National Football Foundation announces High School Academic Excellence winners

The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame unveiled the 2024-25 National High School Academic Excellence Awards state winners. Now on its fifth edition, this recognition honors high school football programs that also put a premium on academic excellence.

In addition to football excellence, teams qualify if their players have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. The high school coaches association from 13 states selected winners per level of play, which amounts to 65 football programs.

Out of these teams, a national selection committee will select the 2024-25 season’s National Football Foundation Hatchell Cup recipient. Named after NFF President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Hatchell, the distinction comes with a $10,000 donation.

The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation is the National High School Academic Excellence Awards’ presenter for the second consecutive year. Meanwhile, Bob’s Steak and Chop House is the Hatchell Cup presenter.

Some notable state winners include Indiana’s Warsaw Community, which had a runner-up finish in the Class 5A state championship. Meanwhile, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep won the Michigan Division 5 state title over Frankenmuth, while Hudsonville finished second to Detroit Cass Tech in Division 1.

In Illinois, Lena-Winslow (Class 1A) and Mt. Zion (Class 4A) were state tournament runners-up. Likewise, St. Paul won the Oregon Class 2A state championship over Oakland, completing an undefeated 13-0 season.

The 2024-25 National Football Federation Hatchell Cup winner will be revealed on February 4.

List of 2024-25 National Football Federation High School Academic Excellence Award winners

Arizona
3A – Payson High School
6A – Phoenix Brophy College Prep

California
4A – Hemet High School

Illinois
8-Man – Martinsville High School
1A – Lena-Winslow High School
2A – Farmington Central High School
3A – St. Joseph Ogden High School
4A – Mt. Zion High School
8A – Minooka Community High School

Indiana
1A – Greenwood Christian Academy
2A – Indianapolis Lutheran High School
3A – Evansville Reitz Memorial High School
4A – Indianapolis Bishop Chathard High School
5A – Warsaw Community High School
6A – Indianapolis Cathedral High School

Louisiana
1A – Rosedale North Iberville High School
2A – Monroe Ouachita Christian School
3A – Avondale Patrick Taylor Science and Technology Academy
4A – Lutcher High School
5A – Mandeville High School

Michigan
1 – Hudsonville High School
2 – Temperance Bedford High School
3 – DeWitt High School
4 – Chelsea High School
5 – Pontiac Notre Dame Preparatory School
6 – Ovid-Elsie High School
8 – Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary High School
8-man 1 – Gobles High School
8-man 2 – Felch North Dickinson High School

Minnesota
1A – Parkers Prairie High School
2A – Randolph High School
3A – Roseville Concordia Academy
4A – St. Anthony Village High School
5A – Waconia High School
6A – Wayzata High School
9-Man – Stephen-Argyle Central High School

Nebraska
D1 8-Man – Hemingford High School
D2 8-Man – Mullen High School
D6 6-Man – Arthur County High School
A – Kearney High School
B – Omaha Gretna East High School
C1 – Hastings Adams Central High School
C2 – Hartington Cedar Catholic High School

Oregon
1A – Adrian High School
2A – St. Paul High School
3A – Adair Village Santiam Christian High School
4A – Turner Cascade High School
5A – Bend Summit High School
6A – West Salem High School

Pennsylvania
A – Newton Square Delaware County Christian High School
3A – Harbor Creek High School
5A – Clarks Summit Abington Heights High School
6A – State College High School

Texas
Private – Houston St. John’s School
1A – Sanderson High School
2A – Spearman High School
3A – Idalou High School
4A – Sanger High School
5A – Lubbock Cooper High School
6A – Tomball Memorial High School

Utah
8-Man – Randolph Rich High School
4A – Provo High School

Wisconsin
8-man – Owen Withee High School
1 – Suamico Bay Port High School
3 – Green Bay Notre Dame Academy
5 – Stratford High School