The margin for error is now zero for all local high school football teams, with playoff stakes being raised every week. That is reflected in these rankings, which feature three new teams to replace squads that took postseason losses.
No. 17 South River, No. 19 St. Mary’s Ryken and No. 20 Churchill fill out the Top 20 after staying alive in their respective brackets.
Undefeated South River and Churchill represent two of the six Maryland teams in these rankings to advance out of their region brackets and into the state quarterfinals, a group headlined by No. 4 Quince Orchard, No. 8 Wise and No. 10 Sherwood. There are no ranked matchups this week in any public school brackets, but Quince Orchard is playing C.H. Flowers and Sherwood faces North Point. Both opponents were previously top-10 teams before forfeits bumped them from the rankings.
Virginia publics are still in region play. Patriot was the only ranked Virginia team from last week not to advance to the semifinals after falling to Woodbridge, which continued its rise to No. 9 ahead of a tough matchup with Class 6 contender Colonial Forge. Bubble squads Lake Braddock and South County face off this week in a Class 6 Region C matchup.
Friendship Collegiate has been the highest-ranked D.C. public for a while now, and it was the last Top 20 group to finish its regular season. The Knights now await their first opponent in the D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA playoffs, while St. Albans moved into the semifinals of the Class A field.
Eastern, meanwhile, dropped to the bubble after losing to Coolidge in the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association semifinals. The Colts will face Dunbar in next week’s Turkey Bowl.
The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference is the only local private school league still in action, and its championship game is now set. No. 1 DeMatha will face No. 5 Gonzaga on Sunday, with the undefeated Stags hoping to claim their second straight championship and the Eagles looking for their first since 2018. In the Metro division, Ryken will play Paul VI on Saturday.
1. DeMatha (10-0)
The Stags are one win away from back-to-back WCAC titles after beating St. John’s, 42-0, in the league semifinals. Last ranked: 1
Next: Sunday vs. No. 5 Gonzaga, 6 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
2. St. James (8-1)
The St. James lost just once — to Baltimore powerhouse St. Frances Academy — in its inaugural season. LR: 2
Next: Season complete.
3. Archbishop Spalding (10-2)
Spalding became the first team in MIAA history to win four straight outright titles when it beat McDonogh in Saturday’s championship game. LR: 3
Next: Season complete.
4. Quince Orchard (11-0)
After beating Northwest, Quince Orchard will have its toughest playoff test yet when it plays C.H. Flowers — a top-10 team in these rankings before forfeits pushed it down the bracket. LR: 4
Next: Friday vs. C.H. Flowers, 7 p.m.
5. Gonzaga (7-4)
The Eagles rallied from a 14-0 deficit to beat Good Counsel, 31-28, and move within one win of their first WCAC title since 2018. LR: 6
Next: Sunday vs. No. 1 DeMatha, 6 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
6. Friendship Collegiate (9-2)
After beating Loudoun Sports Academy, 18-14, in its regular season finale, Friendship awaits its semifinal opponent in the D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA bracket. LR: 5
Next: Nov. 29 vs. TBD, 1 p.m. at Georgetown University
7. Stone Bridge (8-1)
Stone Bridge had a bye last week before its first postseason game – a Virginia Class 5 Region D semifinal against Champe. LR: 7
Next: Friday vs. Champe, 7 p.m.
8. Wise (9-1)
The Pumas advanced after DuVal forfeited its region matchup, moving Wise into the state quarterfinals. LR: 8
Next: Friday vs. Glen Burnie, 7 p.m.
9. Woodbridge (10-1)
Woodbridge made the most of its first home playoff game in eight years, beating Patriot, 41-21, behind three touchdowns from junior James Shaw. LR: 11
Next: Friday at Colonial Forge, 7 p.m.
10. Sherwood (9-1)
The top seed in the Maryland Class 4A/3A playoffs, Sherwood beat Kennedy to move into the state quarterfinals but will have a tough matchup with defending champion North Point. LR: 12
Next: Friday vs. North Point, 6:30 p.m.
11. Good Counsel (6-5)
It was a back-and-forth WCAC semifinal against Gonzaga, but the Falcons couldn’t hold on to their early lead in a season-ending defeat. LR: 9
Next: Season complete.
12. St. John’s (6-5)
Despite pushing DeMatha to overtime in the regular season, St. John’s couldn’t hang with the Stags in the WCAC semifinals. LR: 10
Next: Season complete.
13. Centreville (9-1)
Centreville was able to take care of Marshall, 42-31, and now turns to Friday’s region semifinal against Madison. LR: 13
Next: Friday vs. Madison, 7 p.m.
14. Guilford Park (11-0)
The Panthers advanced to the Maryland Class 3A quarterfinals by beating defending 2A champion Stephen Decatur, 28-14. LR: 16
Next: Friday vs. Westminster, 6:30 p.m.
15. Battlefield (10-1)
After beating Forest Park, 27-16, the Bobcats will have their hands full in a Virginia Class 6 Region B semifinal against North Stafford. LR: 15
Next: Friday vs. North Stafford, 7 p.m.
16. West Springfield (9-2)
The Spartans came out flying against West Potomac, leading 42-0 at halftime and cruising to a 48-13 win. LR: 19
Next: Friday vs. Fairfax, 7 p.m.
17. South River (11-0)
The Seahawks have reached the Maryland Class 3A quarterfinals — their deepest playoff run in five decades — after Gregory Proud hit a game-winning field goal with four seconds remaining in a 31-28 win over St. Charles. LR: Not ranked
Next: Friday vs. Oakdale, 6:30 p.m.
18. St. Albans (9-2)
The Bulldogs began their DCSAA Class A title defense with a 49-38 win over Maret in the quarterfinals, with Maryland commit Zahir Cobb snagging two interceptions. LR: 20
Next: Saturday vs. Digital Pioneers Academy, noon
19. St. Mary’s Ryken (8-3)
Ryken’s first appearance in the Top 20 this year comes after a comfortable win over Bishop O’Connell, pitting it against Paul VI in the WCAC Metro division title game. LR: NR
Next: Saturday vs. Paul VI, 4 p.m. at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex
20. Churchill (10-1)
The Bulldogs, whose only loss this season came to Quince Orchard, beat Richard Montgomery to move into the Maryland Class 4A quarterfinals. LR: NR
Next: Friday vs. Blair, 6:30 p.m.
Dropped out: No. 14 Patriot, No. 17 Calvert, No. 18 Eastern
On the bubble: Broadneck, Douglass, Eastern, Lake Braddock, South County
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