It’s also a tough week for The Post’s Top 20 rankings: Northern Virginia schools and a bulk of the area’s private schools began play this past week, with plenty of shake-up at the top. Four area schools played programs among MaxPreps’ top 100 national teams, and the results varied: Good Counsel stumbled against No. 14 St. Edward (Ohio), St. John’s fell to No. 20 American Heritage (Fla.), DeMatha bested No. 82 Springfield (Ohio), and Archbishop Spalding downed No. 93 Don Bosco Prep (N.J.).
With impressive wins, the Stags and Cavaliers hurdle several local teams to land at No. 1 and No. 2.
This week’s rankings also feature an eight-spot fall by Stone Bridge, which dropped its season opener to Madison, 28-24, thanks to a late-game, trick-play kickoff return touchdown by Dom Knicely. The Warhawks assume the Bulldogs’ place at No. 8.
Elsewhere in Northern Virginia, Freedom (Woodbridge) showed no signs of regression after a dominant 2022 as it shut out D.C.’s Coolidge, 48-0. South County joins the rankings at No. 20 ahead of its matchup with No. 5 Quince Orchard, while Westfield joins the bubble after an impressive 35-7 win over a Patriot team that went 11-2 last year.
Maryland public schools begin play this week. Though the Quince Orchard-South County game offers the most local intrigue, the week for C.H. Flowers, Wise and North Point offers plenty of attraction for the area crowd.
It was a convincing start for the Stags, who began with a 35-7 win against top-100 national opponent Springfield (Ohio).
Last ranked: 6; Next: Friday vs. St. Michael the Archangel, 7 p.m.
2
Archbishop Spalding (1-0)
The Cavaliers were looking to make their mark as a nationally relevant program; a 28-14 win over Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) accomplished just that.
LR: 4; Next: Friday at Concordia Prep, 4 p.m.
3
Freedom (Woodbridge) (1-0)
Picking up where they left off last season with a 48-0 win over Coolidge, the Eagles head to suburban Richmond for a tall task.
LR: 3; Next: Thursday at Varina, 7 p.m.
The Falcons fell from their perch after struggling in the second half against St. Edward (Ohio).
LR: 1; Next: Friday vs. Jones (Fla.), 7 p.m.
The Cougars begin with an out-of-state matchup against No. 20 South County.
LR: 5; Next: Saturday at No. 20 South County, 5 p.m.
The Cadets were on the wrong side of a 45-20 shellacking against Florida heavyweight American Heritage.
LR: 2; Next: Saturday vs. Theodore Roosevelt, 2 p.m.
The Jaguars will head roughly 200 miles south to kick off their season in Portsmouth, Va.
LR: 7; Next: Friday at Norcom, 7 p.m.
The Warhawks captured some magic to open the season, avenging last year’s loss to Stone Bridge with a 28-24 win.
LR: 10; Next: Thursday vs. Lake Braddock, 7 p.m.
The Pumas’ nonconference slate begins against a Maury team that reached the Virginia Class 5 state final last year.
LR: 9; Next: Friday vs. Maury, 7 p.m.
A new-look Hornets roster hopes to get things rolling at home in Friday’s season opener.
LR: 12; Next: Friday vs. Einstein, 6:30 p.m.
13
Rock Creek Christian (1-0)
The Eagles opened with a solid win over St. Mary’s Ryken.
LR: 14; Next: Saturday at St. Edward (Ohio), 3 p.m.
The Waldorf program figures to finish above .500 for the 15th consecutive season.
LR: 15; Next: Friday vs. Leonardtown, 7 p.m.
15
St. Mary’s (Annapolis) (0-0)
After an undefeated campaign last fall, the Saints begin their season against Bullis.
LR: 16; Next: Friday at Bullis, 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs fell to Madison in their season opener after conceding a late kickoff return touchdown.
LR: 8; Next: Friday at Martinsburg (W.Va.), 7 p.m.
The Maroon will travel to Pottstown, Pa., for its season opener.
LR: 17; Next: Saturday at Hill School (Pa.), 2 p.m.
The Jaguars will look to begin a bounce-back campaign at Watkins Mill, which hasn’t won since 2019.
LR: 18; Next: Friday at Watkins Mill, 7 p.m.
A par-for-the-course start for the Bobcats, who extended their regular season winning streak to 23 with a 63-6 win over Hylton.
LR: 19; Next: Thursday at Potomac (Va.), 7 p.m.
Preceding their out-of-state matchup against No. 5 Quince Orchard, the Stallions handled Robinson, 39-0.
LR: Not ranked; Next: Saturday vs. No. 5 Quince Orchard, 5 p.m.
On the bubble: Arundel, Broadneck, Fairfax, Paint Branch, Westfield
Dropped out: No. 20 Theodore Roosevelt