High school football rankings: Bergen Catholic finishes No. 1 in final New Jersey MaxPreps Top 25

By Mitch Stephens Dec 9, 2021, 9:40am

Crusaders cruise to 15th section crown, 12-0 record, a No. 4 national ranking and the top spot in New Jersey.

The high school football season in New Jersey came to a close over the weekend. Bergen Catholic (Oradell) was among the victors with an emphatic 28-7 win over Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) in the final of Non-Public A, NJSIAA football Championships Saturday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

That victory helped propel the Crusaders to the No. 1 ranking in the final New Jersey MaxPreps Top 25.

Led by the MaxPreps New Jersey Player of the Year Jaeden Gould, the defense once again stole the show, holding Don Bosco Prep to seven points in two games. The Crusaders posted a 17-0 win over Bosco earlier in the season, one of four shutouts on the season.

In fact, Bergen Catholic allowed just 94 points all season.

In the championship game, Princeton-bound running back Ryan Butler rushed 25 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns and Saeed St. Fleur added 125 yards on just nine carries.



The combination of rugged defense and steady offense helped Bergen Catholic win its 15th section title and first since 2017. According to NJ.com, this was the eighth Crusader team to finish undefeated.

Read on for a complete look at the final New Jersey MaxPreps Top 25.

2021 NEW JERSEY STATE CHAMPIONS

North 1 Group 1 — Park Ridge
North 1 Group II — Caldwell
North 1 Group III — West Morris Central
North 1 Group IV — Irvington
North 1 Group V — East Orange Campus
South Group I — Salem
South Group II — Point Pleasant Boro
South Group III — Cedar Creek
South Group IV — Millville
South Group V — Hillsborough
Non-Public A — Bergen Catholic
Non-Public B — Red Bank Catholic

FINAL NJSIAA MAXPREPS TOP 25

# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Bergen Catholic (Oradell)12-044.7--
2Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey)8-544.9--
3Millville11-125.2+1
4CCHS (Egg Harbor City)13-026.6+2
5RBCHS (Red Bank)11-128.1-2
6SPP (Jersey City)8-439.9-1
7SAP (Richland)9-236.9+1
8DePaul Catholic (Wayne)9-333.7+2
9DCHS (Toms River)8-330.7+2
10Woodrow Wilson (Camden)9-330.2-1
11SJRHS (Montvale)6-444.1+1
12RFHHS (Rumson)9-228.6+1
13NHHS (Allendale)12-125.3-6
14Hillsborough13-015.1+2
15Hun (Princeton)8-07.1--
16St. Joseph (Hammonton)9-329.0-1
17SHP (West Orange)7-431.6+2
18Caldwell (West Caldwell)12-012.1--
19Winslow Township (Atco)9-428.7-2
20WMCHS (Chester)10-319.8--
21Irvington11-221.5+11
22Delbarton (Morristown)5-635.1-1
23Holy Spirit (Absecon)5-634.4--
24Shawnee (Medford)8-425.0-2
25EOCHS (East Orange)12-010.4+6