ESPNBoston.com's MIAA football Top 25

Updated: September 17, 2012, 11:56 AM ET

ESPNBoston.com Staff

More football polls: Massachusetts Prep Top 5 | New England Top 10

Below is our preseason Top 25 Massachusetts high school football teams, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. Look for these rankings to be updated every Monday through the football season. (Updated 9/17)

Team Name	Record	Last week's ranking	Notes
1. Everett	(11-1)	2	For the second straight year, the Crimson Tide come in at No. 1 in the first and last polls of the football season, after exacting revenge on Barnstable in the Division 1A Super Bowl, a 20-19 thriller that will go down as one of the most exciting finishes of the Gillette Stadium era.
2. St. John's Prep	(11-1)	3	The Eagles thrashed Brockton in the Division 1 EMass Super Bowl, 48-28, to finish the season with just under 4,000 yards of total offense -- an unheard-of total, considering 75 percent of that figure came by way of the run.
3. Barnstable	(11-1)	1	You can make an honest case for the Red Raiders finishing at No. 2. Essentially two plays were the difference in the 20-19 heartbreaker to Everett, and it's been four years since a visiting team won a game at Everett Memorial Stadium like Barnstable did.
4. Reading	(13-0)	4	The Rockets can make a case as the state's best defense, having outscored the opposition 423-65 and allowing an average of seven first downs per game. Next season, QB Drew Belcher (107-169, 1,710 yards, 21 TD, 2 INT; 138 carries, 804 yards, 15 TD) figures to be on the short list for Mr. Football contention.
5. Beverly	(13-0)	10	The Panthers saved their signature performance for the biggest stage, beating Natick, 28-21, in the Division 2A Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium, with 347 yards of offense -- all coming on the ground. The Rebels haven't allowed a point since Sept. 28, haven't allowed a touchdown since Sept. 23, and haven't allowed a rushing touchdown since Sept. 14. Yes, we can finally let the Walpole-Natick talk dominate this week. Even with Natick taking a surprise loss last weekend.
6. Auburn	(13-0)	9	Here's what it finally came down to in the inspired "Auburn vs. Nashoba" debate in Central Mass. The teams are 2-0 against common opponents; but while both teams made easy work of Hudson, Shepherd Hill gave Nashoba some struggles in the D2 CMass Super Bowl, while Auburn dispatched the Rams easily back in October.
7. Springfield Central	(12-1)	8	Quarterback Cody Williams badly hurt his ankle, then returned to inspire, as the Golden Eagles shut out Longmeadow, 27-0, in the D1 West Super Bowl and left no doubt as to who is the new alpha dog of the 413.
8. Nashoba	(13-0)	7	The Chieftains, now owners of the state's longest active win streak (26 games), graduate a loaded senior class. But if Saturday's Super Bowl win is any indicator going forward, then 6-foot-5, 270-pound sophomore interior lineman Travis Macko will be one to watch.
9. Brockton	(9-4)	6	The Boxers got trounced by Prep in the D1 Super Bowl, but by all accounts they exceeded expectations. In their first year running the flexbone offense, they ran for over 3,000 yards (including over 1,100 by QB Austin Roberts) and were among the state's leaders in rushing average (255.5 per game).
10. Leominster	(9-4)	NR	The Blue Devils leapfrog back into the polls following a 42-32 win over St. John's (Shrewsbury) in the Division 1 Central Super Bowl, improving to 4-0 over the Pioneers since the start of the 2011 season. Otimism abounds for 2013, with nearly every skill player returning.
11. Natick	(11-2)	11	It was a historic season for QB Troy Flutie (4,228 total yards, 49 TDs) and WR Brian Dunlap (86 catches, 1,570 yards, 21 TDs), but the Redhawks came up short in the D2A Super Bowl. Good news: The entire skill grouping returns in 2013.
