Public Groups 1-2 

October 20, 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 #10 Manasquan and lost 6-2 to Group 5 Toms River North, 6-2 Group 5 Southern, and 7-1 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 #19 Westwood and lost 6-0 to Group 4 Middletown North, 4-3 Group 4 Middletown South, and 14 -7 to Point Pleasant Boro. 

I have Shore at 23 because they lost 6-0 to Group 4 Middletown North, 4-3 to Group 4 Middletown South, and to Group 3 Red Bank and Matawan, and beat Group 5 Freehold Township, and 6-1 Point Pleasant Beach. 

I have Bernards at 15 because their losses came against 7-1 Rutherford by a touchdown and 7-0 Group 3 Cranford by a touchdown, and they beat previously undefeated Hillside. I also considered the strength of the school’s program. 

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

In: Lakeland
Out: Ramsey   

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

Also (listed in alphabetical order by record): Monmouth (8-0), Wallkill Valley (8-0), Belvidere (7-1), Boonton (7-1), Highland Park (7-1), Wood-Ridge (7-1), Bordentown (6-1), Dayton (6-2), Delaware Valley (6-2), Gloucester City (6-2), Lower Cape May (6-2), New Milford (6-2), Sterling (6-2), Clayton (5-2), Johnson (5-2), Audubon (4-2), Brearley (5-3), Hasbrouck Heights (5-3), Lodi (5-3), Manville (5-3), Ocean Township (5-3), Salem (5-3), South Hunterdon (5-3), Vernon (5-3), Haddon Heights (4-3), Hawthorne (4-3), Penns Grove (4-3), Ramsey (4-3), Becton (4-4), Indian Hills (4-4), Hanover Park (4-4), Kinnelon (4-4), Lenape Valley (4-4), Mountain Lakes (4-4), Park Ridge (4-4), Pennsville (4-4), Raritan (4-4), Woodstown (4-4)