This is the final edition of the DSN Power Rankings for the 2025-26 season! We’re now completely into the post season in both Maryland and Delaware and with some of our teams' seasons having come to an end, we will have to wrap the rankings up here. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty of the top-10 of the rankings in just a bit. For one final time, let’s recap the algorithm that determines where the teams finished for the season.
Part 1
A team loses 2 DSN points after losing to a team below .500
A team loses 0 DSN points after losing to a team .500 or better
A team receives 1 DSN point after defeating a team below .500
A team receives 3 DSN points after defeating a team .500 or better
Part 2:
A team receives and additional 1 DSN point for a road victory
A team receives 2 DSN points after defeating a DSN Top 5 team
In the event of a tiebreaker, the team with the higher margin of victory/defeat will get the higher seed.
If two teams have the same margin of victory/defeat, the team with more points scored on the season will get the higher seed.
Part 3 (the additional rules):
A team receives 0 DSN points after defeating a 1-A level team
A team receives 1 DSN point after defeating a 2-A level team
A team receives 2 DSN points after defeating a 3-A level team
If a team loses to a team in their class, they lose 0 DSN points
If a 2-A team loses to a 1-A team, that team loses 2 DSN points
If a 3-A team loses to a 2-A team, that team loses 2 DSN points
If a 3-A team loses to a 1-A team, that team loses 4 DSN points
Finally, any game played after last week will not be counted towards this final ranking. Now with the rules explained, let’s reveal the power rankings for the Henlopen.
10. Delmar Wildcats: (5) DSN Points (3-7)
Last Week Result: 42-0 loss to Laurel (6-4)
The Wildcats jumped into the Top 10 due to Polytech’s loss to now three-win Milford knocking them out of the Top 10. Delmar wrapped up their regular season with a shut-out defeat to longtime rival Laurel which put the Bulldogs safely in the post season tournament. Delmar is a young team and it showed all season. The talent, however, is there for the Wildcats and they can build toward a better tomorrow while trying to compete in a stout Class 2A.
9. Sussex Central Golden Knights: (11) DSN Points (4-6)
Last Week Result: 54-40 loss to Smyrna (6-4)
Sussex Central’s loss to Smyrna was disappointing, especially after needing a win to at least keep their very slim playoff hopes alive. The loss was also uncharacteristic of a typical Golden Knight defense (which wasn’t the first time we’ve seen the Golden Knights in a shootout this season.) There are plenty of positives to take from last week’s contest however now that Sussex Central is heading into their offseason. One of them is that this was, as Coach John Wells put it during our Inside the Huddle series, a retooling year. The Golden Knights put on plenty of game winning and win-worthy performances this season. Only to either lose in heartbreaking fashion, or unable to keep up with their opponents’ high-scoring outputs. The Golden Knights continued to fight all year, which is the standard of a John Wells coached team.
8. Laurel Bulldogs: (16) DSN Points (6-4)
Last Week Result: 42-0 win over Delmar (3-7)
The Bulldogs got the last laugh over their rival Delmar last week. From the first kickoff taken 80-yards to the house, to the score being 35-0 at halftime, the Bulldogs played with bad intentions. They needed a win to clinch a post season berth in 2A for the third consecutive year and they were able to do that by the end of the first quarter. They now own the 6 seed and will take on District 2 champion Red Lion whose only losses are to 3A Salesianum and Carvel Academy. It’s an uphill battle for the Bulldogs but it’s any given week when it comes to the play in Delaware.
7. Sussex Tech: (16) DSN Points (7-3)
Last Week Result: 28-20 win over Woodbridge (1-9)
The Bulldogs (+15 margin of victory) may have kept the Ravens out of the final playoff spot two games ago but Sussex Tech still won the tiebreaker by having a +134 margin of victory point differential. Tech’s win over Woodbridge was enough to keep their playoff hopes alive but Odessa and Laurel winning kept them as the first team out. It was an unfortunate situation for the Ravens but they at least ended the season on a positive note. This is the most wins in a season for Sussex Tech since 2015 where they won eight games.
