Guilford Park’s fast rise has earned the Panthers a spot in Maryland’s latest Top 25.
After breaking through in just their second varsity season in 2025, the Panthers are in at No. 25 following a 35-6 win over Frederick to open 2026. Guilford Park finished last season with the Howard County championship and a trip to the Maryland Class 3A state quarterfinals, and now it opens this ranking cycle as the newest name on the list.
At the top, Saint Frances Academy holds firm at No. 1.
DeMatha Catholic sits second, with Archbishop Spalding at No. 3, Our Lady of Good Counsel at No. 4 and McDonogh School at No.
- Quince Orchard, Linganore, Henry A.
Wise, Calvert Hall College and Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical complete the top 10.
The biggest jump in the rankings belongs to Broadneck, which climbed seven spots from No. 21 to No. 14 after edging then-No. 8 Saint Mary’s, 29-27.
This week’s slate is loaded with ranked showdowns. No.
3 Archbishop Spalding, which is 0-2 for the first time since 2008, heads to No. 4 Good Counsel on Friday.
Defending Maryland Class 2A state champion Huntingtown will host No. 19 North Point, and No.
17 Loyola Blakefield takes on No. 20 Georgetown Prep.
Here are the latest High School On SI Maryland high school football Top 25 rankings:
- Saint Frances Academy
This week: vs. Roman Catholic (Pa.) at Prince George’s Sports Complex, Sept. 11
Last week: Lost to Saint John’s College (D.C.), 21-18
- DeMatha Catholic
This week: at No. 4 Our Lady of Good Counsel, Sept. 11
Last week: Defeated No. 11 Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical, 29-28
- Archbishop Spalding
Last week: Did not play; game vs. King’s Fork (Va.) canceled
- Our Lady of Good Counsel
This week: vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar (D.C.) at Sugar Cain Field, Sept. 10
Last week: Defeated then-No. 15 Saint Mary’s Ryken, 45-13
- McDonogh School
This week: vs. Lawrenceville School (N.J.), Sept. 12
- Quince Orchard
This week: vs. Saint John’s College (D.C.) at Pascal Field, Sept. 11
- Linganore
Last week: Defeated Saint John’s Catholic Prep, 63-8
- Henry A. Wise
- Calvert Hall College
- Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical
- Saint Mary’s
- Broadneck
Last week: Defeated McDonough, 41-13, on the field; North Point later forfeited the game because of an offseason rules violation
- Huntingtown
- North Point
- Loyola Blakefield
- Georgetown Prep
- St. Mary’s Ryken
- Saint John’s College
- Roman Catholic (Pa.)
- Paul Laurence Dunbar (D.C.)
- Saint John’s Catholic Prep
- McDonough
- King’s Fork (Va.)
- Frederick
- Guilford Park
In Other News...
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Marylands 2026 opener did more than put Hampton away in a 62-0 rout, it quickly answered two of the biggest early questions facing the Terrapins. The running game looked as explosive as advertised, with Dejuan Williams and Iverson Howard helping fuel a six-touchdown ground effort, while the defense spent the afternoon living in the backfield and making life miserable for an FCS opponent.
The pass rush was a major reason the game never felt competitive, with Derrick LeBlanc and Trey Reddick among the defenders setting the tone. For Maryland, the larger significance is less about the scoreboard than the way it won, because a dominant opener against a weaker opponent can still tell you plenty about how ready a team is to lean on its front lines once the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Marylands First Road Test Comes With More Questions Than The Spread
Marylands season opener went exactly the way a favorite is supposed to handle a much smaller opponent, with a 62-0 rout of Hampton that offered little beyond a clean start. The first real measuring stick comes on the road against UConn, where the Terps are again expected to be in control, but the setup is more interesting than the spread suggests because the Huskies are under new leadership and already look very different from last year.
Jason Candles arrival from Toledo has brought a familiar backbone with him, and that matters for a Maryland team trying to prove the opener was more than a tune-up. The roster includes several of Candles former players, and the transfers give UConn a level of continuity that can make even a heavily favored trip a little less comfortable, especially this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
