As the 2025 Massachusetts high school football season kicks off, the excitement is real—from top-25 rankings to opening-week matchups and playoff logistics. Here’s your complete state-of-the-moment preview.
Preseason & Week 1 Rankings
MaxPreps Top 25 (as of August 21, 2025)
- Catholic Memorial (0-0) – Rating 44.10
- St. John’s Prep (0-0) – 43.90
- King Philip Regional – 42.20
- Central – 37.70
- Xaverian Brothers – 37.50
- Duxbury – 35.20
- Marshfield – 30.10
- Scituate – 24.10
- Central Catholic – 23.00
- Hanover – 22.90
- Needham – 22.30
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Walpole – 22.20
On3 (Massey Ratings) Preseason Top 25
- Williston Northampton
- Catholic Memorial
- St. John’s Prep
- Deerfield Academy
- Xaverian Brothers
- King Philip Regional
- Scituate
- Springfield Central
- Marshfield
- Duxbury
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Central Catholic
Why It Matters: The consistent presence of teams like Catholic Memorial, St. John’s Prep, Xaverian, Duxbury, and Marshfield across different ranking systems confirms their reputation as early-season favorites. Notably, prep schools like Williston Northampton and Deerfield Academy also feature prominently in the Massey Ratings.
2025 Season Timeline & Format
The MIAA has outlined key dates for the 2025 season:
- Practices begin: Friday, August 15
- First games: Tuesday, September 2
- Regular season ends: Saturday, November 1
- State tournaments begin: Friday, November 7
-
Bracket release and cutoff: November 1 (for postseason)
The kick-off timeline allows for an “extra week” labeled Week 1A due to an early Labor Day (September 1) and late Thanksgiving (November 27), giving teams a flexible window for up to 8 games during the 9-week qualifying period.
