Inside the Week 5 Power 40: The Reason Behind Every Spot

October 7, 2026 • Records through Week 4

Presented by Orange County DA David Hoovler

The top five remain unchanged, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to discuss.

This week’s Power 40 comes down to the same questions we keep asking: Who have you played? How have you played? And what have you shown against the teams that can really test you?

Records matter. Head-to-head results matter. Schedule strength matters. History gives us context, but it doesn’t reserve anybody a ranking. In some cases, a program’s established culture is part of our evaluation too, and we’ll explain where it factors in.

These are our editorial rankings, not playoff standings or seeds. Here’s the reasoning behind all 40 spots.

1. Middletown | 5–0

Middletown stays at No. 1, but there isn’t a clear separation between the Middies and Newburgh right now. Both keep winning, and both have results that deserve respect.

The edge comes from Middletown being unbeaten, owning the most recent head-to-head win, and opening the season with a shutout of Arlington. Arlington’s wins in Section One have added value to that result.

Middletown’s 21–16 win over Newburgh in the 2025 sectional semifinal is relevant context, but these are different teams in a new season. Their October 16 meeting could settle who the real No. 1 is. First, Middletown has to handle Valley Central.

2. Newburgh Free Academy | 4–1

Newburgh has responded to its opening loss with four straight wins and looks every bit capable of taking the top spot. At this point, I’m not seeing a huge gap between the Goldbacks and Middletown.

Their meeting next week should be electric. But Newburgh has Pine Bush first. Neither of the top two can afford to look past this week while everyone else looks toward their showdown.

3. Washingtonville | 4–1

Washingtonville holds No. 3 after a convincing 37–7 win over Goshen. The Wizards have put themselves firmly in the Class A championship conversation.

I would love to see Washingtonville and Lourdes meet again in the postseason. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: it might sound crazy to some, but Washingtonville against Lourdes could be a real championship game.

4. Our Lady of Lourdes | 4–1

Lourdes stays right behind Washingtonville after beating Warwick 52–35. The Warriors have enough offensive ability to make them dangerous, and I would love to see that postseason rematch with Washingtonville.

But I do fear Lourdes’ defense right now. It hasn’t looked as strong as you would want from a championship contender, and allowing 35 points to a winless Warwick team makes the evaluation a little confusing. The offense shows us why Lourdes can contend. The defense gives us a reason to hesitate.

Lourdes belongs in this conversation, but against the best teams, the Warriors need to show they can get the stops to match their scoring.

5. Cornwall | 2–3

Cornwall is a strong No. 5 and a great team again. The Dragons took some tough early season losses, but they have every bit of the ability needed to reload and win a Section Nine championship.

The 49–20 win over Minisink is a reminder of what they can do. I still expect Cornwall to be in the championship game. The record doesn’t remove the Dragons from that discussion.

6. Port Jervis | 3–2

Port Jervis at No. 6 is more than a record or a comparison of this week’s scores. It is also a tradition and culture pick. The Raiders have built a standard that deserves respect.

Port’s regular season usually gives us a few major measuring sticks: Middletown, Minisink, and the Week Zero opponent if that matchup provides a strong test. Then come the opportunities in the sectional championship and, if the Raiders advance, the New York State playoffs. Those games tell us more about Port’s ceiling than simply expecting a big margin every week against its Class B schedule.

The Raiders have been doing what they need to do, most recently shutting out Saugerties 33–0. Valley Central’s game against Middletown will give us another comparison with Port against the same opponent, although one common opponent won’t settle everything.

This position isn’t permanent. If the other top-ten teams keep strengthening their cases, or Port takes a loss to Beacon during the regular season, we could be looking at a deeper slot, potentially even outside the top ten.

But right now, the Kings of Class B deserve a place inside the top ten. Their established standard, culture and current work keep them at No. 6.

7. Valley Central | 4–1

Valley Central has a different aura this year. You can see it in person, you can see it on film, and you can see it in the results behind this 4–1 start.

Friday’s road trip to Middletown will tell us just how strong that start is and how different this team really is. If VC beats No. 1 Middletown, it will make one of the loudest statements of the season.

Of course the Vikings want to win. This is a divisional game, not an exhibition. But when that clock hits zero, we also want to see evidence that VC is better equipped for this challenge than it has been in the past. A better overall performance matters, even if it doesn’t finish with a win.

