RI high school football preseason poll: Newport County teams get little love from voters
Preseason polls can be tough because no real games have been played, and voters are choosing the order based largely on results from last year, players lost to graduation or the results of Injury Fund exhibitions.
But they do provide a level of expectation for how the season could shake out. Below are the top 20 ranked teams in high school football as voted on by members of the media, as well as how I voted.
Newport County, as you'll see, isn't getting a ton of love among statewide voters, as Portsmouth is the only local team to break into the top 20. Rogers is receiving votes, while Middletown and Tiverton were ignored entirely.
But this is why the games are played on the field.
Points Last Year
1. Hendricken (8) 216 1
2. La Salle (1) 207 2
3. Central (2) 199 4
4. North Kingstown 192 3
More: Rogers vs. Middletown and other things to look for during Week 1 of the football season
5. Cumberland 151 11
6. St. Raphael 150 8
7. Portsmouth 132 6
8. Westerly 131 12
9. Barrington 122 15
10. South Kingstown 121 7
11. Burrillville 89 9
12. Classical 82 5
More: Injury Fund football games are done. Here's what we learned about Newport County teams.
13. Narragansett 73 10
14. Mount Pleasant 69 16
15. Woonsocket 61 19
16. East Providence 51 20
17. Ponaganset 43 13
18. Shea 37 17
More: Ready for impact: 12 Newport County high school football players to watch in 2022
19. Cranston West 33 NR
20. Tolman 27 14
First-place votes in parentheses
Also receiving votes: Pilgrim 24, Coventry 21, Chariho 13, Cranston East 10, Moses Brown 9, Lincoln 8, West Warwick 7, North Smithfield/Mount St. Charles 6, Rogers 6, Davies 5, East Greenwich 5, Central Falls/Blackstone Valley Prep 3, Smithfield 3, Juanita Sanchez/Providence Country Day 2, Johnston 1, North Providence 1.
How The Daily News voted in the poll
1. Bishop Hendricken, 2. La Salle, 3. North Kingstown, 4. Classical, 5. Portsmouth, 6. South Kingstown, 7. Cumberland, 8. Barrington, 9. St. Raphael, 10. Classical, 11. Burrillville, 12. Westerly, 13. Narragansett, 14. Mount Pleasant, 15. Woonsocket, 16. Shea, 17. Coventry, 18. Ponaganset, 19. Rogers, 20. Chariho
More: If you don't know these 4 Newport County football players, you will by the end of the year
It's easy to see why Bishop Hendricken holds the No. 1 spot — the Hawks are the four-time reigning state champs — and the other members of the Big Four follow.
Then we get to Division II, where I think Portsmouth will make some noise and vie for a championship. I'm also confident Rogers — under first-year coach John Horsman — will finish higher than its opening position, while Middletown will be in the mix when all is said and done.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: RI high school football preseason media poll: Portsmouth ranks No. 7
