2014 South Jersey High School Football Power Rankings Week 1

With the 2014 High School Football season about to kick into high gear, 97.3 ESPN is unveiling its 2014 South Jersey Power Rankings.

We'll update the rankings each week of the season based on the team's performance, MaxPreps' Rankings, nj.com, and the Shore Sports Network.

So, without any further ado:

WEEK 1:

1) St. Joseph: Winning 5 straight state titles makes it hard to argue any team in South Jersey is better than the Wildcats -- by far the best team in the Cape-Atlantic League.

2) Timber Creek: The Chargers may be the best team in the West Jersey Football League not named Shawnee or Cherokee.

3) Cherokee: The defending South Jersey Group V champions were, by most accounts, South Jersey's top high school football team last year.

4) St. Augustine: The Hermits are ranked 22 in the state's top 25, but start their season at St. Joe, which might be their toughest game of the season.

5) Shawnee: The defending South Jersey Group IV champions should continue to be solid, but did struggle in a pair of August scrimmages against St. Joe and Absegami.

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6) Delsea: The defending South Jersey Group III champions should contend, but will have to survive a talent-packed WJFL National Division first.

7) Holy Spirit: Last year's Non-Public Group 2 runners-up struggled to hang with Pennsylvania's Malvern Prep, but should remain a force in South Jersey.

8) Barnegat: The Bengals nearly took home the South Jersey Group III title last year. They'll look to build off of last year's success.

9) Haddonfield: The Bulldawgs stunned undefeated, Colonial Conference Liberty Division rival West Deptford and a pair of WJFL teams on their way to a South Jersey Group II championship last year.

10) Millville: The Thunderbolts have been on the cusp of being a great team for years now and could finally break through this season.

Others receiving consideration: Camden, Toms River South, Bridgeton, Eastern, Paul VI