The Maryland Public High School Athletic Association has released its 2026 preseason Top 25 football rankings, a snapshot that already hints at a season filled with intrigue and high stakes.
At the very top of the list, Saint Frances Academy sits at No. 1, poised to revive its national championship pedigree after a dominant defensive unit that has attracted commitments from several of the nation’s premier college programs.
Close behind, DeMatha Catholic holds the No. 2 spot, riding the momentum of back‑to‑back Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Capital Division titles and boasting Auburn commits James Pace and Knyair Crumb among its standout seniors.
Archbishop Spalding, ranked No. 3, brings four consecutive Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championships to the mix, and its season opener against DeMatha is already circled as a must‑watch matchup.
Private Powerhouses Take the Lead
Our Lady of Good Counsel, positioned No. 5, aims to reclaim the WCAC Capital Division crown with returning offensive linemen Jaiden Lindsay and Jackson Rice anchoring the line.
Quince Orchard, the defending Class 4A state champion, climbs to No. 6, led by senior defenders Jaheim Bond and Rico Jackson, while Linganore, the Class 3A champion, secures the No. 7 slot with quarterback David Doy and Maryland commit Kendon Bauer guiding the offense.
Public programs are not far behind; Huntingtown, the Class 2A champion, enters the rankings at No. 22, hoping to repeat its title run with junior quarterback Blake Marlowe and senior defensive stalwarts Collin Wilson and Nolan Powell.
Patuxent, ranked No. 25, seeks a third straight public title, anchored by quarterback Brayden Watson, while Mergenthaler Vocational Technical, No. 12, targets a repeat in the 4A/3A bracket with senior quarterback Michael Griffin at the helm.
The rankings reflect a broader trend: private schools have leveraged concentrated resources and elite recruiting pipelines to dominate early positions, yet the depth of talent across Maryland’s public schools promises a season where upsets could reshape the hierarchy.
Conferences such as the WCAC and the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association continue to serve as incubators for top talent, and the early rankings suggest that the upcoming schedule will feature a cascade of high‑profile clashes that could redefine state power structures.