6. Cape Henlopen Vikings: (20) DSN Points (6-4)
Last Week Result: 28-23 win over St. Georges Tech (5-5)
Cape Henlopen got a much needed win to keep their season alive and it was hard-fought. The Vikings were down throughout the contest and they did not waiver. They outscored St. Georges 14-2 after being down 21-14 and Jameson Tingle turned into Caleb Williams late in the game. He spun out of a potential sack and found Dell Richards who carried multiple defenders into the endzone. That play alone is the theme of the season for Cape. When they’re down, they fight. When they’re up, they fight. They now have to take their fighting spirit into Salesianum to face the Sallies in the post season for the third season in a row.
5. Seaford Blue Jays: (25) DSN Points (9-1)
Last Week Result: 2-0 Forfeit win over St. Andrew’s (2-7)
We get into the Top 5 of the Henlopen for the final time and Seaford drops down a couple of spots following their forfeit victory over St. Andrew’s. The Blue Jays picked up their ninth win of the season but it kept Seaford from earning the top seed in 1A. The first two rounds of the state playoffs, however, will still run through Seaford, Delaware. The Blue Jays have been dominant following their lone loss to Indian River, out-scoring their opponents 247-64 in games played (excluding the 2-0 forfeit victory over St. Andrew’s.) Seaford will now host 5-5 Glasgow for the first round of the state tournament.
4. Smyrna Eagles: (26) DSN Points (6-4)
Last Week Result: 54-40 win over Sussex Central (4-6)
Smyrna jumped up to the fourth spot in the rankings after their win over Sussex Central last week. Offensively, the Eagles were firing on all cylinders. Drew Marks (mention stats here) The offense put up their most points in the season and needed each point to outlast the Golden Knights. Scoring has not been a problem for the Eagles in the second half of the season. They scored at least 42 points in four of their final five games and they still won the game they only scored 22 points. They already clinched the 2 seed entering last week’s contest but the win added to their already impressive resume on the season. They will host Caesar Rodney for a rematch that was their closest game of the second half of the season.
3. Caesar Rodney Riders: (26) DSN Points (7-3)
Last Week Result: 35-0 win over Dover (1-9)
The Riders still have the tiebreaker over Smyrna (+75 margin of victory) with their own margin of victory of +139. The Riders dominated Dover in a game that they needed to stay in the post season. Caesar Rodney has now won three in a row after losing three in a row… after winning four in a row to start their season. They’ve scored 35 or more points for the third week in a row and in six of their wins, they’ve eclipsed 35 or more. The Riders now rematch Smyrna as the seven seed in the Class 3A state tournament. The score of their previous meeting was a final of 22-17 in favor of the Eagles.
2. Lake Forest Spartans: (39) DSN Points (9-1)
Last Week Result: 27-21 loss to Indian River (10-0)
Sparta has fallen! In all seriousness, Lake Forest has officially lost their first game of the season and they do it in heartbreaking fashion. After being up 14-0 at halftime, they struggled to score on offense in the second half, with their only score being an 88 yard kickoff return from AJ White. Lake week’s game was the game of the season but their loss did not derail their season. They now own the four seed and they’ll take on Archmere Academy in the first round of the 2A State Playoffs. A win here and a win for the Indians in Dagsboro will set up a rematch where the Spartans can come out on top.
1. Indian River Indians (39) DSN Points (10-0)
Last Week Result: 27-21 win over Lake Forest (9-1)
Indian River gets the tiebreaker over Lake Forest (+254 margin of victory) by having a margin of victory of +266. The Indians had the best season in the Henlopen Conference. They not only are undefeated, but they’ve dominated every team they played this year (outside of Seaford and Lake Forest,) they gave Lake Forest and Seaford their only losses on the season, and they’re the 2A District 3 champions in their first season as a 2A team. As for the District Title Game, the Indians relied on a 27-point second half to overcome a 14-point deficit with Darnell Stokes and Landon Erbe leading the charge. Now Indian River is the top seed in the 2A playoffs with a path to the State title that features, 7-3 Odessa, 7-3 Archmere Academy, and a rematch against 9-1 Lake Forest.
