Covid-19 dealt a blow, altering life worldwide 15 months ago, much less sports. Despite, the on going damage, high school football is scheduled to start on time. Still, with a recent study showing the Delta variant as a different variant of Covid-19, which is spreading like wildfire, is anyone’s guess how productive the season might be.
With one of the strangest high school football seasons behind us, what can we expect this year? Last season, many teams began it’s season later than expected; others kicked off in the spring while some never took the field. At any rate, the late-season made for a quick turnaround, forcing teams to prepare for the upcoming year with less prep time.
According to the national news report, Florida, Missouri, and Texas are three of the most problematic states. All three are expected to begin its first week of action in the last weekend of August.
Healthy and mentally prepared could be the driving force to a championship season come November and December.
The high school football season is set to play its first game in ten days—Hawaiian schools kick off on August 6th. The following week, Alaska and Utah T-up on August 13th.
Mater Dei and IMG Academy will begin the season in the top two spots. While the two are not matched against one another this season, both can finish undefeated, something that could leave pollsters scratching their heads. However, the pitfalls are set with quality opponents blocking the road that leads to the national championship.
The Monarchs will have its hands full when it travels to Texas to meet No 14 Duncanville on August 27th. Later in the season, rivals No. 19 Servite and No. 3 St. John Bosco could pose a threat. The Braves will host Mater Dei on October 1st in a must-see event. Another intriguing match-up will see, No 7 St. Frances (Baltimore, MD.) take on No 4 St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., live on ESPN Networks in the 2021 ESPN Geico High School Football Kickoff.
East St Louis (St. Louis), Northwestern (Miami, Fla. Date County), and St. Frances could challenge IMG for ranking and bragging rights.
View a list of the top 25 high school football rankings below
- Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
- IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
- St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
- St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
- Southlake Carroll (Texas)
- Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)
- St. Frances (Baltimore, MD.)
- Austin Westlake (Texas)
- Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
- American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
- Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
- Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
- Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
- Duncanville (Texas)
- North Shore (Houston)
- Miami Central (Miami)
- De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
- Chandler (Ariz.)
- Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)
- Denton Ryan (Texas)
- Katy (Texas)
- St. Joseph Prep (Philadelphia)
- St. Xavier (Cincinnati)
- Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.)
- Austin Lake Travis (Texas)