New England High School Football Top 25 State Rankings (Sept. 14, 2026)

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The first full weekend of the 2026 high school football season provided plenty of evidence that the race for supremacy across New England is going to be anything but predictable. Several of the region's top teams flexed their muscle, while others were pushed harder than expected, creating some intriguing movement in this week's Top 25

Xaverian Brothers remains at No. 1 after surviving a high-scoring battle with Bishop Feehan, but the result suggests that the Hawks aren't guaranteed to maintain their position here. Catholic Memorial also opened with a convincing win over Andover, while St. John's Prep handled Central in a battle of two teams ranked in the preseason top seven.

New Canaan and Greenwich set the pace with shutout wins for the Connecticut contingent here, but top-ranked Bedford of New Hampshire was ousted from the rankings after suffering a 40-7 loss to their Granite State rivals from Pinkerton. That opened the door for Salem — which previously beat Pinkerton in yet another rout — to assume the mantle as the top-ranked New Hampshire team on this list.

Maine's frontrunners from Thornton Academy and Bonny Eagle dominated as well as Vermont's Burr & Burton. Rhode Island's No. 1 team from LaSalle Academy, meanwhile, was idle.

1. Xaverian Brothers (MA)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: Xaverian Brothers 42, Bishop Feehan 36

Loss(es): None

Xaverian Brothers was pushed to the limit by a motivated Bishop Feehan squad but ultimately survived to hang onto the top spot here. The Hawks will visit Everett Friday night in a game that shouldn't be nearly as close.

2. Catholic Memorial (MA)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: Catholic Memorial 36, Andover 14

Loss(es): None

Catholic Memorial handled its opener with ease, routing Andover 36-14. They'll host Christian Brothers Academy of Syracuse, New York, Friday night, and don't be fooled by the Brothers' 0-2 record. They're a potential Top 10 squad in New York whose two losses have come against teams that are both currently ranked in the state's top three.

3. New Canaan (CT)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: New Canaan 47, Trumbull 0

Loss(es): None

Connecticut's top-ranked New Canaan trounced Trumbull in the season opener, but the Rams should be pushed by a Fairfield Prep squad that was ranked here last week before losing to Scranton Prep of Pennsylvania.

4. St. John's Prep (MA)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: St. John's Prep 29, Central 14

Loss(es): None

St. John's Prep opened with a solid two-touchdown win over No. 7 Central, and the Eagles will face another highly ranked opponent on the road Friday at No. 6 Central Catholic.

5. Greenwich (CT)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: Greenwich 42, Bridgeport Central 0

Loss(es): None

Greenwich blanked Bridgeport Central to get the 2026 campaign started, and the Cardinals will follow that up with a Friday night trip to New Britain.

6. Central Catholic (MA)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: Central Catholic 34, Boston College High 0

Loss(es): None

Central Catholic dispatched Boston College High in a 34-0 romp, but they'll step it up a few levels Friday night when they host No. 4 St. John's Prep.

7. Central (MA)

Record: 0-1

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: St. John's Prep 29, Central 14

Loss(es): St. John's Prep, 29-14

Central never quite found its footing in a 29-14 loss to St. John's Prep, but the Golden Eagles hold steady heading into a Friday road trip to face a top-10 Massachusetts squad in North Attleborough.

8. La Salle Academy (RI)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: Idle

Loss(es): None

Rhode Island's No. 1 team was off last weekend, but they'll cross the Massachusetts state line Friday to take on Weymouth.

9. Scituate (MA)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: Scituate 21, Duxbury 0

Loss(es): None

Scituate opened the season with a comfortable win over Duxbury, and they'll look to keep things rolling at Norwell Friday night.

10. Cheshire (CT)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 13

Last Week: Cheshire 15, West Haven 13

Loss(es): None

Cheshire survived a 15-13 gut check on the road at West Haven last week, and the Rams return home Friday to take on Glastonbury.

11. Tewksbury Memorial (MA)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 14

Last Week: Tewksbury Memorial 41, Foxborough 14

Loss(es): None

Tewksbury Memorial looked solid in the season opener against Foxborough, and they'll be on the road again at Methuen as they try to start the season on a winning streak.

12. Southington (CT)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 15

Last Week: Southington 52, Bristol Central 6

Loss(es): None

Southington wasn't seriously challenged in a 52-6 rout of Bristol Central, but they'll likely find more resistance Friday night at Newtown.

13. St. Joseph (CT)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 17

Last Week: St. Joseph 28, Darien 7

Loss(es): None

St. Joseph whipped Darien on the road Thursday night to kick off the 2026 season, and the Cadets will be solid favorites to beat Windsor in their home opener Saturday afternoon.

14. Walpole (MA)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: Walpole 16, King Phillip Regional 13

Loss(es): None

Walpole recorded one of the big upsets of Week 1, knocking King Philip Regional out of the rankings with a 16-13 win. The TImberwolves will head to Foxborough Friday looking to build on their early momentum.