This is the opportunity to show how much respect the Vikings deserve among the section’s best.

8. Minisink Valley | 2–3

This area of the rankings deserves a closer look. Minisink handled Monroe-Woodbury, and we haven’t seen Goshen or Pine Bush produce that same result against Monroe this season.

The Warriors are also the defending Class A champions. That deserves respect, although last year’s championship can’t carry this year’s ranking by itself.

Minisink has taken losses against strong opponents, including Cornwall last week. For now, its results support keeping the Warriors ahead of Goshen and Pine Bush.

9. Goshen | 4–1

Goshen is 4–1, and I don’t want to disrespect that record. Winning matters.

But the 37–7 loss to Washingtonville matters too, especially when we compare Goshen’s performance with Pine Bush’s against the same opponent.

The Gladiators have earned their wins and hold No. 9. Still, the gap between Goshen and Pine Bush isn’t something we should stop examining just because one team has a much better record.

10. Pine Bush | 1–4

Pine Bush is 1–4, but this is Section Nine, not the NFL. We’re evaluating more than the standings. Who you play and how you compete matter.

The Bushmen had No. 1 Middletown tied 7–7 at halftime. Could Goshen do that? I’m not sure. Pine Bush also scored 28 against Washingtonville in a competitive game, while Goshen lost that matchup 37–7.

Those comparisons don’t guarantee Pine Bush would beat Goshen. They explain why the records alone aren’t enough.

We haven’t been afraid to rank teams with worse records above teams with better records, and we’ll continue doing it when the performances justify it. Pine Bush moves to No. 10 and could belong higher. We’ll keep examining that.

11. Beacon | 5–0

I would love to put Beacon in the top ten. What worries me is the defense.

The Bulldogs found a way to beat O’Neill, and they found a way to beat New Paltz. That deserves respect. Against New Paltz, Beacon led 40–34 at halftime before shutting the Huguenots out in the second half and winning 63–34.

That second-half response matters. So does scoring 63, a new documented program high in the KOT845 archive.

But when the goal is to beat Port Jervis for a Section Nine championship, allowing 34 points to New Paltz is a concern. Port just showed against Saugerties that it can completely shut an opponent down.

Beacon can win a shootout. My question is whether the Bulldogs can get enough stops when the opponent can stop them too.

12. John S. Burke Catholic | 5–0

Good things are happening at Burke Catholic. The Eagles are unbeaten, have repeatedly put up huge scoring totals, and look capable of making this one of those seasons people remember.

The 52–6 win over Highland stands out because Highland has otherwise been playing good football.

Burke’s dominance deserves recognition. The Eagles stay right behind Beacon, with every opportunity to keep strengthening their case.

13. Kingston | 2–3

We started Kingston higher, but the concern now is whether the offense can produce enough in the moments that decide big games.

The defense has given Kingston reasons to stay competitive. But you can only ask a defense for so many stops before the offense has to respond.

The Tigers stay ahead of Monroe-Woodbury, but we need to be careful with this week’s head-to-head. A winless Monroe team has every reason to view Kingston as its opportunity to respond.

Kingston has the higher position right now. The Tigers still have to defend it on the field.

14. Monroe-Woodbury | 0–5

Monroe-Woodbury hasn’t won a game, and that has to carry weight. I still think the Crusaders have enough ability to belong in the top 15, but ability and results are two different things.

Kingston stunned Monroe 12–10 in 2024. That history is a reminder that this matchup isn’t automatic, regardless of the Crusaders’ longer tradition.

You have to think Monroe is looking at this Kingston game as an opportunity to respond. In terms of confidence and keeping the players invested for these final four weeks, it can feel like a game that makes or breaks the season.

This isn’t the same situation as Monticello and Poughkeepsie. The expectations and circumstances are different. But the need for a result that gives the kids something to build on is real.

If this is the week Monroe responds, the rankings will have to respond too.

15. Marlboro | 2–2

Marlboro stays narrowly ahead of Highland, with the Black and Blue Bowl arriving at exactly the right time to test that order.

The Dukes haven’t consistently found offense. They scored six against Port Jervis and six against Beacon, although they came through with a 33–20 win over Red Hook.

Marlboro’s competitive performance against Beacon matters in this comparison. But this week, the Dukes get a direct opportunity to show why they belong above Highland instead of relying on comparisons with other opponents.

