After a major shake-up atop the rankings last week that included a public school’s rise to No. 1 for the first time since 2017, the first few spots on the Top 20 remain unchanged in this week’s iteration.
Though Quince Orchard won Friday, it needed a last-minute drive to beat a Stone Bridge team that is much better than its record indicates but still winless. As such, the Cougars drop two spots in the rankings. Coach John Kelley’s team will need to clean up penalties against upstart Churchill this week. History indicates it will.
Elsewhere in the Top 20, a cluttered class of Northern Virginia programs has made it difficult to identify another legitimate power in Class 6 outside of Freedom (Woodbridge), Madison and Battlefield, though heavyweights from Class 4 (Tuscarora) and Class 5 (Briar Woods) occupy the final two spots. In Maryland, C.H. Flowers and North Point remain undefeated, having won all of their games by at least four scores. In D.C., Friendship Collegiate remains the team to beat. Among the private schools, Gonzaga suffered its first loss, 35-29, to Loyola Blakefield, resulting in a three-spot slide.
Though no games involving two ranked opponents populate the schedule this week, expect a competitive bout in a rematch of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championship game between defending champion Archbishop Spalding and Calvert Hall on Friday. St. John’s, Friendship Collegiate and Episcopal also have tough matchups.