15. Hand (CT)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: Hand 28, Bishop Hendricken 0

Loss(es): None

Hand looked dominant in a season-opening 28-0 whitewashing of Rhode Island powerhouse Bishop Hendricken. They'll host the Nonnewaug/Lakeview/Shepaug Valley co-op team Friday night.

16. Bishop Feehan (MA)

Record: 0-1

Previous Rank: 16

Last Week: Xaverian Brothers 42, Bishop Feehan 36

Loss(es): Xaverian Brothers, 42-36

Bishop Feehan fought Xaverian Brothers tooth and nail before succumbing 42-36 to New England's No. 1 team. The effort allows the Shamrocks to hold steady at No. 16 despite the loss, and they should be able to get back on the winning track Friday at Attleboro.

17. Thornton Academy (ME)

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 19

Last Week: Thornton Academy 35, South Portland 21

Loss(es): None

Thornton Academy is Maine's No. 1 team, and the Trojans have looked dominant through two weeks. They'll host New Hampshire's defending Division I champions, who were No. 1 in the Granite State before getting hammered by Pinkerton last week in a 40-7 rout. The Trojans have some extra motivation, too, as they look to avenge four straight losses to the New Hampshire kingpins.

18. North Kingstown (RI)

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 20

Last Week: North Kingstown 13, Central (R.I.) 6

Loss(es): La Salle Academy, 35-7

North Kingstown rebounded from a season-opening loss to La Salle by holding off Central in a 13-6 defensive slugfest. Now, Cumberland is on deck Friday night as the Skippers host the Clippers.

19. Cranston West (RI)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 21

Last Week: Cranston West 42, West Warwick 6

Loss(es): None

Cranston West got out of the gate strong against West Warwick, and they'll hit the road Friday to face a stout Barrington team.

20. Salem (NH)

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 23

Last Week: IDLE

Loss(es): None

Salem has quickly emerged as the early favorite to win it all in New Hampshire's Division I despite playing just a single game. They whipped last year's runner-up, Pinkerton, 28-7 in the season opener before taking last weekend off. But Pinkerton played over the weekend, destroying the reigning champion and then-No. 1 Bedford 40-7. Those two results combined suggest that Salem might now be the frontrunner to win the state's top division, and they'll return to action Saturday at home against Concord.

21. Phillips Exeter Academy (NH)

Record: 0-0

Previous Rank: 22

Last Week: Idle

Loss(es): None

Phillips Exeter Academy has yet to take the field, but the early results from the state's public schools led to Salem jumping the line this week and moving ahead of the idle Lions, who are members of one of New England's exclusive prep school leagues. They finally open the season at home Saturday afternoon against the Choate Rosemary Hall School.

22. Pinkerton (NH)

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: Unranked

Last Week: Pinkerton 40, Bedford 7

Loss(es): Salem, 28-7

Pinkerton bounced back from a big loss to Salem in the opener to record a stunning takedown of Bedford last weekend in a rematch of last year's Division I title game. Even at 1-1, the win over Bedford powered the Astros into the rankings here, where they'll defend their position Friday evening at Manchester Memorial.

23. Bonny Eagle (ME)

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 24

Last Week: Bonny Eagle 41, Noble 19

Loss(es): None

Bonny Eagle is the second Maine team ranked on this list behind Thornton Academy, and both schools have wins over South Portland bolstering their résumés early in the season. They're on a crash course, as always, to face each other late next month on Oct. 26 in what could be a preview of the Pine Tree State's Class A title game. There are a lot of games to be played before we get there, and for Bonny Eagle, that begins with a Friday night tussle at Massabesic.

24. Bishop Hendricken (RI)

Record: 0-2

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: Hand (Conn.) 28, Bishop Hendricken 0

Loss(es): Chaminade (N.Y.), 18-17; Hand (Conn.), 28-0

It's been a rough start for Rhode Island's Bishop Hendricken, and the Hawks are the only two-loss team in the rankings. They face another tough challenge Thursday night at St. Raphael Academy, and anything less than a win will find the Hawks missing in action on this list next week.

25. Burr & Burton (VT)

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 25

Last Week: Burr & Burton 37, Mount Anthony 8

Loss(es): None

Burr & Burton followed up its massive season-opening win over the defending Division I champion Middlebury by routing Mount Anthony last weekend. The Bulldogs aren't likely to move up much here against the other heavyweights from New England on this list, but they can make some steady progress by continuing to win. That seems the likely result Saturday afternoon when they host Hartford.

Final Analysis

It's extremely early, and the New England high school football picture remains wide open, defending state champions from the top divisions in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont have already lost in the first two weeks of the season. So while the frontrunners from Massachusetts and Connecticut that dominate these regional rankings have held firm, there is a sense that, overall, it could be a season of change as the fall football season heats up in the individual states that comprise New England.

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