Seven of the 10 teams featured begin the season ranked in the
MaxPreps Top 25.
The
top four teams in the rankings — No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower,
Calif.), No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), No. 3 St. Frances Academy
(Baltimore) and No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) — own the top-four
spots on our list.
The Monarchs and Braves play in the uber-competitive Trinity League in addition to scheduling top-tier preseason games. The Ascenders and Panthers each compile a grueling national schedule against powerhouse programs.
St. Frances Academy checks
in at No. 1 on our list of toughest schedules. The Panthers begin the season with seven of their first eight games
on the road or at a neutral site. They also log more than 8,400 miles, traveling to
Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas in a
12-week span.
A third Trinity League school, Servite, also lands on the toughest schedule list.
In total, six different states are represented with California having three followed by Florida and Maryland with two each. Arizona, Georgia and Ohio have one school.
Sept. 2 — vs. No. 21 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
Sept. 23 — at No. 8 Chandler (Ariz.)
Sept. 10 — vs. No. 50 Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
Oct. 15 — vs. No. 24 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)
Oct. 21 — vs. No. 55 King (Detroit)
Sept. 2 — vs. No. 41 Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.)
Sept. 10 — vs. No. 64 Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)
Oct. 28 — vs. No. 18 St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Nov. 4 — at No. 32 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Aug. 19 — vs. No. 14 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Sept. 2 — vs. No. 67 North Cobb (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Sept. 30 — vs. No. 53 Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
Oct. 14 — vs. No. 26 Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.)
Aug. 27 — vs. No. 18 St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Sept. 9 — at No. 40 Northwestern (Miami)
Sept. 16 — vs. No. 20 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
Sept. 22 — at No. 95 Gulliver Prep (Miami)
Oct. 7 — at No. 36 Venice (Fla.)
Full schedule
Aug. 26 — at No. 30 Mission Viejo (Calif.)
Sept. 9 — at No. 39 Los Alamitos (Calif.)
Sept. 30 — vs. No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Oct. 14 — at No. 56 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Oct. 27 — vs. No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Full schedule
Aug. 26 — vs. No. 15 Central (Miami)
Sept. 23 — at No. 27 Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Sept. 30 — vs. No. 91 Jones (Orlando)
Nov. 18 — at No. 3 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)
Aug. 26 — at No. 46 Allen (Texas)
Sept. 2 — at No. 94 Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.)
Sept. 17 — vs. No. 49 Kahuku (Hawaii)
Oct. 7 — at No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Oct. 28 — vs. No. 56 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Aug. 26 — at No. 6 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Sept. 2 — at No. 9 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Oct. 7 — vs. No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Oct. 21 — at No. 56 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Aug. 27 — vs. No. 58 East St. Louis (Ill.)
Sept. 3 — at No. 35 DeSoto (Texas)
Sept. 15 — at No. 36 Venice (Fla.)
Sept. 23 — at No. 44 Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.)
Sept. 30 — at No. 49 Kahuku (Hawaii)
Nov. 18 — vs. No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Full schedule