Prediction: St. Joseph's Prep (Pa.) repeats as PIAA state champs

The 2025 high school football season will be getting underway in less than five weeks, which means it’s officially preview season. Rivals is breaking down the nation’s top teams from coast-to-coast, and today we head to Pennsylvania where the nationally-ranked St. Joseph’s heads into the season with its sights set on another state title. The Hawks are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and playing another national slate of games helps battle test them for the PIAA playoffs.

Player Spotlight: WR Jett Harrison

If you live in Philadelphia and haven’t heard of Jett Harrison, you must be too busy paying attention to the area’s professional sports teams instead. Harrison comes from NFL bloodlines as his father, Marvin, starred for the Indianapolis Colts and was eventually inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Last season as a freshman dynamo for the Hawks, Harrison finished with an impressive campaign in helping St. Joseph’s Prep win a PIAA Class 6A championship.

Others to watch: DL Alex Haskell, LB Brandon Lockley, CB Simaj Hill, QB Charlie Foulke, DL Ryan Zats

Season Prediction: 8-1

Playing one of the most difficult schedules of any team in the Northeast, the Hawks are gearing up for another run at a PIAA Class 6A state title. With a regular season slate that features the likes of American Heritage (Fla.), DeMatha (Md.), Good Counsel (Md.) and St. Frances Academy (Md.), the Hawks will be well prepared to face anyone within the state of Pennsylvania. Our prediction is the Hawks, behind an offense led by 2027 quarterback Charlie Foulke, lose just one game to St. Frances Academy and cap the season with a state championship.

Game-By-Game Predictions

Aug. 22 – at American Heritage (Fla.) Patriots – W
Playing down in Fort Lauderdale during the summer is no joke when it comes to the heat. The Hawks avenge a 2022 loss to the Patriots and come away with the dub.

Aug. 30 – DeMatha Catholic (MD) Stags – W
Back home in Philly, the Hawks take on a talented Stags bunch and come away with win No. 2.

Sep. 13 – at St. Frances Academy (MD) Panthers – L
Facing one of the top 10 teams in the country, the Hawks come up short on the road in Baltimore.

Sept. 20 – Good Counsel (MD) Falcons – W
After losing to a Maryland-based opponent, the Hawks take it out on the Falcons back at home in a 35-14 win.

Sept. 26 – at Father Judge (Penn.) Crusaders – W
Third road game of the season ends in a 40-plus point blowout of the Crusaders.

Oct. 4 – La Salle College (Penn.) Explorers – W
This could be a Game of the Year candidate in Pennsylvania as the Explorers and Hawks clash. We have SJP in this one.

Oct. 10 – Roman Catholic (Penn.) Cahillite – W
Another home game and another one that ends in a snoozer for St. Joseph’s Prep.

Oct. 18 – Monsignor Bonner (Penn.) Friars – W
The Hawks make it five straight victories since losing to St. Frances Academy a month earlier.

Oct. 24 – Cardinal O’Hara (Penn.) Lions – W
St. Joseph’s Prep closes out the regular season with a blowout victory over the Lions.