The Philly area’s top 10 high school football programs to watch in 2026

Over the last decade, there was one team the Philadelphia area was measured by in high school football — St. Joseph’s Prep. That changed last year. The 2025 season marked a historic shift in power for several programs.

Roman Catholic won its first state football championship, taking the PIAA Class 5A title with a dominant team that defeated Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg) in the state finals, and beat Philadelphia Catholic League and Class 6A state champion La Salle during the regular season.

La Salle had its greatest team in school history, beating two state powerhouses twice in one season, Pittsburgh Central Catholic and, locally, St. Joe’s Prep, en route to its first PIAA Class 6A state championship and first state title since 2009 (as a Class 4A). Before last year, the Explorers had only beaten the Prep three times in the previous decade.

Plus, Springfield (Delco), Cardinal O’Hara, and Class 1A Belmont Charter won state playoff games for the first time, each reaching their respective state semifinals. Springfield (District 1 5A) and O’Hara (District 12 4A) also achieved their programs’ first district titles.

» READ MORE: These are the Philly area’s top high school football recruits to watch this season

It all sets up for an intriguing 2026 season, without a clear-cut dominant team in the area. The usual suspects — La Salle, St. Joe’s Prep, and Roman Catholic — will be good again, but so will Bonner-Prendergast, O’Hara, Archbishop Wood, and Archbishop Ryan.

The talent gap between the powerful Catholic League and PIAA District 1 has narrowed. Central Bucks West, Downingtown East, and North Penn return a wealth of talent, enough to attract Power Four programs.

Malvern Prep is well stocked again, looking to claim its fourth straight Inter-Ac championship, but the Friars will first have to deal with a tough nonleague schedule that includes La Salle, St. Joe’s Prep, and perennial Public League power Imhotep Charter.

As for the Public League, Imhotep will once again be the standard, although the Panthers will drop from Class 6A to 5A this season, opening the for several schools in 6A like rebuilding Northeast and Lincoln to make postseason runs.

Here are the top 10 area teams — in descending order — to watch this season.

The Cougars had their best season in program history in 2025. Eight starters are back on defense and seven on offense for the three-time defending Central League champions. The program won its first PIAA District 1 Class 5A championship last season and returns a core group that includes junior quarterback John Hopkins, senior running back/linebacker TJ Valletti, two-way senior lineman Zion Culbreth, and junior running back/defensive back Michael DePetris.

Games to watch: Oct. 9 at Ridley; Oct. 30 at Strath Haven.

The Bucks return eight starters on offense and seven on defense for one of the better coaches in the area, Rob Rowan. CB West lost in the first round of the PIAA District 1 Class 6A playoffs last season to Neshaminy. The Bucks will be led by senior quarterback Josh George, senior center Jake Stranix, senior middle linebacker Nick Miletto, senior safety Louie Cipollo, senior defensive back Mason Darrows, and senior defensive ends Liam Laphen and Ryan Zadroga. It is a senior-led team that is well aware of the last time the Bucks won a District 1 championship, which was in 2000 under Mike Carey (as a Class 4A program before the Class 6A system took over in 2016).

Games to watch: Sept. 18 at Pennridge; Sept. 25 vs. North Penn.

The Panthers reached the PIAA District 1 Class 4A finals, where they lost to Bishop Shanahan (42-21) last year. This was a young team that made some amazing strides for coach Darrell Scott in his first year. Junior quarterback TJ Dozier, junior tailback Kassidy Jackson, senior WR/DB Eric Green, and four offensive linemen (senior Dan Tammaro and juniors Nate Seasholtz, Julian Betts, and Griffin Kaczerski). The Golden Panthers will move this season from the Pioneer Athletic Conference small-school Frontier Division to the large-school Liberty Division.

Games to watch: Sept.18 at Bishop Shanahan; Sept. 25 vs. Owen J. Roberts.

The Knights won the District 1 Class 6A title last year, beating Pennridge (21-14), and reached the state semifinals, losing to eventual state champion La Salle (49-14). North Penn, under legendary head coach Dick Beck, has a strong nucleus back, led by three-year starters, senior running back Rylei Gray, who rushed for close to 1,200 yards last season, senior WR/DB Sal Colella, and junior RB/DB Ziyon Smith, who will combine with Gray to make up one of the area’s best backfields. Senior London Evans is the leading candidate at quarterback.

Games to watch: Sept. 25 at Central Bucks West; Oct. 9 vs. Pennridge.

» READ MORE: North Penn coach Dick Beck is still going strong: ‘I don’t know what else I’m going to do’

The Cougars reached the PIAA District 1 Class 6A quarterfinals, where they lost to eventual district finalist Pennridge, 21-9. They feature one of the best players in the state, game-changing Notre Dame-bound edge rusher Abraham Sesay, along with senior quarterback Ethan Ellis, senior tight end/H-back Michael Schlachter, and junior running back Juelz Robinson.

Games to watch: Oct. 9 vs. Downingtown West; Oct. 23 at Coatesville.

