The 2021 high school football season in Massachusetts kicks off next week and MaxPreps has your look at the state's top teams. Winners of 23 of its last 26 games dating back to 2018, Springfield Central owns the top spot in our preseason rankings.
The Golden Eagles won the Division 3 state title in 2019 and followed with a 2-0 record during an abbreviated spring season. Boston College commit
Joseph Griffin Jr., a 6-foot-4 wide receiver, will be the focal point of Central's passing game. He enters his senior campaign with 53 career catches for 1,017 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In addition to Central, defending 2019 state champions include St. John's Prep in Division 1, Mansfield (Division 2), Melrose (Division 4), Swampscot (Division 5), Ashland (Division 6), Abington (Division 7) and St. Bernard's Central Catholic (Division 8).
See the complete list below.
Mansfield beat Marshfield in late April to cap a 6-0 spring season. Both teams are in the Top 10 of the preseason rankings.
Photo by Mike Braca
1.
Central (Springfield), 2-0 record last season
2.
Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury), 4-0
3.
Xaverian Brothers (Westwood), 5-1
4.
Natick, 5-0
5.
Mansfield (Mansfield), 6-0
6.
Central Catholic (Lawrence), 6-0
7.
Marshfield, 3-1
8.
Everett, 2-0
9.
Melrose, 6-0
10.
Marblehead, 7-0
11.
Lincoln-Sudbury (Sudbury), 7-0
12.
St. John's Prep (Danvers), 3-3
13.
Bishop Fenwick (Peabody), 6-0
14.
St. John's (Shrewsbury), 2-3
15.
Wachusett Regional (Holden), 5-0
16.
Andover, 5-2
17.
Apponequet Regional (Lakeville), 6-0
18.
Boston College (Boston), 1-3
19.
Barnstable (Hyannis), 2-0
20.
Milton, 5-1
21.
Duxbury, 2-0
22.
Reading Memorial (Reading), 5-1
23.
Acton-Boxborough (Acton), 5-1
24.
Deerfield Academy (Deerfield), 0-0
25.
Minnechaug Regional (Wilbraham), 3-3
