Massachusetts High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams – Sep. 9

New England usually gets a little bit later of a start when it comes to the gridiron as Massachusetts high school football just got underway last week when it comes to games kicking off.

Several of New England’s top high school football programs reside out of the Bay State, including Catholic Memorial and Xaverian Brothers, who is coming off winning a 12th Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) state title last December. Catholic Memorial tops this week’s rankings, but who else joins them heading into Week 2?

The 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.

1. Catholic Memorial Knights

Always in the mix when it comes to the MIAA’s Division 2 classification, the Knights are loaded with Power 4 talent that’ll be headed to Boston College after their time at Catholic Memorial. Among the Boston College commitments are 2026 three-star linemen Marcelino Antunes, Mac Fitzgerald, 2027 safety Jackson Tucker and 2028 athlete Ramar Thomas. Catholic Memorial opened up the 2025 season with an impressive 35-7 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas (N.J.) last week. The Knights have a bye week before they face St. Francis (N.Y.) on Sep. 20.

2. St. John’s Preparatory School Eagles

Having one of the best 2028 quarterbacks in the country definitely helps your odds of being ranked a bit higher when it pertains to teams out of New England. For the Eagles, they have a talented young signal caller in sophomore Christopher Vargas, who is coming off a solid freshman campaign. Vargas last season threw for 1,311 yards, 17 touchdowns and only three mere interceptions. St. John’s Prep began the season in dramatic fashion as they narrowly got by Springfield Central in a 36-35 shootout. Up next for the Eagles is a road matchup against Marshfield on Friday night.

3. The Williston Northampton School Wildcats

When it comes to the region’s top football programs, you can’t go without mentioning the Wildcats, who went 8-1 a year ago and their only loss coming to Connecticut’s Brunswick School. The Williston Northampton School (0-0) features a roster that’s always one of the most talented around, with 2026 offensive lineman Dean Ruksnaitis (Boston College commitment) leading the way. 2026 quarterback Crew Colon returns to the offense and the 6-foot-2, 200-pound field general boasts offers from schools like Bucknell, Fordham and Stony Brook. The Wildcats begin their 2025 season on Saturday against No. 13 Tabor Academy.

4. King Phillip Regional Warriors

Breaking into the Top 5 after their Week 1 victory is King Phillip Regional as they opened up the season with a convincing 21-0 victory over No. 19 Walpole. The Warriors are coming off another strong season in the MIAA’s Division II classification, in which they went 12-1 and reached the state championship game, losing to Catholic Memorial. With an advantageous schedule that mimics last year’s, the road back to the title game looks clear once again for the Warriors.

5. Xaverian Brothers Hawks

The Hawks this fall are in search of the program’s 13th state championship and by all accounts, they’re well on their way to winning another once the time comes at Gillette Stadium. Xaverian Brothers return 2027 quarterback Will Wood. Wood has several Division I offers on the table, with overtures from schools like Harvard, Syracuse, UConn and UMass all after the signal caller’s services after his high school days. Xaverian Brothers made easy work of Bishop Feehan in a 35-7 rout and won’t take the field again until Sep. 19 against Everett.

6. Deerfield Academy
7. Methuen
8. Scituate
9. Springfield Central
10. North Attleboro  

11. Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
12. Milton
13. Tabor Academy
14. Mansfield
15. Duxbury

16. Marshfield
17. St. Sebastian’s School
18. Canton
19. Walpole
20. Phillips Academy

21. Central Catholic
22. Wellesley
23. Natick  
24. Hanover
25. Boston College

For Massachusetts high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the state, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Bay State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement across the state of Massachusetts.