1. (1) Armwood (2-0)
Last week: Beat Blake 37-0
This week: vs. No. 8 Hillsborough
Lowdown: Offered without any further comment : The Hawks held Blake to minus-25 yards of total offense last week. Total.
2. (4) East Lake (2-0)
Last week: beat Largo 42-0
This week: at Dunedin
Lowdown: The Eagles’ 17-game regular-season win streak started after losing to Largo in 2012. Since then, East Lake has posted shutouts against the Packers the past two meetings.
3. (3) Plant (1-1)
Last week: Beat Robinson 46-18
This week: vs. Gaither
Lowdown: After beating Robinson for the 10th straight time Friday night, the Panthers will try to make it six straight over Gaither, which hasn’t beaten Plant since 2000.
4. (5) Clearwater Central Catholic (2-0)
Last week: Beat Tampa Catholic 38-0
This week: at Tampa Jesuit
Lowdown: The Marauders lost eight starters on defense, including the entire front seven. Still, CCC has stayed dominant on that side of the ball, allowing just six points in the first two games.
5. (8) Tampa Bay Tech (1-0)
Last week: Bye
This week: vs. No. 25 Durant
Lowdown: Tough test for the Titans as they try to keep momentum going against the giant killer Cougars.
6. (9) Countryside (2-0)
Last week: Beat Bradenton Southeast 30-7
This week: at Palmetto
Lowdown: The roar restored? We’re getting there. Right now, it’s a nice, slow grumble, like right before breakfast.
7. (2) Sickles (1-1)
Last week: Lost to Durant 30-20
This week: Vs. Newsome
Lowdown: Sickles scored on an 80-yard pass on the first play of the game Friday, which turned out to be a sign of things not to come.
8. (13) Hillsborough (1-0)
Last week: Beat Jefferson 33-24
This week: at No. 1 Armwood
Lowdown: I’m not sure what the whole pretend to be ripping open your shirt thing is Dwayne Lawson did twice Friday, but I’ll be honest: I expected a big S to magically appear after his Superman performance against the Dragons.
9. (7) Pinellas Park (1-1)
Last week: Lost to Gibbs 22-14
This week: vs. Osceola
Lowdown: Patriots were shocked 22-14 at Gibbs last week. It will be interesting to see how they play against a decent Osceola.
10. (12) Bloomingdale (2-0)
Last week: Beat Brandon 22-16 (OT)
This week: Bye
Lowdown: The Bulls have gutted out and passed two significant tests the first two weeks this season and will now get a week off to prepare for the biggest test of all when it meets Plant on Sept. 19.
11. (14) Lakewood (1-1)
Last week: Beat Palmetto 34-31
This week: at St. Petersburg
Lowdown: Ryan Davis may be chasing the county passing record, but we’re starting to wonder if he’s not chasing the county single-season rushing record, too, after another big performance against Palmetto.
12. (11) Jefferson (1-1)
Last week: Lost to Hillsborough
This week: vs. Robinson.
Lowdown: The Dragons played poorly in the second half against Hillsborough, and the price to pay to get back to the playoffs is now a steep one. I’d recommend a few car washes between now and the Armwood game in two weeks.
13. (12) Plant City (1-0)
Last week: Beat Wharton 20-7
This week: Bye
Lowdown: Could the Raiders’ season start out any slower? An opening-week game called at halftime because of weather, a win over Wharton, and a bye week. We call that Slowmentum!
14. (6) Largo (1-1)
Last week: Lost to East Lake 42-0
This week: at Gibbs
Lowdown: Is it too early to ask if the Packers have lost their personality and fire after one of their flattest and least inspiring performances in years? Anyone got a match?
15. (15) Jesuit (2-0)
Last week: Beat Lakewood Ranch 27-24 (2OT)
This week: vs. No. 4 CCC
Lowdown: Wins over Hardee and Lakewood Ranch still have you wondering just how good the Tigers are.Well, come out Friday and wonder no more.
16. (16) Berkeley Prep (2-0)
Last week: Beat Lakeland Victory Christian
This week: vs. Sarasota Booker
Lowdown: Are the Bucs quietly lurking and slowly emerging as a potential state contender? A win over a 5A team this week will tell us more.
17. (17) Sunlake (2-0)
Last week: Beat River Ridge 28-0
This week: at Anclote
Lowdown: River Ridge beat Sunlake 50-0 in the Seahawks’ first ever game. Since? The Seahawks are 7-0 against the Royal Knights, outscoring them 194-46.
18. (19) Indian Rocks Christian (2-0)
Last week: Beat Carrollwood Day 56-13
This week: at Admiral Farragut
Lowdown: The Golden Eagles are poised to move to the top of the Class 2A rankings after a resounding win over a Carrollwood Day team that was supposed to contend for a district title.
19. (23) Land O’Lakes (1-1)
Last week: Beat Anclote 39-7
This week: at Ridgewood
Lowdown: Quarterback James Pensyl now has five straight games of 200 or more yards passing.
20. (24) Lennard (2-0)
Last week: Beat King 20-17
This week: vs. Chamberlain.
Lowdown: Words we never thought we’d be uttering — and we’re probably jumping the gun here since it’s so early in the season — but Lennard is playing Friday to retain its share of first place in the district.
21. (18) Pasco (1-1)
Last week: Beat Fivay 28-27 (OT)
This week: at Wesley Chapel
Lowdown: The Pirates are like an enigma wrapped in a riddle rolled in flour and put in a deep fryer, then powdered with sugar and served with a side of a fruit-filled jam and a nice cup of coffee. I really need to stop doing this top 25 before breakfast.
22. (NR) Zephyrhills (2-0)
Last week: Beat Gulf 56-21
This week: at Mitchell
Lowdown: After five straight 0-2 starts, the schedule maker has been kind to the Bulldogs, who are now 2-0 for the second straight year, outscoring Gulf and Wesley Chapel 178-56 combined the past two seasons.
23. (25) Tarpon Springs (2-0)
Last week: Beat Osceola 31-21
This week: at Tampa Catholic
Lowdown: The Spongers (2-0) are the only undefeated team left in Class 5A, District 8, and are averaging 34 points per game.
24. (20) Alonso (1-1)
Last week: Beat Steinbrenner 17-14
This week: vs. East Bay
Lowdown: Roosevelt Lawrence picked off a pass, recovered a fumble and returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown to help the slow-starting Ravens pick up their first win.
T25. (NR) St. Petersburg (2-0)
Last week: Beat Clearwater 40-30
This week: vs. Lakewood
Lowdown: The Green Devils have put up some points early — 41 and 40 in first two games. Lakewood has given up more than 30 in both games. Should be a neighborhood shootout.
T25. (NR) Durant (1-1)
Last week: Beat then No. 2 Sickles 30-20
This week: At No. 5 Tampa Bay Tech
Lowdown: One week you have to stop Armwood’s Noah Johnson, next week it’s Sickles’ Ray Ray McCloud III, and this week it’s Tampa Bay Tech’s Deon Cain. I think we can speak for Mike Gottman and just say: Sheeeeesh!
Also considered: Gaither, Mitchell, Spoto, Calvary Christian, Cambridge Christian, River Ridge