Remaining Team Rankings:
11. Milford Buccaneers: (4) DSN Points (3-7)
Last Week Result: 45-7 win over Polytech (4-6)
12. Polytech Panthers: (3) DSN Points (4-6)
Last Week Result: 45-7 loss to Milford (3-7)
13. Woodbridge Blue Raiders: (-2) DSN Points (1-9)
Last Week Result: 28-20 loss to Sussex Tech (7-3)
14. Dover Senators: (-2) DSN Points (1-9)
Last Week Result: 35-0 loss to Caesar Rodney (7-3)
15. Early College High School Hornets: (-7) DSN Points (1-8)
Last Week Result: Forfeited Final Regular Season Contest
Now let’s switch over to the Bayside Rankings.
10. Washington Jaguars (4) DSN Points (5-4)
Last Week Result: 22-8 win over Snow Hill (4-6)
The Washington Jaguars are having their best season since 2003. They’ve won five games, they’ve won their first playoff game since their state semifinal trip 22 years ago, and they’ve avenged their 35-0 regular season loss to Snow Hill with a resounding two score victory in a game that mattered the most. The Jaguars are building something great and the goal is to bring Washington back to the forefront of the Bayside Class 1A title picture with a deep playoff push each season. Coaching is the biggest difference maker in high school sports and what Head Coach Alec Meintzer and his staff is doing in Princess Anne is beyond impressive. Washington will take on top seeded Patuxent this week for a chance to play for a region title.
9. Snow Hill Eagles: (5) DSN Points (4-6)
Last Week Result: 22-8 loss to Washington (5-4)
The Eagles have now dropped five played games in a row. Their lone win in the previous six weeks came via forfeit in which the game was not played. The Eagles started their season hot. After a 3-1 start, they’ve been outscored 210-76 in games played. They’ll have to get back to the drawing board for next season if they want to compete with the rest of Class 1A in the Bayside.
8. Parkside Rams: (8) DSN Points (3-7)
Last Week Result: 44-18 loss to Gwynn Park (8-2)
Parkside had a promising start to their young season with a win over 2A foe Delmar. They followed that up with a close contest against Easton where they led 13-12 and then did not score again. They then defeat James M Bennett in the Salisbury City Rivalry matchup. They would ultimately drop six of their next seven games. Last week’s loss to Gwynn Park summed up their play this season. Talented players all over the field, but unable to get stops on defense while also allowing the opposing team’s best player to have their best performances against them. With more than half of the roster being seniors, the Rams will have to reload for next season.
7. Cambridge South-Dorchester Vikings: (10) DSN Points (4-6)
Last Week Result: 27-26 win over Colonel Richardson (7-3)
The Vikings might have had the biggest win in the Bayside last week. All wins are big but to be able to right the ship after starting the season 0-5 is how legacies are left. Looking at the season as a whole, the Vikings have now won four of their last five with their lone loss in that stretch coming to a two-loss Easton team in overtime by just 6-points. To then take that loss and channel it into a victory over the 2 seeded, Bayside Class 1A champion Colonels who haven’t lost a game in nearly two months is the stuff of legends. They must now take the trip to Perryville to pull off the upset and keep their season alive, but the Vikings have shown that no challenge is too big for them to overcome.
6. Kent Island Buccaneers: (16) DSN Points (5-5)
Last Week Result: 33-5 loss to Henry E. Lackey (5-5)
We now take a look at Kent Island who have dropped their third game in a row after an electric win over then undefeated WiHi. They did lose their star running back Jaxon Hess for the remainder of the season after that game, but their final stretch of games left a lot to be desired. They followed up that game with a 35-0 defeat to Stephen Decatur, then were competitive against Queen Anne’s County to wrap up the regular season until they weren’t, and then they only put up five points against Lackey. It’s a disappointing end to a season that unfortunately reached its pinnacle in week seven.
5. Colonel Richardson Colonels: (19) DSN Points (7-3)
Last Week Result: 27-26 loss to Cambridge South-Dorchester (4-6)
We now enter the top five and the Colonels were also disappointed. They were held to their lowest scoring output since week two when they lost 21-18 to now 9-1 Seaford. During their 7-game winning streak, Colonel Richardson scored 40 or more points in each game, except against Cambridge-South Dorchester. That game was also their smallest margin of victory as they won by just ten points. All of that played in the back of the Vikings’ minds and capitalized on it. The Colonels had a great season nonetheless and have won the Bayside Class 1A title for the fourth time in five seasons which is something to be proud of.
