WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Here are our top 25 rankings of the best high school football teams in Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia. List comprised by DC News Now’s sports department. Records are as of Thursday afternoon.
1. Riverdale Baptist (9-0) – Last week: 1
Riverdale Baptist remains at No. 1 after wrapping up their season with a 30-12 win over Friendship.
2. DeMatha (9-1) – Last week: 2
DeMatha advanced to the WCAC championship game with a 42-6 blowout win over St. John’s.
3. Madison (11-0) – Last week: 3
Madison remains undefeated and advances to the second round of the playoffs with a 44-0 win over Chantilly. Madison will try to beat Westfield for the second time this season this week.
4. Quince Orchard (10-0) – Last week: 4
Quince Orchard has now advanced further than their 2nd round exit last season, blanking Churchill to advance to the state quarterfinals, 49-0.
5. Wise (9-1) – Last week: 5
Wise shutout Bowie, 50-0, advancing to the state quarterfinals.
6. Battlefield (11-0) – Last week: 6
Battlefield beat Gar-Field in the first round of the playoffs, 42-7. They’ll host Patriot in the next round on Friday.
7. Hayfield (9-1) – Last week: 7
Through all of the controversy, Hayfield remains at No. 7 in our rankings.
8. Paint Branch (9-1*) – Last week: 9
Paint Branch beat Walter Johnson, 56-21, to advance in the playoffs. The Panthers will face Flowers in our game of the week on Friday.
9. Good Counsel (7-4) – Last week: 8
Good Counsel survived a comeback scare by Gonzaga, winning 26-14. They’ll face No. 2 DeMatha in the WCAC championship game.
10. Linganore (11-0) – Last week: 10
Linganore holds steady in our top ten, with a 49-21 win over Westminster. They’ll host Bel Air in the state quarterfinals on Friday.
11. Washington-Liberty (11-0) – Last week: 12
Washington-Liberty’s impressive rise in our rankings continues during its historic season. They beat Yorktown, 28-0. Langley is up next.
12. Gonzaga (7-4) – Last week: 11
Gonzaga fought hard against Good Counsel, but they’re eliminated in the WCAC semifinals, falling 26-14.
13. John Champe (10-0) – Last week: 13
John Champe remains at No. 13 falling its bye. The Knights will host Woodgrove on Friday.
14. St. John’s (5-5) – Last week: 14
St. John’s falls in the WCAC semifinals to DeMatha, 42-6. St. John’s finishes a season of a very tough schedule at .500.
15. Friendship Collegiate (8-3) – Last week: 15
Friendship stays at No. 15 after a surviving a late season scare against Virginia Academy. They win that game 22-14. Next up is the DCSAA playoffs.
16. Dunbar (10-1) – Last week: 16
Dunbar crushes Woodson, 35-0, in the DCSAA playoffs. The Crimson Tide will take on Coolidge in the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving.
17. C.H. Flowers (8-2) – Last week: 17
Flowers crushes Eleanor Roosevelt, 42-20. Next up – our game of the week — state quarterfinals matchup vs. Paint Branch.
18. Northwest (9-2) – Last week: 18
Northwest crushes Seneca Valley, 42-6. The Jaguars will visit Broadneck, the team that eliminated them in the state semifinals last year, in the state quarterfinals on Friday.
19. Sherwood (9-2) – Last week: 23
Sherwood looked like a force to be reckoned with in a 35-0 win over Oakdale in the second round of the playoffs. The Warriors will host Franklin on Friday.
20. Westfield (9-2) – Last week: 20
Westfield improves to 9-2 with a 21-14 playoff win over Herndon. They’ll now meet Madison again in the second round of the playoffs. The Bulldogs lost to the Warriors, 26-21, in October.
21. Lake Braddock (8-2) – Last week: 21
Lake Braddock continues its run, hosting Mount Vernon Thursday night.
22. Georgetown Prep (7-2) – Last week: 19
Georgetown Prep won the IAC regular season title, but the Little Hoyas are jumped by a few teams that had impressive wins.
23. Tuscarora (Va.) (9-1) – Last week: 22
Tuscarora comes off a bye and will take on Loudoun County in the playoffs Friday.
24. Colonial Forge (8-3) – Last week: Unranked
Colonial Forge is back in our rankings after a resounding 45-24 win over Stafford. The Eagles will take on North Stafford on Friday.
25. Langley (9-2) – Last week: honorable mention
Langley beat Marshall, 42-14, to advance in the playoffs. On Friday, the Saxons will face Washington-Liberty. On Nov. 2, the Generals beat Langley, 28-14.
Honorable mention:
Middletown (8-2), Blake (9-2), Patriot (8-3), Bethesda-Chevy Chase (8-3), Douglass (11-0), Kettle Run (11-0), Bullis (8-2), St. Albans (7-4), Oakdale (8-3), Herndon (8-3)
