Preseason Delaware High School Football Top 25 Rankings

by: Lawrence Fernandez08/02/25lawandfern

Delaware high school football will open its 2025-26 season in late August. Hundreds of teams across multiple classifications will begin their campaign that hopefully ends with a state championship. Here are the top 25 teams entering the Delaware high school football season according to Massey.

The Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.

1. Salesianum Sallies

The Sallies’ nine-game winning streak ended in the Delaware high school football Class 3A state championship game against Middletown. Regaining the state crown they’ve won in 2023 will be Salesianum’s primary agenda this season. Their schedule starts against Red Lion Christian Academy on August 28, and players like Ya’Heem Smith and Jamar Taylor will lead the way.

2. Middletown Cavaliers

Earlier in the season, the Cavaliers lost to Salesianum. They erased that loss by winning the Delaware high school state championship against the defending champion Sallies. Their title defense starts against Ohio’s Bishop Watterson on August 30.

Middletown has an entertaining receiving corps in BJ Garrett (Syracuse), Darius Pope (Temple), and DJ Davis. Meanwhile, the tandem of Amare Glover and Makai Walker will deliver yards from the backfield. Safety Dorian Rutledge, cornerback Tre Carter, and linebacker Tysir Young are their defensive leaders.

3. Caravel Academy Buccaneers

The Buccaneers haven’t suffered defeat in the last two seasons. In addition to establishing a 26-game winning streak, they’ve clinched back-to-back Delaware high school football Class 2A state championships.

Caravel Academy’s quest for a three-peat starts against Red Lion Christian on September 5. Defensive lineman Isaac Chukwurah and interior offensive lineman Jonah Smith will play their final high school football season before joining Penn State and James Madison, respectively.

4. Smyrna Eagles

From a 12-1 record in the 2022-23 Delaware high school football season, the Eagles went 9-13 over the last two seasons. They finished their 2024-25 campaign with a loss to St. Georges Tech in the first round of the Class 3A state tournament. Wide receiver Phoenix Henriquez and Smyrna will begin their 2025-26 campaign against Pennsylvania’s Coatesville on August 29.

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5. Sussex Central Senior Golden Knights

The Golden Knights won eight of their first nine games to open the 2024-25 Delaware high school football season. However, they lost two of their last three, including their Class 3A state semifinal loss to Salesianum.

Sussex Central will begin the 2025-26 Delaware high school football season against West Philadelphia on August 29.

6. Appoquinimink
7. St. Georges Tech
8. Dover
9. Hodgson Vo-Tech
10. Cape Henlopen