How does the US high school system work?

[Mr.Stanford]

Just wondering how the US high school system works?

Regional divisions?

State and national play offs?

How do the rules differ from NCAA?

Which are the perennial top schools?

[Sour37]

No idea....Any Help, am quite curious myself

[import5]

Its all about state championships. Each state is broken into several categories, private school and public school as well as AA, AAA, AAAA (which means the size of the school with 4A being the largest). The winners of these are in regions and they go on win/loss and strength of schedule. The state championships especially in New York, Maryland and even California are huge with thousands showing up to watch.
The rules differ in few ways, a quarter in high school is 12 minutes whilst in college it is 15, horned substitutions on the sideline and in some states the end line.

Perennial schools
NY - West and East Islip, Orchard Park, Wantagh, Garden City, St Anthonys, Charminade to name a few
MD - Calvert Hall, Landon, McDonogh, Broadneck, St Marys, Towson, Glenelg, Mount Hebron
CA - La Costa Canyon, Mira Vista
OH - Upper Arlington, Western Reserve Academy
MI - Brother Rice
PA - MOunt Lebanon, Dulaney, Malvern Prep, Haverford
These are the ones off the top of my head

[sxyboyjay]

I dont think that there is a national championship. We have a sate team that u get invited to try out for and it plays in tournements against other states, but its not really a national championship. If there was the winner would always be like NY or a state on the east coast.

[UKLaxfan]

Import5 has it pretty much covered

There are National Rankings but no National Championships.

LaxPower probably has the most info with 2500+ High School teams ranked

http://www.laxpower.com/common/hs_boys.php

[jogobonito]

no list of traditional power programs without these New England & NJ schools

CT Darien, Wilton, Loomis-Chaffee, Salisbury, Hotchkiss, Avon Old Farms, Fairfield Prep
MA Lincoln-Sudbury, Longmeadow, Duxbury, Deerfield Academy, Middlesex, Governor's Academy
NJ Delbarton, Lawrenceville, Bergen Catholic, Mountain Lakes