Ranking Top 10 Large & Small 2026 – Week 1

Large Schools

1. Health Sciences (AAA) – With football season in the rearview, the much anticipated debut of WNY’s preseason #1 is at South Park this week, ahead of a major early season showdown at Villa against the team who opened the season number one last year from St. Joe’s.
2. Nichols (AA) – Began the season with a most impressive showing in a victory over Niagara Falls at the Cataract Classic after a season-opening against Williamsville North.
3. Canisius (AA) – The defending Manhattan Cup Champions and last season’s overall #1 squad begins play this week, opening in a league tilt against Park, then hosting McKinley on Thursday in the first round of the Tom Keenan Memorial Tournament. Penfield and Horseheads are the other two teams in the tournament, with Penfield being a very highly regarded squad from Section V. The consolation & championship games are set for Saturday afternoon at Canisius.
4. St. Joe’s (AA) – Battled back in their season opener to earn a victory over the defending Class AAA champions from Jamestown before falling to Ridley Prep over the weekend. The Marauders open league play against Timon on Tuesday night, before heading off to face the top program in the area this season from Health Sciences on Saturday.
5. Niagara Falls (AAA) – Few things are more entertaining than watching the Wolverines take the court for the first time every season at the Cataract Classic and this year was no exception. Falls came out flying in an eventual victory over Williamsville South, before falling to Nichols the following afternoon. On Friday evening, they host the defending state champions from Class C.
6. Jamestown (AAA) – The Red and Green Raiders will take a week to stew over a season-opening loss they let get away in the fourth quarter against St. Joe’s before returning to action next week.
7. Orchard Park (AA) – Last year’s Class AA1 finalists begin the season this week by hosting Middle College, ahead of a date at Depew, where Quakers head coach Chris Frankowski played in high school.
8. McKinley (AA) – A pair of lopsided victories in the first week of the season for a McKinley squad looking to make some serious noise in Week 2 when they visit Delaware Avenue to take on the defending Manhattan Cup Champions in the first round of the Tom Keenan Memorial Tournament.
9. Grand Island (A1) – Went over the century mark in a 75-point blitzing of Buffalo Arts before finding a game opponent in the Spartans from Williamsville North in a low scoring afternoon affair at the Cataract Classic. The Vikings host Kenmore West on Tuesday night.
10. Lew-Port (A1) – The unheralded Lancers walked into the Cataract Classic on Friday evening and built a 19-point first half lead on WNY’s top program in two of the last three seasons. They went on to claim a 7-point victory in a game they never trailed in, placing themselves squarely on the WNY relevancy map for the 2026 season! They travel to North Tonawanda on Friday evening to begin league play in the NFL.

Small Schools

1. Akron (B2) – The top small school in WNY sure played like it in the opening week of the season, rolling past Alden by 50 points and then Cleveland Hill by 41 points. On Thursday evening, they host Albion, the only team to defeat them during the regular season in 2025. Then on Saturday afternoon, it’s an early season showdown and rematch of last year’s Class B1 Final against Olmsted.
2. Tapestry (B2) – The Thunderhawks went from not even being mentioned among the Top 10 small schools in the area, to the #2 ranking in one week. After watching them take it to East on Monday evening, they went on to earn victories over the Class A2 finalist from Buffalo Science and the Class B1 finalist from Olmsted. The collection of talent at Tapestry will keep the squad firmly planted in the Top 10 rankings for the remainder of the season.
3. Olmsted (B1) – After dropping a close one in their opener to the upstart Thunderhawks from Tapestry, the Owls take flight again this week with three games. The season begins by hosting Holland on Wednesday night, before an ambitious weekend against the last two teams they faced in 2025. Friday night is a rematch of the Class B1 semifinal against Middle College and the following afternoon they take a trip to Akron for a rematch with last year’s Class B Champion.
4. Wilson (C) – Earned a solid season opening victory over Starpoint before digging in to withstand a late-game rally, to earn the victory over Cardinal O’Hara on Saturday behind a 38-point showing from Aidan Neumann. The Lakemen head to MST on Monday night for a big one and then finish off the week against Buffalo Culinary and IPrep in the Wilson Tip-Off Tournament.
5. MST (B2) – The Wolves are off to a 2-0 start to the season, drilling Buffalo Arts and Maritime. On Monday night, they face another team with a pair of early victories, that defending Class B2 champs from Wilson.
6. Global Concepts (C) – The Gators only allowed 21 points against IPrep in their opener, while scoring 94 of them behind a career-high effort by Eric Davis. They welcome City Honors to town on Tuesday.
7. Middle College (B1) – Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? The Kats won their season opener by 52 points before losing their second game of the season by 50 points. East and North Tonawanda were the opponents. Really not sure what to make of this. It’s a good thing it’s only December and they have a game against Olmsted on Friday that should provide a little more clarification.
8. Medina (B1) – The Mustangs are 2-0 after earning a pair of wins over West Seneca,East and Kenmore East in the Inaugural Marv Matteson Tip-Off Showcase. The team is back in action this week with games at Starpoint and Barker.
9. Newfane (B2) – The Panthers hope the carryover from the greatest football season in program history is a momentous one, opening the season at home against Starpoint this week.
10. Randolph (B2) – Earned a 45-point victory over Hutch Tech in the season opener played at McKinley. The Cardinals’ small school rivalry against Salamanca resumes on Friday evening at Maple Grove.