10/6: High School Football Power Rankings

The high school football season is starting to enter the home stretch, which means it's time to see where teams are positioned for the postseason that begins in just over a month.

Before we take a look at the power rankings for Regions 3C, 2B and 1B, it needs to be made clear the Virginia High School League is no longer handling the calculating and sending out of the weekly ratings. The VHSL has punted all the responsibilities of calculating the numbers to the 24 regions making up the six classifications around the state. Each region is free to come up with its own system of determining the rankings. As for the three local regions, they all opted to keep the VHSL method that has been used for decades, at least for the 2025 season. That could all change in the future for any region around the state.

Now lets get down to the business of seeing where the seven local teams stand with five Fridays remaining in the regular season.

In Region 3C, Wilson Memorial is in a solid position to keep playing. The Green Hornets are No. 5, just behind Heritage-Lynchburg at No. 4, which is the final spot for hosting a first-round playoff game.

While the Hornets are in good shape, the same can't be said for Staunton and Waynesboro. The Storm's chances took a massive hit last Friday in losing 13-7 at home to the Little Giants. Staunton comes in at No. 12, just ahead of resurgent Waynesboro in 13th. Only the top 8 teams qualify for the postseason.

To be fair, the Giants weren't even thinking playoffs coming into the season. They just wanted to end their 24-game losing streak. The Giants have certainly opened eyes with a .500 record through six games that includes back-to-back road victories. That first road win at Rockbridge County ended a span of 1,422 days since the last one in the 2021 season.

The playoff participants in Region 2B have been reduced from eight teams to six (that includes all sports in 2025-26) since the region has only eight football-playing schools remaining after the departures of Riverheads and Luray to Class 1.

Stuarts Draft sits in the No. 4 spot for the final home game in the first round just ahead of rival Fort Defiance at No. 5. The Cougars blanked the Indians 24-0 on the road in their September 19 clash in a game which the winner was seen as having the inside track to host if a rematch should occur.

The Region 1B rankings have an odd look with Riverheads tied for fifth with Franklin. The Gladiators ruled the region for years, using it as a stepping stone to winning seven-straight state championships from 2016-22, but the return to Class 1 this season after a two-year stint in Class 2 has been a bumpy ride for the Red Pride. The Gladiators have a 2-3 record at the midway point, the worst start for the program since 1997.

Buffalo Gap sits just ahead of Riverheads and Franklin at No. 4. The Bison routed winless Rockbridge County 55-9 last Friday, marking the first time since 2022 they have beaten a team in the Shenandoah District other than Waynesboro.

Region 3C (Top 8 teams qualify)
1. Alleghany (5-0) 26.80
2. Liberty Christian (3-1) 25.50
3. Broadway (6-0) 25.33
4. Heritage-Lynchburg (4-1) 22.80
5. Wilson Memorial (4-1) 22.40
6. Turner Ashby (4-1) 21.20
7. East Rockingham (5-1) 20.67
8. Brookville (3-2) 19.80
9. Spotswood (3-3) 18.33
10. Fluvanna County (2-3) 18.20
11. Western Albemarle (3-2) 17.80
12. Staunton (3-2) 17.60
13. Waynesboro (3-3) 17.50
14. Rocktown (2-4) 16.00
15. Monticello (2-3) 15.80
16. Rustburg (0-5) 11.80
17. Rockbridge County (0-6) 11.33
18. Harrisonburg (0-5) 11.00

Region 2B (Top 6 teams qualify)
1. Buckingham County (6-0) 21.67
2. Strasburg (4-1) 20.80
3. Central Woodstock (2-3) 18.80
4. Stuarts Draft (4-2) 18.50
5. Fort Defiance (3-3) 16.67
6. Madison County (2-3) 14.80
7. Page County (3-3) 14.20
8. Clarke County (0-5) 11.40

Region 1B (Top 8 teams qualify)
1. Altavista (4-2) 19.50
2. Sussex Central (5-1) 18.67
3. Luray (3-2) 18.20
4. Buffalo Gap (2-4) 13.83
T5. Riverheads (2-3) 13.20
T5. Franklin (2-3) 13.20
7. Brunswick (1-5) 12.00
8. Cumberland (2-4) 11.17
9. Surry County (2-4) 10.83
10. William Campbell (0-6) 9.00