The Panthers won their 13th straight Public League championship (the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season), and second straight PPL Class 6A championship, The Panthers lost to eventual 6A state champion La Salle in the District 12 championship (31-16). Joey McLeish, Imhotep’s three-year starting quarterback, will lead the offense, with support from junior running back Kassan Chappelle. On defense, 6-1, 170-pound junior cornerback Kaleb Woseley, the younger brother of former Imhotep star Kenny Woseley, now at Virginia Tech with James Franklin, and Tristan Alexander, a 6-4, 250-pound sophomore edge, will carry the load. The Panthers are young and open against Camden, DeMatha Catholic, and Malvern Prep.

Games to watch: Sept. 5 vs. DeMatha Catholic (Md); Sept. 12 vs. Malvern Prep.

The Hawks had a highly uncharacteristic season last year, going 5-5, the first time they finished .500 or worse since 2010 season, when former coach Gabe Infante went 4-7 in his first year at The Prep. It’s still a prideful program that has produced nine PIAA state championships (two Class 4A under the 4A system and seven under the 6A system), which is more state title than any other Philadelphia area program. Five of the Hawks’ nine state titles came under current coach Tim Roken and his staff. It’s a program that plays under high expectations, and this season will not be any different. The Hawks have possibly the best linebacker in the state in Oregon-bound senior Brandon Lockley, and one of the nation’s best receivers in 6-1, 180-pound Ohio State-bound Jett Harrison, a junior who is the son of Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. Max Rogers, a 6-foot, 190-pound junior, will take over at quarterback and Army-bound senior Jake Wilson, a 6-5, 240-pound tight end and the younger brother of former Archbishop Carroll basketball stars Taylor and Brooke Wilson, both now playing for Army, will be a large target down the middle of the field.

Games to watch: Sept. 19 vs. Malvern Prep at Franklin Field; Oct. 10 at La Salle at Central Bucks South; Oct. 31 vs. Roman Catholic at Franklin Field.

» READ MORE: Can La Salle’s Brett Gordon — now with his son Luke at starting QB — return the Explorers to Catholic League glory?

The Explorers were pounded by graduation but still return a good chunk of talent to defend their Catholic League, District 12, and 6A state crown. La Salle will have back a solid foundation in junior wide receiver Owen Johnson, one of the best in the state, UCLA-bound senior cornerback Trey Hopkins, and senior offensive guard Andrew Sorge. Luke Gordon, a 5-11, 170-pound junior and son of Explorers’ coach Brett Gordon, will take over at quarterback and knows the system. Tailback Ahzir Nelson will carry an impact this season, taking some of the load off Luke Gordon. Watch for 6-foot, 185-pound sophomore receiver Jordan Reid, and 6-3, 235-pound sophomore edge Jye Walter.

Games to watch: Sept. 4 vs. Malvern Prep at Ocean City, N.J.; Oct. 10 vs. St. Joe’s Prep at Central Bucks South; Oct. 17 vs. Roman Catholic.

The Friars won their third consecutive Inter-Ac championship last year, sharing the title in 2025 with Springside Chestnut Hill after winning the Inter-Ac outright in 2023 and 2024. The Friars will be going for their seventh Inter-Ac title in the last nine years. This is a loaded team, arguably the best in the area, returning LSU-bound receiver Cade Cooper, Duke-bound offensive tackle Tyler Graham, and major Division I junior edge recruit George Parkinson IV.

Games to watch: Sept. 12 at Imhotep at the Germantown Supersite; Sept. 19 at St. Joe’s Prep at Franklin Field.

Like La Salle, the Cahillites enjoyed their best season in school history last year, winning its first state championship; Roman beat La Salle last season and almost beat St. Joe’s Prep for the first time since 2011 (a 45-17 Roman victory in a Catholic League semifinals) and during the regular season for the first time since 1999 (a 27-24 Roman victory). Coach Rick Prete has opted for a national schedule, so the Cahillites may be roughed up early. One thing is certain, Roman will have a stout defense that features stalwarts Victor Ezeukwu, a junior edge rusher, and Pitt-bound senior linebacker Walter Hudson. Junior Jahmil Hawkins will step in for graduating all-time Roman passing leader Semaj Beals, now at Akron who threw for over 12,000 yards in his four-year career. The Cahillites will make the jump this season from Class 5A to Class 6A, with La Salle and St. Joe’s Prep in the Catholic League Red Division.

Games to watch: Oct. 17 at La Salle; Oct. 31 at St. Joe’s Prep at Franklin Field.

Honorable mention: Archbishop Ryan, Archbishop Wood, Bishop Shanahan, Belmont, Bonner-Prendie, Cardinal O’Hara, Central Bucks South, Chester, Downingtown West, Garnet Valley, Haverford School, Lincoln, Neshaminy, Neumann Goretti, Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley, Pennridge, Pennsbury, Plymouth Whitemarsh, Springside-Chestnut Hill, and Upper Dublin.