MaxPreps releases first round of football rankings

By Brittany Bowyer
Mail

PHOENIX — MaxPreps has released its first official set of rankings for the 2026 season one week into the campaign. It’s a welcomed change for many, as rankings previously weren’t released prior to midseason. Here’s where North Valley teams landed on the list to start the year.

In 4A, Arcadia fell to #3 overall following their loss to Bradshaw Mountain on Friday.

In 5A, there’s a handful of North Valley teams all towards to top of the pack. Desert Mountain, the reigning State Champs, are ranked second while Horizon is right behind them at #3. Notre Dame Prep is ranked#5 overall, while Cactus Shadows is ranked seventh. Chaparral rounds out the 5A Northeast Valley conference, coming in at #15 on the list.

Meanwhile in 6A, Pinnacle sits at #5 overall, just outside of the coveted top four, while Brophy comes in at #7.

MaxPreps and the Arizona Interscholastic Association will update these rankings every Sunday and Thursday.

Brittany Bowyer is a Report for America corps member, covering sports for Independent Newsmedia in Arizona. Report for America places talented journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and regions.