The Moeller Crusaders top the 2023 Preseason Blitz 5 Top 25 presented by TriStateFootball.com. New head coach Bert Bathiany takes over a squad that has ruled Region 4 and gone a combined 24-6 over the past two seasons. Big Moe is “King of the Poll” until proven otherwise.Second-ranked Lakota West will be tested right out of the gate on the road at No. 4 St. Xavier in our Blitz 5 Game of the Week. That is one of three tilts pitting Top 25 teams to kick off the 2023 season. Also on the slate, #11 Milford travels to #22 Edgewood and #18 La Salle hosts #21 Colerain.Here’s the complete 2023 Preseason Blitz 5 Top 25:1. Moeller (13-2) – Back-to-back regional championships, the nation’s top running back in Jordan Marshall and a veteran supporting cast are enough to catapult Big Moe to the top of the poll. The Crusaders only question mark is how fast will five new and “nasty” offensive linemen come together? NEXT UP: 8/18 – BEN DAVIS (IN) (6-4 in 2022). 2. Lakota West (13-1) – Coming off the school’s first undefeated regular season and third straight regional finals appearance, the Firebirds have a defense that can carry them just as far this fall. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at #4 St. Xavier (5-7).3. Winton Woods (12-1) – NEXT UP: 8/18 – The Warriors posted the program’s first ever perfect 10-0 regular season in 2022, but fell short of the team’s goal of winning back-to-back state titles after falling to league rival Kings in the playoffs. This talented and deep squad will be playing with fire in their bellies as they have unfinished business to take care of. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Trotwood-Madison (7-5).4. St. Xavier (5-7) – The Bombers went through growing pains in 2022. An experienced group can now come at teams in waves. A difficult road schedule will test St. X mentally and physically down the stretch. It will make this veteran group tougher to beat come playoff time. NEXT UP: 8/18 – #2 LAKOTA WEST (13-1).5. Elder (10-3) – The Panthers have been a team that has been able to lie low in the tall grass and attack at the right time. Elder has made it to at least the third round of the playoffs four times in the last five years. With some excellent players in the trenches this squad should be heading toward its peak by the time Week 11 rolls around once again. NEXT UP: 8/18 – PICKERINGTON NORTH (7-5).6. Princeton (9-3) – Despite 20 wins over the last two years the Vikings still need to beat the area’s best in the postseason if they want to be considered an upper echelon program again. Look for Princeton to run the ball more and eat up the clock, aiding the prowess of what should be a very fast and deep defense. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Elyria (5-6).7. Fairfield (7-4) – Quarterback and four-year starter Talon Fisher is one of those special “cats” that can take control of a game and carry a team over an extended period of time. For that reason, never count the Indians out of any battle. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Wayne (6-5).8. Withrow (8-4) – This will be one of the most enjoyable offenses to watch all season long. The Tigers are going to be able to stretch the field at will with their passing game. This is a team that nobody wants to face on any Friday night. If Withrow wants to forge deep into the playoffs, the run game and defense will need to shine just as much as the receivers in November. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Walnut Hills (0-10).9. East Central (13-2) – The reigning Indiana Class 4A champion Trojans may be even better than they were a year ago. That’s saying something considering they averaged 37.6 points per game, scored 35 points or more 12 times in 15 contests, allowed just 10.3 points per game and held 10 opponents to seven points or fewer with four shutouts. The kings of St. Leon are very capable of repeating. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Lawrenceburg (13-2).10. Anderson (8-6) – The Raptors are going to be an outrageously good offense and will have four Division I recruits catching the ball. They will have the confidence to go for it on every fourth down that they face no matter what yard-line they are on. Anderson may never punt. Still, as head coach Evan Dreyer knows this team will only be successful if their defense takes a big leap forward. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at South Oldham (KY) (8-5).11. Milford (9-3) – They have size, confidence and know how to win. If Milford gets competent quarterback play, the Eagles could be soaring to new heights for the program in November. