Public Groups 1-2 

October 13, 2026

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 8 because they beat Manasquan and lost 5-2 to Group 5 Toms River North, 6-1 Group 5 Southern, and 6-1 Group 4 Brick Memorial, each by 7 points. I have Wall at 9 because they beat Group 5 Freehold Township and Group 4 Manalapan, and lost to 6-1 Group 4 Brick Memorial, #3 Rumson-Fair Haven, and St. John Vianney. I have Manasquan at 10 because they beat #11 Westwood and lost 5-0 to Group 4 Middletown North, 3-3 Group 4 Middletown South, and 14 -7 to Point Pleasant Boro. I have Shore at 24 because they lost to 5-0 Group 4 Middletown North, 3-3 Group 4 Middletown South, and Group 3 Red Bank and Matawan, and beat Group 5 Freehold Township, beating 5-1 Point Pleasant Beach. I have Bernards at 16 because their losses were to 6-1 Rutherford by a touchdown and 6-0 Group 3 Cranford by a touchdown, and they beat previously undefeated Hillside. I also considered the strength of the school’s program. 

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

In: Schalick, Waldwick/Midland Park
Out: Becton, Mountain Lakes  

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

Also (listed in alphabetical order by record): Highland Park (7-0), Monmouth (7-0), Wallkill Valley (7-0), Wood-Ridge (7-0), Belvidere (6-1), Boonton (6-1), Bordentown (5-1), Brearley (5-2), Dayton (5-2), Delaware Valley (5-2), Gloucester City (5-2), Haddon Heights (5-2), Hasbrouck Heights (5-2), Lakeland (5-2), Lodi (5-2), Lower Cape May (5-2), Manville (5-2), New Milford (5-2), Ocean Township (5-2), Sterling (5-2), Clayton (4-2), Johnson (4-2), Penns Grove (4-2), Audubon (3-2), Becton (4-3), Indian Hills (4-3), Kinnelon (4-3), Lenape Valley (4-3), Mountain Lakes (4-3), Park Ridge (4-3), Pennsville (4-3), Raritan (4-3), Salem (4-3), South Hunterdon (4-3), Vernon (4-3), Hawthorne (3-3), Mahwah (3-3), Burlington City (3-4), Hanover Park (3-4), Woodstown (3-4)