St. Frances returns to No. 1 in Maryland to start the 2024 season

A familiar team -- St. Frances Academy -- kicks off the 2024 season at No. 1 in the Maryland High School Football Media State Poll.

The Baltimore power collected eight out of 10 first-place votes to outdistance No. 2 Good Counsel, which finished last year as the state's top-ranked team.

Private schools occupy the top six spots with Archbishop Spalding at No. 3, followed by DeMatha, McDonogh and Riverdale Baptist. Those six programs combined have 29 players already committed to NCAA Division I programs, and most of those players to nationally ranked teams. Quince Orchard, at No. 7, and defending 4A champ Wise, at No. 8, are the only public school programs in the Top 10.

All six defending state champions start the year in the preseason Top 25. In addition to Wise, 2A-1A champ Dunbar starts at No. 12, followed by 1A champ Fort Hill at No. 16, 3A champ Oakdale at No. 17, 4A-3A champ Merganthaler Vo-Tech at No. 21, and 2A champ Stephen Decatur at No. 25.

St. Frances went coast-to-coast at No. 1 in the state poll from 2018 through 2022. Last year's team started the year at No. 1, but an early season losing streak bounced the Panthers from the top spot for the first time since 2017. Good Counsel inherited the top spot from St. Frances and won its final 10 games to secure the state's No. 1 ranking in 2023.

St. Frances started the season as the top-ranked Maryland program in USA Today (at No. 13). Good Counsel (No. 16), St. Frances (No. 18) and DeMatha (No. 20) all started in the High School Football America Top 25.

The first regular-season ranking will be released the Tuesday following the first public school games.

This week's private school-only schedule features a showdown between No. 3 Archbishop Spalding and No. 4 DeMatha, a pair of powerhouses who had been scrimmaging in recent years. St. Frances Academy and Good Counsel have opportunities to enhance their national reputations with marquee contests this weekend. St. Frances takes on New Jersey power St. Joseph Regional (N.J.) while Good Counsel faces Miami foe Columbus (Fla.).