As High School Football America steams toward releasing its national Top 100 on July 17, other media outlets are busy working on their statewide rankings.
PennLive.com recently released its version of its way too early rankings for all six classifications. These rankings come in advance of their actual preseason rankings that will be released in August.
In 6A, defending state champ St. Joseph’s Prep is the early choice for No. 1 in the Keystone State. The Hawks, who finished No. 8 in the High School Football America National Top 50 in 2016, did lose a lot to graduation, including D’Andre Swift to Georgia, but head coach Gabe Infante knows how to build a championship program, having led the Hawks to two state titles in the last three years.
Once again this year, Infante will play a tough non-league schedule to prepare his squad for the Philadelphia Catholic League. On September 1, the Hawks will open with Florida’s Jesuit, which advanced to the Class 5A state semifinals last year where they lost to eventual state champ American Heritage (Plantation). American Heritage finished No. 13 in the nation last year.
Related: 100 Players in 100 Days by EasternPAFootball.com and WesternPAFootball.net
Next-up on September 9, SJP will play New Jersey-power St. Peter’s Prep, which has enough talent, like the Hawks, to begin the season ranked highly in the High School Football America Top 100. On September 16th, SJP will play four-time state champ Archbishop Wood, which is the No. 1 team in 5A in the PennLive.com way too early rankings.
Below are all of the rankings with 2016 records.
6A
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) 14-0
2. Pine-Richland (7) 7-5
3. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) 14-2
4. Coatesville (1) 11-2
5. Parkland (11) 10-4
6. North Allegheny (7) 9-3
7. State College (6) 10-2
8. Wilson West Lawn (3) 12-2
9. North Penn (1) 14-1
10. McDowell (10) 9-2
5A
1. Archbishop Wood (12) 11-2-1
2. Harrisburg (3) 11-4
3. McKeesport (7) 9-3
4. Gateway (7) 7-5
5. Springfield-Delco (1) 12-2
6. West Allegheny (7) 13-1
7. Whitehall (11) 9-5
8. Meadville (10) 11-3
9. Upper St. Clair (7) 6-4
10. Southern Lehigh (11) 9-3
4A
1. Erie Cathedral Prep (10) 15-0
2. Imhotep Charter (12) 13-1
3. Berks Catholic (3) 12-2
4. Thomas Jefferson (7) 12-1
5. Greater Johnstown (6) 12-2
6. Bethlehem Catholic (11) 11-4
7. Belle Vernon (7) -3
8. Selinsgrove (4) 8-4
9. Clearfield (9) 10-2
10. South Fayette (7) 10-1
3A
1. Aliquippa (7) 10-3
2. Central Martinsburg (6) 12-2
3. Beaver Falls (7) 13-1
4. Karns City (9) 10-3
5. Hickory (10) 11-1
6. Scranton Prep (2) 12-2
7. Danville (4) 7-5
8. Sharon (10) 8-4
9. Middletown (3) 14-1
10. Loyalsock Twp. (4) 8-3
2A
1. Southern Columbia (4) 15-1
2. Steel Valley (7) 15-0
3. Dunmore (2) 13-1
4. Washington (7) 11-2
5. Sharpsville (10) 8-5
6. Kane (9) 13-2
7. Chestnut Ridge (5) 9-4
8. Clarion (9) 9-2
9. Wilmington (10) 12-2
10. Camp Hill (3) 7-3
1A
1. Bishop Guilfoyle (6) 15-0
2. Clairton (7) 14-1
3. Rochester (7) 11-1
4. Farrell (10) 10-4
5. Steel-High (3) 6-8
6. Williams Valley (11) 12-2
7. Homer-Center (6) 11-2
8. Portage (6) 9-3
9. Marian Catholic (11) 6-6
10. Tri-Valley (11) 8-3
