State rankings: Three No. 1 teams knocked off in Week 1; Exeter moves up
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Benjamin F. Pierce — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
Defending state champs St. Joseph’s Prep and Bishop McDevitt dropped their season openers — one in Florida, the other in Canada. Each opened the season ranked No. 1 in the state by PennLive.com, St. Joseph’s in Class 6A, McDevitt in 5A.
Also, top-ranked Seton LaSalle, in Class 2A, lost so badly it was dropped completely from the rankings. The Rebels were beaten 47-14 by unranked Pittsburgh North Catholic.
Locally, Exeter moved up one spot in Class 5A to No. 5 and Wyomissing held at No. 5 in Class 4A. Schuylkill Valley, which was ranked No. 10 in Class 3A, was dropped from the rankings after a 45-14 loss to Muhlenberg.
Exeter was impressive in its opener, scoring 35 first-quarter points and building a 64-0 halftime lead over Daniel Boone. The Eagles are now the highest-ranked District 3 team in Class 5A. McDevitt, which beat Exeter in the district championship game last year, fell to No. 6.
St. Joseph’s Prep lost to American Heritage of Florida 31-28. McDevitt lost to Clarkson North of Canada 27-7.
Twin Valley, unranked in the preseason, is listed as a Team to Watch in Class 4A after opening with a 49-19 win over Berks Catholic.
The only other Lancaster-Lebanon League teams in the rankings are Lampeter-Strasburg, No. 8 in 4A, and Lancaster Catholic, No. 10 in 2A.
PennLive.com high school football Week 1 rankings
CLASS 6A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. La Salle College HS (12) — 1-0 – 2
2. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) — 0-1 — 1
3. Harrisburg (3) — 1-0 – 3
4. Parkland (11) — 1-0 – 5
5. Pittsburgh CC (7) — 0-1 – 4
6. State College (6) — 1-0 – 7
7. North Allegheny (7) — 1-0 – 8
8. Central York (3) — 1-0 — 10
9. Downingtown West (1) — 1-0 — NR
10. Imhotep Charter (12) — 0-1 – 9
Teams to watch: Coatesville (1) 1-0, Easton Area (11) 1-0, Manheim Township (3) 1-0, North Penn (1) 1-0, Neshaminy (1) 1-0.
CLASS 5A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Pine-Richland (7) — 1-0 – 2
2. Roman Catholic (12) — 0-1 – 3
3. Peters Township (7) — 1-0 – 4
4. Chester (1) — 1-0 – 5
5. EXETER (3) — 1-0 – 6
6. Bishop McDevitt (3) — 0-1 – 1
7. Upper St. Clair (7) — 1-0 — NR
8. Springfield-Delco (1) — 1-0 — NR
9. Woodland Hills (7) — 0-1 — 9
10. Cathedral Prep (10) — 1-0 — 10
Teams to watch: Conrad Weiser (3) 1-0, DuBois (9) 1-0, Garnet Valley (1) 0-1, Whitehall (11) 1-0.
CLASS 4A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Bonner-Prendergast (12) — 1-0 – 1
2. Southern Lehigh (11) — 1-0 – 2
3. McKeesport (7) — 1-0 – 3
4. Pope John Paul II (1) — 1-0 – 4
5. WYOMISSING (3) — 1-0 – 5
6. Thomas Jefferson (7) — 1-0 – 6
7. Shamokin (4) — 1-0 – 7
8. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) — 1-0 – 8
9. Aliquippa (7) — 0-0 – 9
10. Jersey Shore (4) — 1-0 — 10
Teams to watch: Bishop Shanahan (1) 1-0, New Castle (7) 1-0, Susquehanna Township (3) 1-0, Twin Valley (3) 1-0, Valley View (1-0).
CLASS 3A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Northwestern Lehigh (11) — 1-0 – 1
2. Avonworth (7) — 1-0 – 2
3. Hickory (10) — 1-0 – 3
4. ND-Green Pond (11) — 1-0 – 4
5. Imani Christian (7) — 1-0 – 7
6. North Schuylkill (11) — 1-0 — NR
7. Sharon (10) — 1-0 – 9
8. Penn Cambria (6) — 1-0 — NR
9. Scranton Prep (2) — 0-1 — 5
10. Elizabeth-Forward (7) — 1-0 — NR
Teams to watch: Central Valley (7) 0-1, Conwell-Egan (12) 1-0, Mifflinburg (4) 1-0, Neumann-Goretti (12) 0-1, North Catholic (7) 1-0.
CLASS 2A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Schuylkill Haven (11) — 1-0 – 2
2. Riverside (2) — 1-0 – 3
3. Troy (4) — 1-0 – 4
4. South Park (7) — 1-0 – 6
5. Williams Valley (11) — 1-0 – 7
6. Farrell (10) — 0-1 – 5
7. Bishop McCort (6) — 1-0 — NR
8. Southern Columbia (4) — 0-1 – 8
9. Steelton-Highspire (3) — 0-0 – 9
10. Lancaster Catholic (3) — 1-0 — 10
Teams to watch: Central Clarion (9) 0-1, Karns City (9) 1-0, Minersville (11) 1-0, Richland (6) 1-0.
CLASS 1A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Fort Cherry (7) — 1-0 – 1
2. Lackawanna Trail (2) — 1-0 – 3
3. Clairton (7) — 0-1 – 2
4. Bishop Guilfoyle (6) — 1-0 – 4
5. Wilmington (10) — 1-0 – 5
6. Line Mountain (4) — 1-0 – 6
7. Port Allegany (9) — 1-0 – 7
8. Westinghouse (8) — 1-0 – 8
9. Windber (5) — 1-0 — NR
10. Bishop Canevin (7) — 0-1 – 10
Teams to watch: Cornell (7) 1-0, Greenville (10) 0-1, Jeannette (7) 0-1, Neshannock (7) 0-1.