12. Mansfield	(8-5)	16	Much like Natick, the Hornets fell in the D2 EMass Super Bowl, but have plenty of promise for next season between QB Kyle Wisniewski and WRs Michael Hershman and Brendan Hill.
13. Duxbury	(11-1)	5	The Green Dragons saw their state-best win streak snap at 37 games in a Tuesday night playoff to Mansfield in Division 2 EMass. As usual, we expect them to reload for another good run in 2013.
14. Abington	(13-0)	19	The Green Wave slowed down a potent St. Mary's running attack in a 14-8 win over the Spartans at Curry College, capping an undefeated season. Even better news? It appears head coach Jim Kelliher will be back for at least another season.
15. Andover	(10-2)	18	The Golden Warriors' prolific offense met their match in St. John's Prep's stifling defense in the teams' Tuesday semi-final matchup, but quarterback C.J. Scarpa and his host of receivers did entertain a lot of folks this fall in the Merrimack Valley Conference.
16. Bishop Feehan	(10-2)	NR	The Shamrocks rolled to the EMass Division 3A Super Bowl title after dismantling Dighton-Rehoboth in their Tuesday playoff game and then stifling Lynnfield's offense at Gillette on Saturday. Feehan now boats a 10-2 record in its Super Bowl appearances and could be primed for a repeat performance in 2013 behind promising running back Isaiah Douglas.
17. Walpole	(10-1)	13	The best team in the state not playing past Thanksgiving? We'd like to think so. It will not be the case next year -- the sitting home part, that is.
18. Longmeadow	(10-3)	12	Central may have been the better team both times out against the Lancers this season, but there are select few programs in Massachusetts that can continuously reload as Longmeadow can. So we think they'll be just fine in the long run.
19. Burlington	(10-2)	14	The Red Devils ran into the Beverly buzzsaw in the playoffs, but you have to tip your cap to the inimitable duo of Anthony Cruz and Marcus Odiah, who combined for 43 rushing touchdowns on the season.
20. King Philip	(10-1)	17	The Warriors finish the season as the second-highest-ranked non-playoff team and have plenty to look forward to with Joe Johnston and John Dillon back to pilot the offense next year.
21. Sharon	(10-3)	NR	Following the Eagles' Super Bowl victory, some folks have used the excuse of over-saturation of Super Bowls to make a claim that Sharon's accomplishment is fraudulent. Yet, every single time this team was doubted throughout the year, it rose to the challenge. If that isn't a championship team, we don't know what is. Also, when does Dave Morse's name get linked to the Philadelphia Eagles' HC job?
22. Plymouth South	(8-4)	22	Even better than the Panthers' first ACL title is the class and humility exhibited by athletic director and head coach Scott Fry in the wake of "Ball Gate" on Wednesday. He easily could've made a large stink of the whole thing. Kudos to that and a fine coaching job this season. Also, Dylan Oxsen's effort against Natick was nothing short of All-State worthy.
23. Central Catholic	(9-2)	NR	The Raiders may have fallen short of their goal of a MVC crown this season, but they have another season with 6-foot, 200-pound bruiser D'Andre Drummond to look forward to.
24. St. John's (Shrewsbury)	(8-5)	NR	While averaging over 32 points per game, the Pioneers' defense was a sore spot, allowing a shade more than 29 points per game. Still, one of the state's most prolific offenses won't miss a beat next season with Drew Smiley under center again.
25. Lincoln-Sudbury	(10-2)	15	The Warriors didn't quite have the firepower to match Barnstable for a second straight year, but credit the senior class of L-S, which wraps up their high school careers with a string of three consecutive DCL Large titles.
Last 10 Out: Boston Cathedral (11-2), Bridgewater-Raynham (5-6), Lowell (9-2), Nauset (9-2), North Attleborough (7-4), Northbridge (10-3), Mt. Greylock (11-1), St. Mary's of Lynn (11-2), Shepherd Hill (10-3), Wahconah (9-3).

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