For the second consecutive year, there will be a wire-to-wire No. 1 team in these rankings. Last season it was Archbishop Spalding, whose undefeated campaign earned it unquestioned status of the area’s best squad. This fall, that team is DeMatha.
The Stags beat Gonzaga on Sunday, 20-13, to secure a second straight Washington Catholic Athletic Association championship, running the table at 11-0. After starting the season as the top-ranked team in the D.C. area, DeMatha rolled through a difficult schedule that included competition in the one of the country’s toughest conferences. Its winning streak sits at 21 games, with the most recent loss coming in the 2024 season opener against that aforementioned Spalding team. With its 2025 campaign now complete, DeMatha will remain in the top spot for the remainder of the season.
State playoffs in D.C., Maryland and Virginia continue churning, though, and were responsible for nearly all of the movement in this week’s Top 20. Five teams dropped out after seeing their seasons end, opening spots for some new entrants: No. 16 Lake Braddock, No. 17 Broadneck, No. 18 Westfield, No. 19 Digital Pioneers Academy and No. 20 Madison.
There are five Maryland state semifinalists in the Top 20, setting up multiple ranked matchups as the title race picks up. No. 4 Quince Orchard leads the bunch and faces Broadneck on Friday, while the other Class 4A semifinal pits No. 8 Wise against No. 13 Churchill. No. 10 Sherwood represents another of the 11 total area teams still alive.
Virginia is nearly into its state tournaments, with region finals to be played this week. Led by No. 7 Stone Bridge and No. 9 Woodbridge, six ranked teams from state are still playing, with No. 15 West Springfield and Lake Braddock set to square off in the Class 6 Region C final. Westfield will also play Madison for the Class 6 Region D crown.
In the District, No. 6 Friendship Collegiate will play Eastern on Saturday in the D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA semifinals, and later that day Digital Pioneers Academy is set to face Bell in the Class A title game.
1. DeMatha (11-0)
The Stags held off Gonzaga to win their leage-best 26th championship. Last ranked: 1
Next: Season complete.
2. St. James (8-1)
It was a successful first season for the St. James Performance Academy, which won its first eight games before a loss in its regular season finale. LR: 2
Next: Season complete.
3. Archbishop Spalding (10-2)
Spalding became the first program to win four straight outright Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championships. LR: 3
Next: Season complete.
4. Quince Orchard (12-0)
The defending Maryland Class 4A champions are back in the semifinals after beating C.H. Flowers, 21-10, to bring their winning streak to 25 games. LR: 4
Next: Friday vs. No. 17 Broadneck, 3 p.m.
5. Gonzaga (7-5)
The Eagles finished one game short of their first WCAC title since 2018. LR: 5
Next: Season complete.
6. Friendship Collegiate (9-2)
Riding a four-game winning streak, Friendship’s pursuit of a DCSAA Class AA title begins this weekend with a semifinal matchup against Eastern. LR: 6
Next: Saturday vs. Eastern, 1 p.m. at Georgetown University
7. Stone Bridge (9-1)
After a comfortable 41-0 win over Champe, Stone Bridge will be tested by undefeated Riverbend in the Virginia Class 5 Region D title game. LR: 7
Next: Friday vs. Riverbend, 1 p.m.
8. Wise (10-1)
The Pumas will play in the state semifinals for the 10th straight season after beating Glen Burnie, 46-20, in the Maryland Class 4A quarterfinals. LR: 8
Next: Friday at No. 13 Churchill, 7 p.m.
9. Woodbridge (11-1)
Woodbridge held off Colonial Forge in the Virginia Class 6 Region B semifinals, stopping a two-point conversion attempt with 1:43 left for a 35-34 win. LR: 9
Next: Saturday at North Stafford, 1 p.m.
10. Sherwood (10-1)
The Warriors took down defending Maryland Class 4A/3A champion North Point with a 19-7 win, moving them into the Class 3A semifinals. LR: 10
Next: Friday vs. Perry Hall, 4 p.m.
11. Good Counsel (6-5)
Good Counsel’s season ended last week with a close loss to Gonzaga in the WCAC semifinals. LR: 11
Next: Season complete.
12. St. John’s (6-5)
The Cadets started strong but were tripped up in WCAC play, dropping four of their last five games. LR: 12
Next: Season complete.
13. Churchill (11-1)
It was a commanding Maryland Class 4A quarterfinal performance for Churchill, which pulled away from Blair en route to a 42-7 win. LR: 20
Next: Friday vs. No. 8 Wise, 7 p.m.
14. St. Mary’s Ryken (9-3)
The Knights rolled Paul VI, 43-6, to claim another WCAC Metro championship — their fifth in seven years. LR: 19
Next: Season complete.
15. West Springfield (10-2)
By beating Fairfax, 28-7, the Spartans advanced to their first region final since 2007 and moved within one game of their first state tournament appearance in 45 years. LR: 16
Next: Saturday vs. No. 16 Lake Braddock, 1 p.m.
16. Lake Braddock (9-3)
Senior running back Ty Jackson had 183 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a win over South County, lifting Lake Braddock into the Virginia Class 6 Region C final. LR: Not ranked
Next: Saturday at No. 15 West Springfield, 1 p.m.
17. Broadneck (8-3)
Broadneck eliminated Paint Branch with 37-22 victory and will face the same team it lost to in last year’s Maryland Class 4A semifinals — Quince Orchard. LR: NR
Next: Friday at No. 4 Quince Orchard, 3 p.m.
18. Westfield (9-3)
A Top 20 team earlier in the season, the Bulldogs are back after defeating South Lakes, 31-21, for their fourth straight win. LR: NR
Next: Saturday vs. No. 20 Madison, 1 p.m.
19. Digital Pioneers Academy (11-1)
The Pythons beat St. Albans to advance to their first DCSAA Class A championship game, where they will face Bell. LR: NR
Next: Saturday vs. Bell, 4 p.m. at Georgetown University
20. Madison (8-4)
Madison, a Virginia Class 6 finalist last season, advanced to its sixth straight region final after beating Centreville in overtime, 35-34. LR: NR
Next: Saturday at No. 18 Westfield, 1 p.m.
Dropped out: No. 13 Centreville, No. 14 Guilford Park, No. 15 Battlefield, No. 17 South River, No. 18 St. Albans
On the bubble: Centreville, Eastern, Loudoun County, Old Mill, Patuxent
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