Year in and year out, the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference plays some of the best high school football in the nation. In 2021, the WCAC’s Capital Division — Bishop McNamara, DeMatha, Gonzaga, Good Counsel and St. John’s College High School — was ranked the second toughest league in the nation last year, according to the High School Football America rankings algorithm.
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Last season, St. John’s, Good Counsel and DeMatha finished in the High School Football America 100, powered by NFL Play Football.
St. John’s ended 2021 ranked No. 19 in America after winning the championship with a perfect 11-0 season. In addition to the uber-tough WCAC, the Cadets are known for playing a high-quality non-league schedule. 2022 is no different for SJC, which will play teams from five different states, plus a team from Canada.
St. John’s opener will tell a lot about this year squad. SJC will be in Florida to play Chaminade-Madonna, which finished one spot (No. 18) in front of the Cadets in our national rankings. C-M has won four Florida state titles in the last five year.
Another defending state champ on the Cadets’ schedule is Cedar Grove out of Georgia. The Saints are the defending 3A champs, and like Chaminade-Madonna, Cedar Grove has won four state titles in the last five years.
On the national scene last year, arch-rivals Good Counsel and DeMatha finished No. 79 and No. 84 respectively. DeMatha won their regular season clash 28-0, but Good Counsel advanced to the championship game with a 17-15 win in the WCAC Capital Division semifinals a week later.
Like SJC, both programs like to play teams are regulars in our national rankings. In fact, DeMatha will also open the season in Florida against a defending state champ. The Stags will face two-time 4A state champ Cardinal Gibbons, which finished No. 24 in the Top 100 last year.
Good Counsel will open against St. Joseph’s Regional (New Jersey), which was ranked No. 145 in the country in 2021. The Falcons first four opponents finished in our Top 300 in 2021.
After SJR, Good Counsel plays Louisiana’s Division I champ Catholic (Baton Rouge), followed by Archbishop Moeller (Ohio) and a matchup against Maryland’s Mount St. Joseph.
Gonzaga big out-of-state opponent is St. Joseph’s Prep from Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia school finished runner-up in the state’s biggest classification (6A) last year after three straight state titles.
Bishop McNamara will be led this season by first-year head coach Greg Calhoun.
Below are the schedules for the WCAC Capital Division schools.
Bishop McNamara Mustangs
- Forestville, Maryland
- Head Coach – Greg Calhoun
- 2021 Record (Overall/WCAC): 4-5, 0-4
September 3 – vs. St. Mary’s Ryken
September 9 – at Riverdale Baptist
September 18 – at Lincoln (Brooklyn, NY)
October 1 – vs. Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC)
October 8 – vs. St. John’s College
October 14 – at DeMatha
October 22 – vs. Good Counsel
October 28 – at Gonzaga
DeMatha Stags
- Hyattsville, Maryland
- Head Coach: Bill McGregor
- 2021 Record (Overall/WCAC): 7-3, 3-1
August 26 – at Cardinal Gibbons (Florida)
September 2 – Rock Creek Christian Academy
September 10 – vs. Benedictine (Ohio) at Ironton HS in Ohio
September 16 – vs. Friendship Collegiate
September 23 – vs. Life Christian Academy (Virginia)
October 8 – at Gonzaga
October 14 – vs. Bishop McNamara
October 22 – at St. John’s College HS
October 28 – vs. Clarkson North (Canada)
November 4 – vs. Good Counsel
Gonzaga Eagles
Washington, DC
Head Coach: Randy Trivers
2021 Record (Overall/WCAC): 5-6, 1-3
September 2 – vs. McDonogh (Maryland)
September 9 – vs. Roosevelt
September 16 – Archbishop Spalding (Maryland)
September 24 – vs. St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania)
September 30 – at Friendship Collegiate
October 8 – vs. DeMatha
October 14 – at Good Counsel
October 28 – vs. Bishop McNamara
November 5 – at St. John’s College HS
Good Counsel Falcons
Olney, Maryland
Head Coach: Andy Stefanelli
2021 Record (Overall/WCAC): 7-5, 2-2
August 26 – vs. St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey)
September 2 – vs. Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
September 10 – vs. Archbishop Moeller (Ohio) at Ironton HS in Ohio
September 16 – vs. Mount St. Joseph
September 23 – vs. St. Mary’s Ryken
September 30 – vs. Life Christian Academy (Virginia)
October 14 – vs. Gonzaga
October 22 – at Bishop McNamara
October 28 – vs. St. John’s College HS
November 4 – at DeMatha
St. John’s College HS Cadets
Washington, DC
Head Coach: Pat Ward
2021 Record (Overall/WCAC): 11-0, 4-0
August 27 – vs. Chaminade-Madonna (Florida) at St. Thomas Aquinas HS in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
September 3 – vs. Middletown (Delaware)
September 10 – vs. Gonzaga Prep (Washington)
September 17 – vs. Tottenville (New York)
September 24 – vs. Clarkson North (Canada)
October 1 – vs. Cedar Grove (Georgia)
October 8 – at Bishop McNamara
October 22 – vs. DeMatha
October 28 – at Good Counsel
November 5 – vs. Gonzaga
While most focus on the Capital Division, the Metro Division — Archbishop Carroll, Bishop O’Connell, Bishop Ireton, St. Mary’s Ryken and St. Paul VI Catholic — also play some good football.
St. Mary’s Ryken has won three straight division championships. SMR beat Archbishop Carroll 24-12. Carroll entered the title game 11-0.
Archbishop Carroll rebounded from that loss to finish 13-1, winning the D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA championship.
