COVID-19 had a major impact on last weekend’s New Jersey high school football schedule, which in-turn impacts this week’s High School Football America New Jersey Top 25 statewide rankings.
The biggest impact the coronavirus pandemic had on the schedule was the postponement of the showdown game between No. 1 St. Peter’s Prep and No. 2 Bergen Catholic. On Sunday, football officials announced that the SPP/BC game will be played November 28.
No. 3 Delbarton didn’t play either this past weekend, because Morristown suspended its extracurricular activities due to the coronavirus. The pandemic also postponed the showdown between unbeatens Lenape and Cherokee, which will now be played Sunday, November 15.
Here are all of the Top 25 programs that didn’t play their games this past weekend due to COVID-19:
- Bergen Catholic (No. 2) – opponent in quarantine
- Cherokee (No. 9) – opponent in quarantine
- Clifton (No. 17) – in 2-week quarantine
- Delbarton (No. 3) – opponent in quarantine
- Lenape (No. 8) – in 2-week quarantine
- Ramapo (No. 18) – opponent in quarantine
- Red Bank Catholic (No. 21) – in 2-week quarantine
- St. Peter’s Prep (No. 1) – in 2-week quarantine
- Wayne Hills (No. 13) – game vs. No. 18 Ramapo canceled
On the field, Holy Spirit jumps six spots in the latest rankings to No. 7 after a 12-7 win over former No. 6 St. Augustine. River Dell climbs two spots to No. 15 after edging former No. 16 Northern Highlands 7-3.
Aside from the BC/Delbarton game, here are the rest of the head-to-head Top 25 matchups this weekend:
- No. 2 Bergen Catholic vs. No. 6 Don Bosco Prep
- No. 4 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) vs. No. 5 DePaul Catholic
- No. 7 Holy Spirit vs. No. 23 Winslow Township
- No. 8 Lenape vs. No. 9 Cherokee
- No. 11 Wall Township vs. No. 24 Mater Dei
- No. 12 Wayne Hills vs. No. 16 North Highlands
- No. 13 Donovan Catholic vs. No. 21 Red Bank Catholic
- No. 14 Williamstown vs. No. 22 Hammonton
- No. 19 Somerville vs. No. 25 Woodbridge
New to the rankings this week is Burlington Township at No. 25.
High School Football America New Jersey Top 25
No. 1 St. Peter’s Prep (4-0), LW: #1
No. 2 Bergen Catholic (4-0), LW: #2
No. 3 Delbarton (5-0), LW: #3
No. 4 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) (4-2), LW: #5
No. 5 DePaul Catholic (2-2), LW: #8
No. 6 Don Bosco Prep (1-3), LW: 3
No. 7 Holy Spirit (5-0), LW: #13
No. 8 Lenape (4-0), LW: #9
No. 9 Cherokee (5-0), LW: #10
No. 10 St. Augustine (3-2), LW: #6
No. 11 Wall Township (5-0), LW: #11
No. 12 Wayne Hills (5-0), LW: #12
No. 13 Donovan Catholic (6-0), LW: #14
No. 14 Williamstown (4-2), LW: #7
No. 15 River Dell (5-1), LW: #17
No. 16 Northern Highlands (2-2), LW: #15
No. 17 Ramapo (3-1), LW: #18
No. 18 Somerville (6-0), LW: #19
No. 19 St. Joseph (Hammonton) (5-1), LW: #20
No. 20 Red Bank Catholic (4-1), LW: #21
No. 21 Hammonton (4-1), LW: #22
No. 22 Winslow Township (5-0), LW: #23
No. 23 Mater Dei (5-1), LW: #24
No. 24 Woodbridge (5-0), LW: #25
No. 25 Burlington Township (5-0), LW: NR
Dropped-out: No. 17 Clifton
Editor’s Note: The High School Football America national, regional and state rankings are developed using our proprietary algorithm.