4. Queen Anne’s County Lions: (24) DSN Points (8-2)
Last Week Result: 52-20 win over Southern-AA (2-8)
The Lions have been on fire following their two games in a five day stretch where they lost by a combined 11-points. Following those two games against Wicomico and Stephen Decatur, the Lions have rattled off six consecutive victories (seven barring a loss this week.) In the last month of games, the Lions have boasted arguably the highest scoring offensive in the Bayside. They’ve scored 33 or more points in each game and have eclipsed the 50-point mark twice. In fact, the Lions have scored at least 30 points in every game except in their win over North Caroline where they only scored 18-points. As for their playoff game, they were up 45-0 at halftime with Colton Starlings throwing four touchdown passes, Jadereon Thompson catching three passes for 142 yards and two scores, and ten different ball carriers getting touches throughout the game. This week they take on Easton for a second time with the right to play in the 2A/1A Region Finals next week.
3. Wicomico Tribe: (25) DSN Points (8-2)
Last Week Result: 41-14 win over Fairmont Heights (3-7)Â
The Tribe put together an impressive performance over Fairmont Heights last week. The game was over by the end of the second quarter as WiHi led 41-0. This was a game in which WiHi was able to put together the total team performance that made the Tribe a tough out in the first half of the season. The offense was able to cut down on the mistakes, the defense was able to get off the field, and the team as a whole cut down on penalties. Now they must focus their attention on a tough Gwynn Park team who comes into this contest at 8-2 and handled Parkside last week.
2. Easton Warriors: (30) DSN Points (8-2)
Last Week Result: 42-0 win over Hammond (1-9)
Easton put together their best performance of the season last week and ended up being the only Bayside playoff team to post a shut out over their opponent. Hammond came over the bridge as a one win team but the Warriors didn’t view their record as important. They saw a team that they had to defeat to accomplish their goal of being 1-0 in the post season and that’s exactly what they did. The Warriors were up at halftime 21-0 and the score could have been much worse. The Golden Bears offense for the most part struggled to move the ball outside of the quarterback. When they were in Warrior territory, the Easton defense either forced a turnover or a negative play that would then take the Golden Bears out of their opponent’s territory. Jamier Copper scored 3 first half touchdowns, and Easton doubled their scoring output in the second half to cap off a dominant performance. Now the Warriors host a high powered Queen Anne’s offense in a rematch that did not favor Easton in the first meeting. The winner advances to the 2A/1A Region Final.
1. Stephen Decatur Seahawks (32) DSN Points (8-1)
Last Week Result: 42-12 win over Reservoir (4-6)
Stephen Decatur is in sole possession of the top spot of our final rankings for the third season in a row. It’s a testament to the culture head coach Jake Coleman has built over in Berlin. The Seahawks have now only lost one game in three years and in their first season in Class 3A, they’ve won their first playoff game and did it in dominant fashion. Stephen Decatur led Reservoir 42-0 heading into the fourth quarter. Johnny Hobgood threw for two touchdown passes, four different Seahawks found the endzone on the ground, the defense made it difficult for the ‘Gators to find consistent success on offense. It was a great performance for the Seahawks and they must now take the trip over to Jessup, Maryland to take on an undefeated Guilford Park team who have only had a football program for two seasons. A trip to the Region Finals is on the line for Stephen Decatur.
Remaining Team Rankings:
11. North Caroline Bulldogs: (-3) DSN Points (1-9)
Last Week Result: 62-0 loss to Douglass-PG (9-1)
12. Kent County Trojans: (-8) DSN Points (0-9)
Last Week Result: Forfeited their Playoff spot.
13. James M. Bennett Clippers: (-15) DSN Points (1-9)
Last Week Result: 69-0 loss to South River (10-0)
If you’ve made it this far, best of luck to all the athletes out there competing this week and beyond, may you all finish your games healthy and able to compete on another day and congratulations to all of our teams on completing another season on Delmarva. Thank you for following along for another great season of football on the peninsula and we’ll see you next year!
