Buckle up. The high school football playoffs have arrived.
The Div. 1 field is stacked with the usual Catholic Conference heavyweights like top-ranked St. John’s Prep (8-0) and No. 3 Xaverian (6-2). The Eagles have been powered by a five-star recruit in quarterback Chris Vargas, a sophomore who recently received a scholarship offer from Georgia.
The Hawks have seen incredible production from quarterback Will Wood along with wideout Christian McIntyre, and closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak.
Second-ranked Springfield Central (7-1) is led by quarterback Jareth Staine and running back Isaiah Rogers. The Golden Eagles fell to St. John’s Prep by one point in the season opener and later defeated Xaverian 28-20 on Sept. 26. Since, the Golden Eagles have scored 33 points or more in every single contest.
Other Div. 1 schools to keep an eye on include fourth-seeded Natick, as well as fifth-ranked Central Catholic. No. 7 Methuen could be a dark horse to watch, along with Andover at No. 11.
Will someone step up and challenge top-ranked Catholic Memorial (6-2) in Div. 2? As always, the Knights are the prohibitive favorite, with Harvard-bound quarterback Kise Flannery leading a star-studded roster. Since John DiBiaso took over the program in 2018, the school has reached Gillette every year except for 2023, when the Knights fell to Marshfield in the semifinals. They have captured three state championships under his tutelage.
Second-ranked Bishop Feehan has had a breakout year, with quarterback Owen Mordas and lineman Kane Mankins being key cogs. The Shamrocks (7-1) suffered their lone loss in their season-opener to Xaverian. Like Catholic Memorial, Bishop Feehan was awarded a bye to the Elite Eight due to only 14 teams reaching the minimum win total to qualify for the Div. 2 postseason.
In 2024, Eian Bain was named head coach at No. 3 Bridgewater-Raynham (5-3). He has returned the third-seeded Trojans to prominence.
Meanwhile, No. 4 Winchester (8-0) is in the midst of a historic season, chasing its first Super Bowl title in 35 years. Led by senior quarterback Ronan O’Connell, the Red and Black are averaging over 43 points per game.
Another school that could make a run is sixth-seeded Billerica. No. 10 Chelmsford is an intriguing Cinderella pick.
King Philip (8-0) dropped to Div. 3 in 2025. Brian Lee’s group has seen much success, and the top-seeded Warriors are the odds-on favorite here.
Kyle Coffin and Jayson Dyer each enjoyed fantastic seasons offensively, helping Barnstable (7-1) claim the No. 2 seed.
Steve Dembowski recently captured his 200th career win with Milton (7-1). His third-ranked Wildcats will lean on quarterback Patrick Collins and wideout Ronan Sammon as they chase a title.
No. 4 Hingham (6-2) saw a resurgence with Jake Varholak under center. The Harbormen rolled through their Patriot League slate, and aim to see that trend continue in the postseason.
Fifth-seeded Marshfield (6-2) is a team to watch, having dropped from Div. 2 along with King Philip.
The Div. 4 tournament might be the toughest one to project. Top-ranked Scituate (7-1) is its most consistent school. Under Herb Devine, the Sailors have won four state titles since 2018, including one last year. Star running back Grayson Foley recently suffered a knee injury, and that will be something to monitor.
Led by quarterback Will Harrison, No. 2 Tewksbury (8-0) looked unbeatable all year. The Redmen show no signs of stopping, and it would not be surprising to see them playing at Gillette when the dust settles.
Third-seeded Duxbury (5-3) has had a roller coaster campaign, but won three straight games to close its regular season. Matt Landolfi’s squads have reached the state final each of the last four years, splitting Super Bowl titles with Patriot League rival Scituate (two apiece).
No. 4 Canton (6-2) faced some of the toughest teams in Massachusetts, making it a perfect candidate for a sustained playoff journey. No. 5 Burlington (5-0) finished as the Middlesex League (Freedom) champion, completing its first unbeaten regular season since 2006.
Predictions
Div. 1
Champion: No. 1 St. John’s Prep
Runner-up: No. 2 Springfield Central
Final Four: No. 1 St. John’s Prep, No. 2 Springfield Central, No. 3 Xaverian, No. 5 Central Catholic
Sleeper: No. 11 Andover
Best first-round matchup: No. 7 Methuen vs. No. 10 Lowell
Potential upset: No. 11 Andover over No. 6 Wachusett
Div. 2
Champion: No. 1 Catholic Memorial
Runner-up: No. 2 Bishop Feehan
Final Four: No. 1 Catholic Memorial, No. 2 Bishop Feehan, No. 3 Bridgewater-Raynham, No. 4 Winchester
Sleeper: No. 11 Beverly
Best first-round matchup: No. 6 Billerica vs. No. 11 Beverly
Potential upset: No. 10 Chelmsford over No. 7 Quincy
Div. 3
Champion: No. 1 King Philip
Runner-up: No. 3 Milton
Final Four: No. 1 King Philip, No. 2 Barnstable, No. 3 Milton, No. 5 Marshfield
Sleeper: No. 11 Melrose
Best first-round matchup: No. 8 Mansfield vs. No. 9 Plymouth South
Potential upset: No. 12 Malden Catholic over No. 5 Marshfield
Div. 4
Champion: No. 2 Tewksbury
Runner-up: No. 1 Scituate
Final Four: No. 1 Scituate, No. 2 Tewksbury, No. 3 Canton, No. 5 Burlington
Sleeper: No. 10 Danvers
Best first-round matchup: No. 7 Ashland vs. No. 10 Danvers
Potential upset: No. 12 Dartmouth over No. 5 Burlington
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