16. Highland | 4–1

Highland has offense, has beaten Wallkill, and just handled Dover 31–14. That is why the Huskies have moved up.

The question is what that offense looks like against stronger teams. Burke’s 52–6 win over Highland can’t be ignored. Neither can Highland’s response against Dover.

This Black and Blue Bowl feels different from recent years. Marlboro has won the last 19 meetings in our available records. Highland’s last recorded win came in the 2009 sectional semifinal, 42–12.

History tells us how significant a Highland win would be. It doesn’t tell us who will win Saturday. If the Huskies bring the same approach they showed against Dover, they have an opportunity to change this rivalry’s direction.

17. Wallkill | 3–2

Wallkill’s move down isn’t because the Panthers did something wrong. Highland did something right, and Highland already owns the head-to-head win over Wallkill. That has to matter when we put these teams in order.

The Panthers have been doing what they need to do and putting wins together. We’re still giving them the nod over Warwick because Wallkill is playing better football right now.

That doesn’t mean I’m declaring Wallkill would beat Warwick head-to-head. It means the Panthers’ current performances deserve the higher position. That matchup should be a fun one when it arrives.

18. Warwick | 0–5

Warwick hasn’t won, and we can’t keep overlooking that. The schedule has been difficult, and the Wildcats have shown they can score.

But a difficult schedule explains some of the record. It doesn’t erase the record.

Warwick stays behind Wallkill until it gives us a stronger reason to reverse that order.

19. Dover | 3–1

Dover took steps forward, then took a step back against Highland.

Football goes high and low, and Dover has experienced both in consecutive weeks. Beating Chester was a strong result. Losing 31–14 to Highland was a setback.

I’m eager to see how the Dragons respond. Nevertheless, their overall work keeps them above the teams immediately below them.

20. Chester Academy | 2–3

Chester squeezed out a 31–25 win over Spackenkill, and Spackenkill showed up ready to make the Hambletonians earn it.

Finding a way to win a close game counts. Chester gets credit for finishing, while the earlier loss to Dover keeps the Hambletonians behind the Dragons.

There is room to move, but Chester needs to keep building on that result.

21. Franklin D. Roosevelt | 2–3

FDR holds No. 21. The Presidents have wins on the board, but the 21–7 loss to Wallkill keeps them below the Panthers and leaves them needing a stronger result to climb through this part of the rankings.

For now, we’re keeping FDR ahead of Saugerties rather than forcing a change without enough evidence.

22. Saugerties | 2–2

Saugerties just got blanked 33–0 by Port Jervis.

That result shows the gap the Sawyers still have to close against one of the section’s strongest programs. It doesn’t erase their wins, but it limits the argument for moving them higher.

The response matters now. Saugerties needs to show what it learned from that game.

23. James I. O’Neill | 3–2

O’Neill returned after two weeks without a played game and beat Rondout Valley 23–8.

That was an important response. The Raiders came back, got a win, and gave us a direct result supporting their position above Rondout.

The Class C championship conversation is still open. O’Neill has an opportunity to keep strengthening its place in it.

24. Rondout Valley | 2–3

Rondout stays behind O’Neill after their head-to-head loss.

The Ganders remain above Spackenkill, with their narrow 21–20 win in that matchup providing a direct reason for the order.

This is a closely grouped part of the rankings. Rondout needs another strong result to start separating itself.

25. Spackenkill | 2–3

Spackenkill has played two competitive games in consecutive weeks without ending up in the win column.

The Spartans pushed Rondout and then pushed Chester. Those performances deserve acknowledgment, even though the losses keep them behind those opponents.

Spackenkill is showing it can compete in this group. The next step is finishing one of these games.

26. New Paltz | 0–5

New Paltz is a much better team than its record suggests. There are talented individuals here, but consistently putting it together as a team has been the challenge.

Against Beacon, New Paltz scored 34 in the first half before being shut out after halftime. That captures both sides of the evaluation: real offensive ability and a need for consistency.

The performance impressed me enough to move New Paltz above Red Hook. Being winless doesn’t mean there is nothing good happening.

27. Red Hook | 2–3

Red Hook played a tough, competitive game against Marlboro.

Moving down one spot isn’t about dismissing that effort. It comes down to how impressed I was with New Paltz’s offensive performance against Beacon.

In a close comparison, New Paltz gets the nod this week. Red Hook still has opportunities to change that order.

