SBLive Ohio's football Top 25: Archbishop Hoban stays at the top, Winton Woods enters

After three weeks of Ohio high school football, there is not a lot of movement at the top. However, several teams are getting the respect they've earned after early season success. Week 4 could result in plenty of shake-ups as several teams will take part in high-profile contests with nearly everybody jumping into conference play.

1. Archbishop Hoban, Akron (3-0) Last Week: 1

Iona Prep (New York) had no answer for running back Lamar Sperling. The Buffalo commit racked up 240 yards on the ground and three touchdowns in a blowout of the Gaels, 43-14. The Knights will get their first in-state opponent on Friday when they head to Cincinnati to face Withrow.

2. Lakota West, West Chester (3-0) Last Week: 2

The Firebirds took care of business once again, blowing out Sycamore. Lakota West led 35-0 after the first quarter, going on to win 59-7 over winless Sycamore. Junior wide receiver Brennan Remy has been unstoppable, tallying five catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns in Friday's win. This gives him 258 receiving yards and five touchdowns on the season, as well as another TD on the ground. The Firebirds host Oak Hills on Friday.

3. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (1-2) Last Week: 3

Those were the Bombers that everybody was expecting in the preseason! St. Xavier's offense was rolling for the entire 48 minutes in a 45-21 win over Olentangy Liberty. Quarterback Jack O'Malley had a career day with 329 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air and another on the ground. The Bombers will host Penn (Indiana) on Friday.

4. Princeton, Cincinnati (3-0) Last Week: 8

Staying down in Cincinnati, there's an argument that the Vikings are the best football team in southwest Ohio. Princeton showed no mercy, embarrassing Lakota East, 71-0. The Vikings had 616 yards of total offense, 404 of those on the ground. Senior quarterback RJ West threw for 168 yards and three touchdowns while also running another one in. Princeton heads to Hamilton on Friday.

5. St. Edward, Lakewood (3-0) Last Week: 4

Cherry Creek (Colorado)’s goal coming into 2022 was to win a fourth straight state championship in Colorado. Luckily for the Bruins, their trip to Ohio doesn't hinder their odds, only bruises their ego. An option run to the left for junior Casey Bullock put St. Edward up 13-9 with less than two minutes left in the fourth. The Eagles' defense came away with a game-clinching interception in the final seconds to seal the marquee win. St. Edward will host Elder in a top-25 showdown this week.

6. Toledo Central Catholic (2-1) Last Week: 6

Ty'Waun Clark was nearly perfect under center, going 8-for-9 with 133 yards and two touchdowns as the Irish took out Olentangy Orange, 40-10. Fellow senior Chris Edmonds added two touchdowns of his own, tallying 105 rushing yards. TCC opens Three Rivers Athletic Conference play on Friday at Findlay.

7. Avon Lake (3-0) Last Week: 7

The Shoremen finally allowed points to be scored against them after 11 quarters of shutout football. That's the only silver lining for future Avon Lake opponents as the Shoremen suffocated St. John the Baptist (New York), 38-7. Wade Nelson was the engine of the Avon Lake offense, carrying the ball for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Shoremen host rival Avon on Friday.

8. Springfield (2-0) Last Week: 5

What happened to the Trotwood-Madison football program? The Rams were guaranteed to steamroll through southwest Ohio en route to the state semifinals on an annual basis. But now, they are a shell of their former selves. The Wildcats goose-egged them on Friday, 41-0. Springfield hosts Wayne in a top-25 battle on Friday.

9. Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati (3-0) Last Week: 9

This was going to be one of the must-see games of the week. Instead, Moeller established their offensive dominance early and never let up. Junior Luke Dunn threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns, while Jordan Marshall scored three touchdowns of his own with 152 all-purpose yards. The Crusaders controlled the action over East Central (Indiana), 43-14. The Crusaders will face Good Counsel (Maryland) in Ironton.

10. Chardon (3-0) Last Week: 13

The Hilltoppers extended their state-best 31-game active winning streak on Saturday in dramatic fashion. On fourth-and-4 with 22 seconds left, Alex Henry hit Caleb Hewitt on an out pattern for the game-tying touchdown. Heath Fetchik powered the ball in on the Hilltoppers' opening possession in overtime. Trey Liebhardt would pick off an Ethan Crossan pass to seal the game and the Hilltoppers' 31st straight win. Chardon opens Western Reserve Conference play with fellow top-25 team, Riverside.

11. Kings, Kings Mills (3-0) Last Week: 10

Another week, another blowout for the Knights. After two safeties in the opening quarter, the Knights let their offense do the talking, summoning the running clock in the second half of a 51-8 win over Walnut Hills. Kings is back at home on Friday to face winless Loveland.

12. Fairfield (3-0) Last Week: NR

The Indians just missed out on the Top-25 last week. That's not the case this week after a 34-7 beatdown of the Colerain Cardinals on the road. West Virginia commit Jordon Jackson had the second-best offensive output of his career, rushing the ball 27 times for 237 yards and a touchdown. For those curious, his best was a 270-yard, three-touchdown performance against Mason to wrap up 2021. No wonder the Mountaineers love this guy! Fairfield hosts Sycamore on Friday.

