The hierarchy of Pennsylvania football just got punched in the mouth. For years, the story of pennsylvania high school football rankings has been a predictable loop of the same powerhouse programs hoisting trophies in Mechanicsburg. But the 2025 season, which just wrapped its final chapters, essentially set the record book on fire.
If you weren't paying attention to District 12 or the WPIAL over the last few months, you missed a total structural collapse of the "usual" top ten.
Honestly, the biggest shocker wasn't even the state finals. It was the District 12 semifinal at Villanova Stadium where the dynasty finally cracked. St. Joseph’s Prep, a team that started the year ranked No. 15 in the entire country, finished 5-5. That isn't a typo. La Salle College High School didn't just beat them; they ended a three-year state title reign and effectively reset the power balance in the eastern half of the state.
The new 6A king and the Roman Catholic surge
When the final whistles blew in early December, La Salle sat atop the 6A pennsylvania high school football rankings with a 13-1 record. Their only blemish? A mid-season stumble that they clearly shook off. Gavin Sidwar, the Missouri-bound quarterback, played like a guy who knew he had the best safety in the country, Joey O'Brien, covering his back.
They took down Pittsburgh Central Catholic 34-20 in the state final. It was a clinical performance. Central Catholic (13-2) had its chances, but La Salle’s defense was simply too suffocating.
Meanwhile, in 5A, Roman Catholic pulled off what many thought was impossible: they physically dominated Bishop McDevitt. We’re talking about a 28-6 win in the state championship game.
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- La Salle College (6A): State Champs, 13-1 record.
- Roman Catholic (5A): State Champs, 12-3 record.
- Central Catholic (6A): Runner-up, 13-2 record.
- Harrisburg (6A): 13-1, lost in the state semifinals to Central Catholic.
Roman's run was sort of a "revenge tour" after losing a heartbreaker to McDevitt in overtime the year before. They didn't leave it to chance this time. They just ran the ball, played mean defense, and watched the Crusaders' high-octane offense sputter.
Why 4A and 3A were absolute chaos
The middle classifications were where the "experts" got it most wrong this year. Southern Lehigh, a team that barely registered on the preseason radar, ended up 15-1 and took home the 4A gold. They beat Twin Valley 43-21 in a game that honestly felt over by halftime.
Twin Valley had been the darling of the mid-state all year, entering the final undefeated. But Southern Lehigh proved that District 11 is currently playing a different brand of football.
Then you have Class 3A. Avonworth.
They finished 15-0. Perfect.
They took down the defending champs, Northwestern Lehigh, 31-7. If you look at the stats, Avonworth’s defense was giving up about 8 points a game. You can’t win if you can’t score, and nobody could score on the Antelopes. Northwestern Lehigh had a great run, but they ran into a buzzsaw in the final.
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Small school dominance: The Southern Columbia factor
You can't talk about pennsylvania high school football rankings without mentioning Jim Roth and Southern Columbia. It’s basically a law. Even in a "down" year where they lost their opener to Wyomissing, they still ended up on top of 2A.
They beat Farrell 43-22 in the final.
Farrell was supposed to be the team to beat. They had a Nebraska recruit in the backfield and a lot of swagger. But Southern Columbia just does what they do. They've won 15 state titles now. Think about that. That's not a program; it's a factory.
In 1A, Clairton reminded everyone why they call it "The City of Champions." Their defense allowed 5.5 points per game all season. In the final, they held a very good Bishop Guilfoyle team to a single field goal, winning 35-3. QB Jeff Thompson was surgical, and the Bears' speed was just too much for the Marauders to handle.
Looking ahead to the 2026 recruits
The rankings are going to look wild when 2026 kicks off because so much talent is staying put. St. Joe's Prep might have struggled this year, but they return Jett Harrison—yes, Marvin’s son—who is already a four-star wideout as a sophomore.
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Keep an eye on these names for your 2026 boards:
- Tyler Merrill (OL, Cumberland Valley): A 4-star Notre Dame commit who is a literal mountain.
- Peyton Falzone (QB, Nazareth): Heading to Auburn, but he’s got one more year to terrorize District 11.
- Matt Sieg (DB/ATH, Fort Cherry): The kid does everything. He’s the engine of that program.
- Jackson Ford (Edge, Malvern Prep): A Penn State commit who lived in opponents' backfields all year.
Navigating the ranking systems
If you’re trying to keep track of this in real-time next season, you’ve got to know which source to trust. MaxPreps is great for the "big picture" and national comparisons, but for the gritty, local details, PennLive and PA Football News (PFN) are usually more dialed in.
PFN's final rankings reflected the actual on-field results much better than the computer models this year. For example, the computers loved St. Joe's Prep's strength of schedule, but the human voters at PFN correctly dropped them when the losses started piling up.
It’s always a debate between "who is the best team" versus "who has the best resume." In Pennsylvania, the PIAA playoffs usually settle that debate, but the regular-season rankings determine who gets those favorable home-field paths.
Actionable insights for fans and scouts
If you're following these rankings to scout talent or just to win an argument at the local diner, remember that District 12 (Philly) and District 7 (WPIAL) still hold the most weight. However, District 11 and District 3 are closing the gap fast.
To stay ahead of the curve for the 2026 season:
- Monitor the transfer portal; it’s hitting the high school level harder than ever in PA.
- Follow the "Big School" vs. "Small School" scheduling. When a 2A powerhouse like Southern Columbia plays a 4A team, it tells you more than any ranking ever will.
- Watch the trenches. The skill players get the headlines, but the 2025 state titles were won by the teams with the best offensive lines, period.
The 2025 season proved that the name on the front of the jersey doesn't guarantee a spot at the top of the pennsylvania high school football rankings anymore. You have to earn it every Friday night.