High school football is like a secular religion across much of America – a time-honored tradition that bonds communities and gives people a shared passion. For top-tier programs that consistently showcase elite talent, produce college recruits, and compete for championships, the Friday night atmosphere reaches fever pitch.
In this blog post, I explore the ingredients that comprise the best high school football programs in America and count down the current top 10.
Criteria for Excellence
Several key factors determine excellence in high school football:
Recent Win-Loss Records: Sustained success over the past 5 years demonstrates program stability and competitiveness.
State & National Championships: Titles equal dominance. The best teams compete for and win championships consistently.
Player Recruitment & Alumni: Top programs funnel athletes to college football and the NFL. This proves their knack for talent identification and development.
Facilities/Funding: Great facilities indicate community support and the resources to maintain excellence.
Coaching: The best coaches not only schematically sharp but also excel at teaching discipline, technique, and intangibles like resilience.
Community Support: Great high school teams unite towns and cities. The community is invested in the program’s sustained success.
Why High School Football Matters
Across huge swaths of America, Friday night lights form the fabric of fall. Playing under the lights with the hopes of a community upon your shoulder pads is a feeling that bonds teammates for life.
But elite high school football is about more than just entertainment. Great programs also teach core values – discipline, leadership, resilience, work ethic – that translate into all aspects of life. Most importantly, high school football provides a platform into college, opening doors to education.
The Very Best Programs
Without further ado, here are the 10 high school football teams that have shown exemplary and sustained excellence, building proud traditions rooted in winning, development, and community.
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Allen High School – Allen, Texas
With $60 million football facilities, Allen invests heavily in maintaining an elite program. The Eagles have won over 93% of their games the past 5 seasons. InAllen’s 2014 season, they set a national record by scoring 824 total points. -
St. Thomas Aquinas – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The Raiders from St. Thomas Aquinas are talent producers, winning 8 State Championships since the mid 1990’s while funneling elite talent to top college programs. Over 150 St. Thomas Aquinas alumni have played Division 1 college football. -
St. John Bosco – Bellower, California
St. John Bosco plays in California’s ultra-competitive Catholic league. But that doesn’t stop them from elite production, winning State titles in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018 while also competing nationally with a grueling out of conference schedule. Their alumni list reads like a NFL factory. -
IMG Academy – Bradenton, Florida
IMG doesn’t recruit like most high schools – they attract blue-chip talent from around the world. Operated by IMG sports agency, they prep athletes for college careers. IMG is so dominant they typically play elite out of state programs because Florida offers little competition. -
Bishop Gorman – Las Vegas, Nevada
In Nevada, Las Vegas is king. Bishop Gorman has won 10 straight state titles and three consecutive national championships from 2014 to 2016. They became the first team to go 16-0 in Xfinity’s National High School Invitational. -
Mater Dei – Santa Ana, California
With one of America’s top coaching staffs, Mater Dei fields competitive teams yearly despite playing in California’s brutally tough Catholic school league. Mater Dei has tie-ins with sports brands like Under Armour while providing pathways for players to elite colleges. -
St. Joseph’s Prep – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
In 2017, St Joseph’s went 16-0 and were crowned National Champs. They have won 6 state titles since 2013. Head coach Gabe Infante stresses “attitude, effort, and mental toughness.” It’s clear St. Joseph’s players buy into the team-first mentality. -
St. John’s – Washington, District of Colombia
St. John’s has won 3 consecutive Washington DC championships. They have a long lineage of success since being established in the 1920’s. Football and education carry equal weight, with the program stressing excellence in both. -
St. Frances Academy – Baltimore, Maryland
You won’t find an opponent willing to face state powerhouse St. Frances on their home turf. Outscoring opponents 537-12 in 2018, head coach Messay Hailemariam rebuilt St. Frances into a national juggernaut. -
Westlake High School – Austin, Texas
Winning Texas’ ultra-competitive 6A division requires depth, discipline and development — all Westlake trademarks. Westlake head coach Todd Dodge accumulated a 79–1 record across 5 seasons at another Texas power Southlake Carroll in the early 2000’s. After taking the Westlake job in 2018, Dodge has led them to successive state titles in 2019 and 2020. Westlake shows no signs of relinquishing hold of Texas high school football supremacy any time soon.
The Makings of Greatness
All these programs share common traits – stability, vision, talent development, resources, competition, and community support. But most importantly, the very best high school football teams forge young men, emphasizing virtues like responsibility, integrity, resilience and team brotherhood. These lessons last long after the roar of the crowd goes quiet.
For the fortunate few who progress to college football and the NFL, their roots trace back to humid summer training sessions and the glow of high school Friday night lights – where bonds were forged and their paths in the game first carved. That’s why high school football remains central to many American towns – it binds us together. At the very best programs, football is a deeply embedded civic religion.