As it often does, the Massachusetts football season flew by in the blink of an eye. Some things went as expected. Perennial favorites such as Xaverian and Catholic Memorial rose to the pinnacle, each claiming its latest Super Bowl championships.
Xaverian even managed to three-peat, a feat accomplished only three times in MIAA history, twice by Xaverian. Al Fornaro was part of both of those stretch runs with the Div. 1 powerhouse, as an assistant from 1994-96, and now as the program’s head coach the past few seasons.
Xaverian is just one of the many standouts to emerge, and there are plenty of others who should be recognized:
1. Xaverian: The Hawks (11-2) began the year at the top of this list, and that is precisely where they will deservedly finish. They captured the Div. 1 Super Bowl again with a dramatic 41-35 victory over rival St. John’s Prep. Xaverian is slated to lose key contributors like Christian McIntyre and Dave Chiavegato to graduation, but welcome back quarterback Will Wood, who tied a state Super Bowl record with five touchdowns passing in the title game.
2. Catholic Memorial: John DiBiaso’s group continued its dynasty in Div. 2, winning its fourth title in five seasons with a 41-14 victory against Bishop Feehan. It was the 17th state championship for the coach, and his team was led by standouts such as Harvard-bound Kise Flannery (1,761 passing yards, 974 rushing yards, 39 touchdowns). The Knights (10-2) will remain dangerous in 2026.
3. King Philip: For a third time in Brian Lee’s coaching tenure, the Warriors (13-0) accomplished a perfect season, claiming a Div. 3 Super Bowl crown in the process (a 21-10 win over North Attleboro). It was the fourth state championship for the program since 2016. It will be difficult to replace senior leaders like Tallan King and Keigan Canto-Osorio, but a winning culture was solidified.
4. St. John’s Prep: The Eagles (11-2) made their first Div. 1 Super Bowl appearance since 2023, where they ultimately fell just short with a valiant comeback bid against Xaverian (41-35). However, there is reason to be highly optimistic about this group moving forward. Five-star recruit Chris Vargas will likely be returning, along with other incredible prospects such as Jordan Toribio, Maxwell Parent and Riley Selvais.
5. Springfield Central: The Golden Eagles (9-2) returned to the Div. 1 semifinals before faltering to eventual state champion, Xaverian (36-22). With quarterback Jareth Staine and running back Isaiah Rogers both expected back, they’ll be back in the mix.
6. Shawsheen: For a second straight year, the Rams (13-0) completed a perfect season under Al Costabile. Led by Adam Caruso, Dyllon Pratt and Jake Banda this past weekend, they constructed an early lead, then held off Foxboro (14-7) to claim the Div. 5 Super Bowl title. The school boasts the state’s longest active winning streak at 27 games.
7. Scituate: The Sailors (11-2) might have just enjoyed the most improbable Super Bowl championship of all in Div. 4, rallying from a 14-point deficit to stun previously-unbeaten Tewksbury (42-41). Pomona-Pitzer commit Jonny Donovan (336 yards passing, four touchdowns in the title game) fueled the miraculous comeback. Under Herb Devine, the program has won four state titles since 2018.
8. Cohasset: Senior running back Gus Greene capped a year to remember, scoring the game-winning 42-yard touchdown scamper to deliver the Skippers their first Div. 7 Super Bowl since 2021. He eclipsed 2,000 yards this season alone, as Cohasset knocked off a heavyweight in Amesbury (22-14).
9. Randolph: Since coach Jon Marshall’s arrival, the Blue Devils have won two Div. 8 Super Bowls, including their latest last week as they completed a perfect 12-0 season with an impressive 21-0 shutout of West Boylston. Senior Mekhi White capped off a fantastic career with 74 yards rushing to go with a touchdown in the championship.
10. Bishop Feehan: The Shamrocks (10-2) reached Gillette for the first time since 2012. Their run featured an impressive 10-game winning streak before falling to Catholic Memorial in the Div. 2 Super Bowl. They’ll have to replace a very large senior class of 27 players, including Owen Mordas and Ole Miss commit Kane Mankins.
11. Fairhaven: Powered by Ian Alexion and Grant Darmofal offensively, the Blue Devils (12-1) returned to the mountaintop with a 28-14 victory over Norwell in the Div. 6 Super Bowl. Derek Almeida’s team captured its second state championship since 2023.
12. Tewksbury: A historic season concluded in the Div. 4 Super Bowl, as the Redmen (12-1) fell to Scituate in the closing seconds. Will Harrison will be returning at quarterback after a terrific sophomore campaign.
13. North Attleboro: The Rocketeers (10-3) came up just short to King Philip in their bid for a second straight Div. 3 state championship. It will be interesting to see how this program turns the page with star running back Frankie Strachan (the Hockomock League Davenport MVP) scheduled to graduate.
14. Foxboro: For the 10th time in Jack Martinelli’s illustrious coaching career, the Warriors (9-4) reached Gillette. They ultimately fell to Shawsheen for a second straight season in the Div. 5 Super Bowl, dropping a 14-7 nail-biter. The school is still poised for success with star running back Jack Taft returning.
15. Amesbury: The Redhawks (12-1) reached a Super Bowl appearance for the third time in program history after a dominant fall campaign (33.54 points per game). Quarterback Justin Dube was selected as the Cape Ann League (Baker) MVP following an impressive season.
16. Winchester: The Red and Black (11-1) made a historic leap, claiming their first Middlesex League (Liberty) title since 1990.
On the sideline: Norwell, West Boylston, Bridgewater-Raynham, Milton, Archbishop Williams, Duxbury, Central Catholic, Canton, North Reading
