Like Nevada’s Bishop Gorman, Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) of Syracuse is being ostracized just months prior to the 2026 high school football season. Five of Section III’s largest programs — Cicero-North Syracuse, Henninger, Liverpool, Rome Free Academy, and Utica Proctor — have withdrawn from Class AA Tier 1, moving to Tier 2, leaving a massive hole in the three-time reigning state champs’ schedule.
The move stems from long-simmering tensions in the public vs. private school debate. Public schools believe that CBA operates under different rules and uses unfair recruiting practices.
CBA is currently on a 41-game win streak during its run of back-to-back-to-back Class AA state championships.
The only school to remain in Tier 1 is Baldwinsville. Last year, the Bees dropped a 63-0 decision to the Brothers.
The season ahead will feature lots of long road trips. Local media outlets are estimating that CBA will travel about 1,200 miles this year to fill out its schedule.
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