Northern Highlands begins the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason rankings of the North Jersey Football Public Top 20, and Bergen Catholic is ranked No. 1 in the Non-Public Big Six rankings entering the 2024 season.
Northern Highlands, last year’s North 1, Group 4 Section runner-up, returns a number of talented players, including dual-threat senior quarterback Nate Johnson, senior running back Matt Boydell and senior receiver Shane Hanlon.
Rounding out the top five in the public rankings are: No. 2 Passaic Tech, last year’s runner-up in Group 5; No. 3 Ramapo, last year’s runner-up in Group 4; No. 4 Rutherford, the reigning North Jersey Interscholastic Conference champion; and No. 5 Westwood, the reigning Group 2 champion.
Bergen Catholic has finished most of the Non-Public Big Six rankings the last three years after winning three consecutive Non-Public A state titles. The Crusaders return talent across the field, including three Preseason All-New Jersey seniors: quarterback Dominic Campanile, receiver Quincy Porter and defensive back Naiim Parrish.
Rounding out the Big Six rankings are: No. 2 St. Joseph, No. 3 DePaul, No. 4 Don Bosco, No. 5 Paramus Catholic and No. 6 St. Peter’s Prep
Each week, the Varsity Aces ranks the top 20 public school teams and the Big Six non-public school teams.
Here are the preseason rankings, with last year’s records in parentheses, as well as each team’s opening games:
Public Top 20 Ranking
20. Waldwick/Midland Park (6-3)
First game: September 6 against Rutherford
19. River Dell (3-8)
First game: Thursday in Nutley
18. Butlers (9-2)
First game: September 6 in Hawthorne
17. Hackensack (6-5)
First game: Friday against Passaic
16. Park Ridge (7-3)
First game: Thursday against Weehawken
15. Hasbrouck Heights (7-3)
First game: September 6 in New Milford
14. Paramus (6-4)
First game: Friday against West Milford
13. Mahwah (6-3)
First game: Thursday in Westwood
12. Ramsey (3-6)
First game: Friday against Palm Beach Prep in Kissimmee (Florida)
11. Clifton (3-7)
First game: Friday against Ridgewood, in Paramus
10. Ridgewood (4-5)
First game: Friday against Clifton in Paramus
9. Lakeland (8-4)
First game: Thursday against Governor Livingston
8. Wayne Valley (4-6)
First game: Friday in Lancaster (Ohio)
7. Pascack Valley (6-3)
First game: Saturday against Rancocas Valley, in Egg Harbor
6. Old Tappan (9-2)
First game: Friday against West Essex
5. Westwood (13-0)
First game: Thursday against Mahwah
4. Rutherford (10-1)
First game: September 6 in Waldwick
3. Ramapo (12-1)
First game: September 6 in Somers (NY)
2. Passaic Tech (13-1)
First game: Friday against Lenape
1. Northern Highlands (9-3)
First game: Friday in Washington Township
SEASON PREVIEW: Insights into the high school football teams in Bergen and Passaic counties
Big Six Ranking
6. St. Peter’s Preparation (1-9)
First game: Friday at Paramus Catholic
5. Catholic Church in Paramus (3-8)
First game: Friday against St. Peter’s Prep
4. Don Bosco (5-6)
First game: Friday at Archbishop Hoban (Ohio)
3. DePaul (6-6)
First game: Friday against Pope John
2. St. Joseph (6-4)
First game: Saturday against St. Frances (Md.)
1. Bergen Catholic (11-1)
First game: Thursday against IMG Academy (Florida) in Ocean City
