Changing of the Guard: DeMatha, St. Frances swap spots in Media State Poll

DeMatha and St. Frances Academy are two of the most recognizable brands in Maryland high school football.

For much of the past 36 years, the two programs have also been at the forefront of the Maryland Media State Poll, with DeMatha dominating the rankings through the 1990s and 2010s before St. Frances emerged as the state's top program in recent years.

That intertwined history takes another turn this week as DeMatha replaces St. Frances at No. 1.

The swap, however, was not unanimous.

DeMatha collected seven of 10 first-place votes, with St. Frances, after losing back-to-back weeks, receiving the other three. It marked the first time this season a school other than St. Frances received a first-place vote, and it lifted the Stags to No. 1 for the first time since 2017.

Archbishop Spalding remains No. 3, followed by McDonogh School and Quince Orchard. Wise, Oakdale, Sherwood, Linganore and Huntingtown round out the Top 10.

The only newcomer to this week's rankings is No. 22 Old Mill, which knocked former Top 15 team Broadneck out of the poll with a 35-7 victory last week.

The latest change at the top recalls a pivotal moment in the poll's history. On Oct. 3, 2017, DeMatha and St. Frances shared the No. 1 ranking, each receiving six votes from what was then a 12-member panel. Three days later, DeMatha lost to Gonzaga (D.C.), and St. Frances took over the top spot, holding it for the remainder of the season.

At the time, the change might not have seemed significant. In retrospect, it marked a turning point in Maryland high school football, as the state's traditional power gave way to a program that would dominate the rankings for much of the next decade.

Since the inaugural State Poll in 1990, DeMatha has held the No. 1 ranking for 129 of the 335 weeks between 1990 and 2017. Since 2018, St. Frances has occupied the top spot in 76 of 103 weeks. The Panthers' only interruptions during that span came in 2023, when Good Counsel finished No. 1, and 2024, when Archbishop Spalding claimed the top ranking.

DeMatha's return to No. 1 is no guarantee the Stags will finish the season there. They face a pair of one-loss teams, St. John's (D.C.) and Gonzaga, over the next two weeks before the conference playoffs.

A loss by DeMatha could open the door for St. Frances to reclaim the top spot. The Panthers, meanwhile, have powerhouse IMG Academy (Fla.) as their most formidable remaining opponent.