New Jersey High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Sept. 9
After a long summer, the high school football season in New Jersey is underway.
Programs from around the Garden State opened their seasons with varying results, including three of the state’s top teams facing out-of-state opponents on the first weekend. The second week featured more pivotal matchups, which has led to some shakeup in the state rankings.
After two weeks, here’s a look at the updated top-25 rankings in New Jersey:
The On3 Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory. According to the model — four teams from Alabama rank inside the nationwide top 100.
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1. Bergen Catholic
Previous Rank: 1
Bergen Catholic is looking to defend its New Jersey Non-Public A defending state champions after the Crusaders downed Delbarton 24-14 in the title game last season. They opened this season with a huge test against Florida’s IMG Academy, but fell to the Ascenders 27-14. After regrouping, they traveled to Ohio to face the No. 2 team in the Buckeye State: Washington. The Crusaders put on a dominant performance from start to finish, rolling to a 35-21 victory. But there’s no rest on the schedule this week, as they’ll travel across state lines again to play New York’s No. 1 team, Iona Prep.
2. St Joseph Regional
Previous Rank: 2 (+1)
A 6-4 season ended with a quarterfinal loss to Seton Hall Prep last season, but the Green Knights are poised to be one of the best programs in the Garden State in 2024. Week 1 was arguably their toughest test of the season with an out-of-state road game at Baltimore St. Frances Academy. They fell in a 31-21 decision, but rebounded quickly with a decisive 28-7 win over No. 9 Seton Hall Prep. Much like Bergen, their schedule doesn’t get any easier with three straight games against top-25 teams over the next few weeks.
3. DePaul Catholic
Previous Rank: 8 (+5)
DePaul Catholic lost the Non-Public B state championship game to Red Bank Catholic in a 14-7 nailbiter in 2023. They opened against Pope John XXIII, routing the Friars 47-14. Over the weekend, they headed down to Maryland to face D.C.-area powerhouse Good Counsel and came out with an impressive 28-17 victory led by Ohio State wide receiver commit De’zie Jones.
4. Don Bosco Prep
Previous Rank: 5 (+1)
Don Bosco entered the season as the state’s No. 2-ranked team after falling to Delbarton last season in the quarterfinals. They face a daunting schedule that includes Akron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban, Red Bank Catholic, Bergen Catholic, St. Joseph and St. Peter’s. They opened the season on the road at Hoban, falling 21-7 to one of the premier programs in Ohio. The Ironmen were back on the road at Red Bank Catholic, a preseason top-10 team, and routed them 44-0.
5. Hun School
Previous Rank: 18 (+13)
The Raiders field a roster that features numerous Division I commitments, including 2026 four-star EDGE Luke Wafle, Rutgers four-star linebacker commit Kamar Archie, Stanford pledge Kole Briehler and Wake Forest offensive tackle verbal Nathan Pahanich. They opened the season with a huge upset win over Illinois powerhouse Mount Carmel, then followed it by beating Wyoming Seminary Upper School this past weekend. They’ll get another big test road test this week when they head up to Connecticut to face No. 2 Avon Old Farms.
6. Millville
Previous Rank: 4 (-2)
Millville fell to Mainland Regional in the Group 4 quarterfinals last year to finish off a 9-2 season for the Thunderbolts. Led by Alabama four-star wide receiver commit Lotzeir Brooks, they’re looking to go even further this season. They got off to a strong start in Week 1 by beating Holy Spirit 35-0, while Brooks broke the state record for career touchdowns receptions in the process. In Week 2, they downed Atlantic City 49-6 and will now face No. 12 Mainland Regional in what should be a terrific matchup.
7. St. Augustine Prep
Previous Rank: 7
St. Augustine Prep avenged its lost to Donovan Catholic in Non-Public A quarterfinals a year ago by routing them 35-6 in Week 1. They were dominant again in Week 2, shutting out Paul VI 29-0. Up next are three straight top-15 matchups against Cherokee, Winslow Township and Mainland Regional.
8. Toms River North
Previous Rank: 6 (-2)
The Mariners were one of the biggest movers in last week’s poll after after shutting down Downington (Pa.) East 31-2 in the season opener. They followed that with a 55-0 bludgeoning of Toms River East, beating their crosstown rivals handily.
9. Delbarton School
Previous Rank: 2 (-7)
Delbarton made it all the way to the Non-Public A state title game last year before falling to Bergen Catholic to cap an impressive 10-2 season. They opened 2024 in dominant fashion by beating Iona Prep, New York’s No. 1 team, 34-7 at home. They welcomed one of Pennsylvania’s top programs, Malvern Prep, over the weekend. The Green Wave came out on the wrong end of 27-17 final score but will have to rebound quickly with games against top-25 teams Monsignor Farrell (N.Y.), St. Peters Prep and Seton Hall Prep over the next three weeks.
10. Seton Hall Prep
Previous Rank: 9 (-1)
The Pirates will once again play one of the state’s toughest high school football schedules in 2024, which includes the likes of St. Joseph Regional, DePaul Catholic, Delbarton, St. Peter’s, Pope John XXIII, Don Bosco Prep and Bergen Catholic. They opened the season with a dominating 34-0 victory over Union, but took a tough 28-7 loss to No. 2 St. Joseph on Friday. A potential rebound is on the horizon though with a road tilt at Chaminade (N.Y.) this week.
Teams 11-25 in latest New Jersey High School Football rankings
11. Paramus Catholic (+4)
12. Mainland Regional (-2)
13. Phillipsburg (+4)
14. Cherokee (-1)
15. Winslow Township (-3)
16. Camden (+5)
17. Washington Township (-3)
18. St. Peter’s Prep (previously unranked)
19. Donovan Catholic (-3)
20. Rumson-Fair Haven
21. Shawnee (-1)
22. Old Tappan (+1)
23. Willingboro (previously unranked)
24. Passaic County Technical Insititute (previously unranked)
25. Red Bank Catholic (-6)