28. Monticello | 1–4

Monticello beat Liberty 24–22, so the Panthers jump Liberty. That is a direct result deciding the order.

Monticello earned its first win and now gets an opportunity to build on it against Poughkeepsie. For the Panthers, the question is whether one breakthrough can become momentum.

29. Liberty | 0–5

Liberty stays above Poughkeepsie, but the loss to Monticello puts the Redhawks behind the Panthers.

Liberty was close enough to compete for that win. Now it needs to turn a competitive game into a finished result.

The first win would give the Redhawks something more substantial to build around.

30. Poughkeepsie | 0–5

Poughkeepsie is still searching for its first win, but the Monticello matchup gives the Pioneers a chance to change their position.

A win would give them a case to move as high as No. 28. Two spots might not sound like much, but getting out of the bottom position among the section’s 11-man teams matters.

More importantly, it would give the players a result they can build on.

The Eight-Man Rankings

The eight-man teams remain in the same order as our approved class rankings. Their placement at Nos. 31 through 40 is how we organize the Power 40, not a claim that every eight-man team would lose to every 11-man team.

31. Pawling | 4–0

Pawling remains the team at the top of the eight-man board.

The Tigers are unbeaten and just beat Pine Plains/Rhinebeck 62–20. That gives us no reason to move them out of the lead. The teams behind Pawling still have to make the case that they deserve its spot.

32. Millbrook | 3–1

Millbrook stays second in eight-man despite the 22–8 loss to Taconic Hills.

That loss matters, but one setback doesn’t automatically erase the work that put the Blazers here. We’re keeping the order and watching how Millbrook responds.

33. Sullivan West | 3–1

Sullivan West holds third in eight-man after a 38–6 win at Cairo-Durham.

The Bulldogs remain in the leading group. Their record matches Millbrook and Tri-Valley, but identical records don’t require identical rankings. For now, the approved order stays intact.

34. Tri-Valley | 3–1

Tri-Valley keeps its position after beating Rockland Central 22–12.

The Bears are winning and staying in the conversation near the top. They remain behind Sullivan West this week, with the chance to keep building a case for more.

35. Eldred | 2–2

Eldred leads the next group at No. 35.

The Yellowjackets beat Fallsburg 28–12 and hold their position above Onteora, Ellenville and Pine Plains/Rhinebeck. The challenge now is to build enough consistency to push toward the four teams ahead of them.

36. Onteora | 2–2

Onteora stays above Ellenville after winning their matchup 28–26.

That close result is exactly why head-to-head matters in a tightly grouped area. The Eagles earned the win, and the ranking reflects it.

37. Ellenville | 2–3

Ellenville was right there against Onteora, but the two-point loss keeps the Blue Devils behind the Eagles.

Being close deserves acknowledgment. Winning would have given Ellenville a much stronger argument to move up. For now, it stays above Pine Plains/Rhinebeck.

38. Pine Plains/Rhinebeck | 2–2

Pine Plains/Rhinebeck stays eighth in the eight-man order after the loss to Pawling.

A .500 record doesn’t automatically put the Bombers above Ellenville. We’re keeping the class ranking order rather than sorting the teams by record alone.

39. Rockland Central | 1–3

Rockland stays ahead of Fallsburg, but behind Pine Plains/Rhinebeck.

The 22–12 loss to Tri-Valley was competitive, although it didn’t produce the result needed to move the team higher. Rockland needs another win to strengthen its position.

40. Fallsburg | 0–5

Fallsburg remains at No. 40 while searching for its first win.

The Comets scored 12 against Eldred, but the rankings have to reflect the results so far. The next step is turning progress into a win and giving us a reason to move them.

What Happens Next

This board isn’t finished for the season. It is our assessment right now.

Valley Central gets No. 1 Middletown. Pine Bush gets Newburgh. Marlboro and Highland get a direct opportunity to settle their order. Monticello and Poughkeepsie play a game that matters deeply to both programs.

And if Middletown and Newburgh handle their business this week, their October 16 meeting could answer the biggest question on the board.

Records deserve respect. So do the opponents behind those records. We’ll keep weighing both, and we’ll keep moving teams when their football gives us a reason.

Explore the rankings hub, football schedule and KOT845 history archive. Highland–Marlboro historical context is available in the Black and Blue Bowl Game Center.