headed by No. 2 Canadian.

The small schools national rankings are based on the MaxPreps Computer Rankings and include teams that belong to state enrollment divisions comprised of schools that generally have fewer than 1,000 students.


1. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.), 12-2
The Conquerors captured the Class 3A state championship in Florida and lost 12 Division I players to graduation, but they still begin the season at the No. 1 spot. Trinity Christian Academy returns at least three potential Division I players, including running back Jalin Buie (5-foot-8, 175 pounds).


2. Canadian (Texas), 15-0
The Class 2A-I state champions last season, the Wildcats return one of the top small school quarterbacks in the state of Texas in Tanner Schafer. Last year, Schafer threw for 3,854 yards and 51 touchdowns.

3. Oxbridge Academy (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 10-1
Oxbridge Academy finished the regular season undefeated, but it lost to Lakeland Christian in the Florida Class 3A state playoffs. The school is in its third varsity season, winning 19 games combined over the past two seasons.

4. Coldwater (Ohio), 14-1
The Cavaliers have won three straight Division V state championships in Ohio, but they lost two-time MaxPreps All-American quarterback Brody Hoying to graduation. Coach Chip Otten returns six starters on offense and four on defense, including linebacker Kraig Schoenherr.

5. Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio), 15-0
Winner of four straight state championships in Ohio and 37 games in a row, Marion Local moves up from Division VII to Division VI. Marion Local handed Coldwater its only loss last year and returns seven total starters from last year's squad.

6. Rossville (Kan.), 14-0
The Bulldogs captured the Class 3A state championship in Kansas last year, knocking off perennial powerhouse Scott (Scott City) in the championship game. Tucker Horak returns at quarterback after throwing for 1,651 yards and rushing for 2,089 yards as a junior. He also threw 22 touchdown passes and ran for 28.

7. St. Joseph (Hammonton, N.J.), 11-0
The Wildcats have won six straight section championships (New Jersey does not have state championships) and have gone 114-16 over the past 11 seasons. St. Joseph has won 21 games in a row heading into the 2015 season.

8. Cameron Yoe (Cameron, Texas), 12-4
The Yoemen suffered four losses during the regular season last year, but still captured their third-straight state championship (last year at the 3A-I level). Coach Rick Rhoades returns 16 starters, eight on each side of the ball.

9. Bassfield (Miss.), 14-2
Bassfield has won three straight Class 2A state championships in Mississippi, scoring 60 points in the championship game against Calhoun City. The Yellowjackets have one of the state's top defensive prospects in defensive tackle Jerome Johnson (6-4, 280).

10. Collins (Miss.), 14-2
The Class 3A state champion last year, Collins has won 13 straight games and also had a win over Bassfield last year. Quarterback Detric Hawthorne returns after throwing for 3,322 yards and 38 touchdowns as a junior.

11. Minster (Ohio), 12-3
Minster captured the Division VI state championship in Ohio last year with a 46-42 win over Kirtland and two of Minster's losses were to Coldwater and Marion Local. The team drops down to Division VII this year.

12. Westminster Christian (Miami), 10-2
The Warriors reached the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs and return three Division I prospects, including defensive standouts Trey Sutton (6-0, 210) at linebacker and Anthony Gaiter (5-10, 160) at defensive back.

13. Madison Academy (Ala.), 14-1
The Mustangs lost one of the nation's top athletes when running back Kerryon Johnson graduated. The three-time defending Class 3A state champions in Alabama return Division I prospect Malik Miller (5-11, 225).

14. Union City (Tenn.), 14-0
The Golden Tornadoes have won two straight Class 1A state championships in Tennessee and have a 27-game winning streak heading into the 2015 season.

15. Refugio (Texas), 12-1
The Bobcats have won 11 straight district championships and won a state title in 2011. Refugio also had a win over Cameron Yoe last year and returns eight starters each on offense and defense from last year.

16. Canton Central Catholic (Ohio), 14-1
The Crusaders lost only to Coldwater last year, falling in the Division V state championship game. En route to the finals, Canton Central Catholic knocked off perennial Ohio small-school powerhouse Bishop Hartley.

17. Campolindo (Moraga, Calif.), 16-0
The Cougars topped El Capitan in the California Division III Bowl Game last year and finished 16-0 on the season. Coach Kevin Macy returns seven starters from last year, including lineman Sterling Strother (6-5, 250).

18. Amherst (Wis.), 13-1
The Falcons won their first 13 games last year before falling to Lancaster in the Wisconsin Division 5 playoffs. Amherst returns one of the state's top defensive prospects in defensive tackle Tyler Biadasz (6-3, 270).

19. Liberty-Benton (Findlay, Ohio), 12-1
Coldwater defeated the Eagles in the Division V state playoffs last year, ending a perfect season for Liberty-Benton. Second-team all-state linebacker Alec Rhodes (6-0, 220) returns on defense.

20. Wheelersburg (Ohio), 11-2
A perennial Southern Ohio II Conference champion, Wheelersburg lost to Bishop Hartley in last year's Division V playoffs. Special mention all-state receiver Chasen Burk is among the returning players for the Pirates.

21. East Chambers (Winnie, Texas), 11-2
Eliminated from the Class 3A-1 playoffs by eventual champion Cameron Yoe, East Chambers returns 19 starters (10 on offense) from a team that went 11-2. The top returning player is running back Dylan Silcox (6-2, 190), who earned all-state honors as a junior.

22. American Heritage (Delray Beach, Fla.), 11-2
The Stallions lost seven Division I prospects from a team that went 11-2 and lost to eventual state champion Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville) in the Class 3A state playoffs. Three Division I prospects return, however, in running back Devin Singletary (5-9, 195), linebacker Lawrence Graham (5-11, 225) and offensive lineman Gregory Begnoche.

23. Aquinas (David City, Neb.), 12-1
The Monarchs have won three state championships at the Class C2 level in Nebraska over the past four seasons, including last year. Aquinas has posted a record of 116-22 over the past 12 seasons.

24. Locust Grove (Okla.), 13-1
Although Locust Grove fell to Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City) in the Class 3A playoffs last year to end a 13-game win streak, it returns one of the top quarterbacks in the state in Mason Fine, who threw for a state-record 5,006 yards and 71 touchdowns.

25. Christian (El Cajon, Calif.), 13-1
The Patriots return 15 starters, including quarterback David Jeremiah (6-1, 195) and running backs Adrian Petty and Joey Morones, from a team that won the San Diego Section Division 3 championship before falling to St. Margaret's in the Southern California Small Schools Regional.