Public Groups 1-2 

September 29, 2026

This is the second poll, and I made a small change: if a team lost to a Catholic school or private equivalent, I have a “C” after their record. Additionally, if a team lost to a good, larger public school, I have an “LP” after their record. If they lose to more than one of each category, I place one or more of each. I generally do not penalize a team for losing to a Catholic school. It is a loose poll, and the cream will rise to the top. 

I have Point Pleasant Boro at 9 because they beat Manasquan and lost 5-1 to Group 5 Toms River North, 5-1 Group 5 Southern, and 5-1 Group 4 Brick Memorial, each by 7 points. I have Wall at 10 because they beat Group 5 Freehold Township and Group 4 Manalapan, and lost to 4-1 Group 4 Brick Memorial, #3 Rumson-Fair Haven, and St. John Vianney. I have Manasquan at 11 because they beat #12 Westwood, lost to 5-0 Group 4 Middletown North, Point Pleasant Boro, and 3-3 Group 4 Middletown South, by 14, 7, and 4, respectively. I have Shore at 20 because they lost to 5-0 Group 4 Middletown North, 3-3 Group 4 Middletown South, Group 3 Red Bank, and beat Group 5 Freehold Township and handed 4-1 Point Pleasant Beach their only loss. I have Bernards at 17 because their losses came against 6-0 Rutherford by a touchdown and 5-0 Group 3 Cranford by a touchdown, and beat previously undefeated Hillside. I also considered the strength of the school’s program. 

1 – Glassboro (5-1) LP
2 – West Deptford (5-0)
3 – Rumson-Fair Haven (5-1) C
4 – Caldwell (5-0)
5 – Haddonfield (4-1)
6 – Hoboken (5-1)
7 – Newton (6-0)
8 – Cedar Grove (4-1)
9 – Point Pleasant Boro (3-3) LP, LP, LP
10 – Wall (2-3) C, LP
11 – Manasquan (2-3) LP, LP
12 – Westwood (4-1)
13 – Rutherford (6-0)
14 – New Providence (5-0)
15 – Camden Eastside (4-1)
16 – Butler (5-1)
17 – Bernards (4-2) LP
18 – Hillside (5-1)
19 – High Point (5-1)
20 – Shore (2-3) LP, LP, LP
21 – Ramsey (4-2)
22 – Mountain Lakes (4-2)
23 – Paulsboro (4-2)
24 – Point Pleasant Beach (4-1)
25 – Becton (4-2)

In: none
Out: none 

C lost to a Catholic school
LP lost to a good, large public school 

Also (listed in alphabetical order by record): Highland Park (6-0), Monmouth (6-0), Schalick (6-0), Wallkill Valley (6-0), Wood-Ridge (6-0), Belvidere (5-1), Boonton (5-1), Brearley (5-1), Lakeland (5-1), Lower Cape May (5-1), Waldwick/Midland Park (5-1),  Bordentown (4-1), Clayton (4-1), Haddon Heights (4-1), Penns Grove (4-1), Dayton (4-2), Delaware Valley (4-2), Gloucester City (4-2), Hasbrouck Heights (4-2), Indian Hills (4-2), Lenape Valley (4-2), Lodi (4-2), Manville (4-2), New Milford (4-2), Ocean Township (4-2), Raritan (4-2), South Hunterdon (4-2), Audubon (3-2), Hawthorne (3-2), Johnson (3-2), Mahwah (3-2), Sterling (3-2), Hackettstown (3-3), Kinnelon (3-3), Park Ridge (3-3), Pennsville (3-3), Salem (3-3), Vernon (3-3), Woodstown (3-3), Burlington City (2-4)