No surprise - St. Frances starts the year at No. 1 in the Media State Poll

St. Frances Academy, DeMatha and Archbishop Spalding open 1-2-3 in the 36th annual Maryland Media Preseason State Poll, matching the order in which the three powerhouse programs finished the 2025 season.

The consensus at the top was just as strong. St. Frances Academy collected all 10 first-place votes, while DeMatha received all 10 second-place votes and Spalding all 10 third-place votes. McDonogh School and Quince Orchard round out the Top 5.

This year's preseason Top 25 features 20 teams that appeared in last year's final poll. That level of continuity is hardly surprising as the gap between the state's established contenders and the rest of the field continues to widen, and voters tend to reward programs with proven track records.

Even the five newcomers are familiar names. Broadneck, No. 14, has appeared in the State Top 25 every year since 2013. No. 20 Georgetown Prep is a fixture in the rankings, while No. 23 Guilford Park made its Top 25 debut in last year's final poll. No. 22 Old Mill and No. 24 Bishop McNamara also appeared in recent rankings.

For those familiar with the state's landscape, the poll offers few surprises. All six public-school defending state champions are ranked: 4A champion Quince Orchard at No. 5; 4A-3A champion Mergenthaler Vo-Tech at No. 17; 3A champion Linganore at No. 8; 2A champion Huntingtown at No. 13; 2A-1A champion Dunbar at No. 16; and 1A champion Patuxent at No. 19.

The private schools again dominate the higher rankings, holding the top four spots and six of the top nine. Five MIAA A Conference schools are ranked, as are all three Maryland-based WCAC Capital Conference programs.

Perhaps most notable is how closely the voters agreed beyond the top five. Roughly 20 teams emerged as clear consensus choices, while 14 additional programs received votes. That depth suggests the final spots in the Top 25 could change quickly once the season begins, with several of the vote-getters already positioned to make their way into the rankings.