13. St. Ignatius, Cleveland (2-0) Last Week: 14

After a couple of hiccups in the first quarter, the Wildcats righted the ship in the final three quarters. Mount St. Joseph (Maryland) bolted out of the gates with a 14-0 lead, but that's all the Gaels would muster. Steven Favazzo scored his first two varsity touchdowns to tie it up while Brady Haddad would hit Jonathan Merimee for the go-ahead touchdown in the third. A scoreless fourth would see the Wildcats come out of Baltimore with a 21-14 win. St. Ignatius hosts Euclid on Saturday.

14. Elder, Cincinnati (3-0) Last Week: 11

Despite being outplayed for most of the game, the Panthers managed to squeak out a win on the road over a pesky Springboro team. Trailing 20-7 in the third, Elder punched the ball in on back-to-back drives. The 21-20 lead would hold until the final horn. Luke Flowers led the way with 114 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns. The Panthers get their toughest test of the season at St. Edward on Saturday.

15. Piqua (3-0) Last Week: NR

After a 12-1 campaign in 2021, one would think that the Indians would get a little more respect going into 2022. One way to get that respect is to outscore your opponents 172-0 in your first three games. Want more respect? The Indians will get a chance to earn it as they head to Xenia to face the undefeated Buccaneers on Friday.

16. Mentor (2-1) Last Week: 15

In a game that looked like an old school Woody Hayes vs. Bo Schembechler battle, Mentor came away with a nail-biting win over cross-county rival Riverside. The only score for the Cardinals came from a Mitchell Waite 10-yard touchdown run in the second half. The game came down to the final play as Sean Kerwood's attempt for his third field goal just missed wide of the upright. Mentor faces Mississauga North (Canada) on Friday.

17. Massillon (2-1) Last Week: 23

The Tigers held Mansfield Senior to only 97 yards of total offense in a 33-0 shutout win. The suffocation doesn't end there. Mansfield Senior had minus-29 rushing yards, committed eight penalties for 49 yards, and were 0-for-11 on third down. The Tigers are starting to look like one of the favorites in D-II again. They host Warren G. Harding on Friday.

18. Wayne, Huber Heights (2-1) Last Week: 24

The Warriors made some big strides in the top-25 this week after knocking off preseason darling Pickerington Central. The Tigers opened up the scoring with a 27-yard field goal early in the second. On the ensuing kickoff, RJ Mukes III would take the ball 81 yards to give the Warriors their only touchdown of the game. A 21-yard field goal from Luke Daulton would put Wayne up for good as they held off Pick Central, 10-9. The Warriors head to Springfield on Friday in Greater Western Ohio Conference action.

19. Pickerington Central (1-2) Last Week: 12

Back-to-back losses don't bode well for the Tigers, despite the caliber of their opponents. There is no question that the offense has more questions than answers coming off of two single-digit performances. Answers need to be found as they host crosstown rival Pickerington North on Friday. That crosstown rival just knocked off previously undefeated and defending Division I, Region 3 champion Upper Arlington this past week.

20. Medina (2-1) Last Week: 19

One team that doesn't have any questions on offense is the Battling Bees. Medina went on the road and handed Wadsworth their first loss of the season, 45-35. Junior quarterback Danny Stoddard led the Bees, going 20-for-29 with 351 yards and three touchdowns. Austin Knowles was his favorite target, bringing in 11 catches for 212 yards and two touchdowns. The Bees will host Stow-Munroe Falls on Friday.

21. Hudson (3-0) Last Week: 20

On the other end of the ball, the Explorers' never answered their defensive questions during their 2021 campaign. However, their defense is much improved in 2022, allowing an average of 6.7 points per game through three games. Hudson went on the road and earned a big win over Warren G. Harding on Friday, 21-7. The Explorers will host Twinsburg this coming Friday.

22. Winton Woods, Cincinnati (3-0) Last Week: NR

The Warriors were one of the biggest surprises in last year's postseason, upsetting Kings, Piqua, and Hoban en route to their school's second state championship. With that said, many doubted that lighting could strike twice for Winton Woods. In the early going, the Warriors are 3-0 with no drama to speak of. However, the strength of their schedule to date does bring into question how this team will fare when they are finally tested. That won't be this week as they host winless Turpin on Friday.

23. Walsh Jesuit, Cuyahoga Falls (2-1) Last Week: 22

The Warriors bounced back this Friday in their home opener, taking down Canisius (New York), 48-6. The Crusaders had no answer in the first half, as the second half started with a running clock and the Warriors' second team. This game was nothing except one-sided. The Warriors head to Toledo to face Rogers on Friday.

24. Riverside, Painesville (2-1) Last Week: NR

It's not every day that a team loses and jumps into the top 25. However, the Beavers' first two opponents, Perry and Aurora have both looked strong outside of their lone loss. To add to their Beavers' resume, their defense overpowered Mentor most of the game on Friday with a chance to win the game on the final play of the game. Another test awaits Riverside as they open conference play against two-time defending state champion Chardon.

25. Austintown-Fitch (3-0) Last Week: 25

There was no stopping the Falcons' offense as they racked up 455 yards of total offense in a 48-18 blowout of GlenOak. Senior Jamel James rushed for 162 yards with four touchdowns. Junior D.J. Williams also hit the century mark with 115 yards and two touchdowns. Fitch will head on the road to face undefeated Ursuline on Friday night.