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at #22 Edgewood (9-3).12. Covington Catholic (9-3) – The Colonels are moving down to Class 4A. With a very solid core of returnees this team is very capable of bringing home the program’s ninth state title. CovCath star Willie Rodriguez is the real deal. There will be times in every game where he takes over. NEXT UP: 8/18 – RYLE (6-6).13. Lakota East (3-7) – A reboot in Liberty Township sees former Bengal Jon Kitna takeover at the helm. Coming along with him is son, Jamison Kitna, a junior quarterback that has already committed to Houston. The Thunderhawks are going to be a team that will have eyes on them constantly, something this program isn’t used to. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Centerville (10-3).14. Taft (11-3) The Senators will win with defense and dominant force Elias Rudolph who may just be the best defensive lineman in the entire state. Taft made it to the Division IV, Region 16 finals for the first time in school history last season. If they want to move on the Senators must figure out how to beat Wyoming, who has nine straight victories over Taft dating back to 2014. NEXT UP: 8/18 – PLEASURE RIDGE PARK (KY)(6-5).15. Kings (13-1) – The bar was raised to a whole new level last season as the Knights won their first-ever regional title and ended a run of eight straight seasons of Winton Woods or La Salle being Region 8 champions. Sometimes “the class” after “THE CLASS”, does surprisingly well. These Kings seniors fit that mold. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Sycamore (0-10).16. Mount Healthy (5-6) – If the Owls take on the persona of head coach Jordan Stevens and play with the discipline he preaches at practice, they are a legitimate contender to win the Region12 championship. Mount Healthy may have the most top tier talent in Division III in the entire state. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Little Miami (4-8).17. Mason (10-3) – What can the Comets do for an encore? Mason is coming off its deepest playoff run in school history and highest ever finish in the GMC standings (second place). NEXT UP: 8/18 – GAHANNA LINCOLN (13-2).18. La Salle (2-9) – No team has more to prove out of the gate. The Lancers limp into 2023 on a nine-game losing streak. NEXT UP: 8/18 – #21 COLERAIN (4-7).19. Middletown (3-8) – Head coach Don Simpson says he has his best team, in this his sixth year as head coach. The Middies went 3-3 in GMC contests that were decided by seven points or less a year ago. NEXT UP: 8/18 – LOVELAND (4-7).20. Oak Hills (5-6) – The Highlanders go into 2023 with plenty to build upon. The program finished the regular season .500 for the first time since 2013. Before 2020, Oak Hills had only made the playoffs one time. It has now made three straight playoff appearances despite a combined record of 7-24 in that span. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at Turpin (1-9).21. Colerain (4-7) – The Cardinals will have a different head coach for the third time in the last six years. Looking to gain some stability in the program, new front man Carl Huber looks to reverse the negative trend that has seen the program have back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in more than 30 years. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at #18 La Salle (2-9).22. Edgewood (11-2) – The senior class heads into their final campaign having won 20 games over the past two seasons with a nine-game winning streak in 2021 and an 11-game unbeaten run in ’22. NEXT UP: 8/18 – #11 MILFORD (9-3).23. Hamilton (3-8) – The Big Blue is on a quest for their first ever playoff win (0-8). Hamilton has made the postseason a program record four straight years. NEXT UP: 8/18 – #24 BADIN (13-1).24. Badin (13-1) – Over the past three seasons, the Rams are a combined 35-3, including a 25-0 mark in the regular season and 14-0 record in GCL Coed play. In that span, Badin has allowed just 8.8 points per game, 30 times opponents have scored 14 points or fewer, 18 have been held to seven points or less with nine shutouts for the flock. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at #23 Hamilton (3-8).25. Beechwood (14-1) – New head coach Jay Volker inherits a program that has won three straight Kentucky Class 2A Kentucky state championships, six state titles in the last seven years and 17 crowns overall. NEXT UP: 8/18 – at McNicholas (7-6).KNOCKING ON THE DOOR:Bishop Fenwick, Clinton-Massie, Cooper, Dixie Heights, Highlands, Lawrenceburg, Lebanon, McNicholas, Simon Kenton, Sycamore, West Clermont, Western Brown and Wyoming