MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Video: Top 10 Games of the Week
See Zack Poff break down this week's top games, including a Florida showdown.

The last time No. 12 Miami Central was on the field, the Rockets were in Las Vegas beating nationally ranked Bishop Gorman. Up next is No. 2 IMG Academy and if they knock off the Ascenders you could make a strong case this would be the best back-to-back wins in high school football history.

No. 6 St. John Bosco travels across the country for the second time this year for a matchup against D.C. power St. John's. The Braves are hoping this one has a better result after coming up short in Florida against No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas. The Cadets are trying to even up their record against California foes. St. John's only loss this season came against De La Salle.

In total, nine teams in our Xcellent 25 rankings presented by the Army National Guard are featured in this week's slate of games. MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

No. 12 Central (Miami) @ No. 2 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Miami Central: RB James Cook (5-11.5, 180), LB Robert Hicks (6-0, 235), CB Chandler Jones (5-10, 175), RB Amari Daniels (6-0, 160) and WR Terrell Perriman (5-10, 175)

IMG Academy: DE Xavier Thomas (6-3, 265), CB Brendan Radley-Hiles (5-10, 180), DT Taron Vincent (6-2, 285), RB Trey Sanders (5-11.5, 215) and DE Nolan Smith (6-3, 225)

Storyline

This will be the first game in three weeks for IMG Academy and first game for Miami Central since beating Las Vegas power Bishop Gorman two weeks ago. The Ascenders already have knocked off two nationally ranked teams this season and go for their third straight on Friday night. No game this weekend will feature more Division I talent than this one.

No. 6 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) @ No. 17 St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Saturday, 2 p.m.

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Top Players

St. John Bosco: S Jaiden Woodbey (6-2, 205), QB Re-al Mitchell (5-11.5, 190), S Stephan Blaylock (5-10, 175), CB Chris Steele (6-1, 190) and DE Cole Aubrey (6-3, 225)

St. John's: QB Kevin Doyle (6-4, 210), RB Keilan Robinson (5-9, 175), DT Cam Goode (5-11, 315), WR Quinten Johnson (5-10.5, 190) and LB Mekhail Sherman (6-3, 235)

Storyline

Since St. John Bosco suffered a season opening loss to St. Thomas Aquinas, the Braves have won three in a row by a combined score of 163-31. St. John's bounced back after a tough loss to De La Salle by dominating New Jersey power St. Joseph Regional the following week. The Braves are hoping things go better this time around when they travel across the country and St. John's is trying to avoid going 0-2 against California opponents.

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) vs. St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)
Saturday, 7 p.m. @ Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)

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Top Players

Mater Dei: QB JT Daniels (6-2, 205), WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (5-11.5, 190), OT Tommy Brown (6-6.5, 315), LB Solomon Tuliaupupu (6-2, 220) and ATH Bru McCoy (6-3, 215)

St. Mary's: RB Dusty Frampton (5-11, 210), S Tre Jenkins (6-1, 195), WR Jamar Marshall (6-0, 180), QB Marcus Aponte (5-11.5, 180) and OT Max Barth (6-6, 285)

Storyline

Levi's Stadium hasn't seen much offense over the past couple of years with the San Francisco 49ers but that will change on Saturday when Mater Dei's offense takes the field. The No. 1 team in the country is averaging 42.5 points per game and it would be much more if the game wasn't already over by halftime. They put 62 on the scoreboard last week against New Jersey power Bergen Catholic. Amon-Ra St. Brown made his 2017 debut and all the 5-star wide receiver did was haul in nine receptions for 147 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Frampton has been carrying the load for St. Mary's he rushed for 300-plus yards and four scores in last week's win against Cosumnes Oaks (Calif.).

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Northwestern (Miami) vs. Booker T. Washington (Miami)
7:30 p.m., Friday @ Traz Powell Stadium (Miami)

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Top Players

Northwestern: QB Tutu Atwell (5-8, 155), CB Divaad Wilson (6-0, 180), WR Nigel Bethel (5-11, 160), OT Mark Fox (6-4, 290) and DE Demetreius Mayes (6-2, 235)

Booker T. Washington: QB Daniel Richardson (5-8, 170), WR Tyquan Thornton (6-3, 165), WR Zahir Turner (6-0, 165), LB Jaquan Beaver (6-0, 200) and S Jermaine McMillian (6-2, 185)

Storyline

In a marquee matchup between two of the best teams in all of Florida, Northwestern looks to make its move into the Top 25. They are currently among the group of the next five out. Booker T. Washington was a dropped touchdown and a missed 37-yard field goal away from knocking off No. 12 Miami Central earlier this season. This game features two of the best quarterbacks in all of Florida.

Shelby (Shelby, N.C.) @ No. 20 South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.

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Top Players

Shelby: LB Dax Hollifield (6-2, 235), QB Malik Sarratt (6-0, 205), RB Xavier Brooks (5-7, 160), LB Jaylon Scott (6-2, 220) and DE Jack Hollifield (6-2, 225)

South Pointe: QB Derion Kendrick (6-1, 195), CB Steven Gilmore Jr. (5-9, 160), DE/OLB Elijah Adams (5-11, 230), S/WR Scott Robinson (5-11, 170) and LB B.J. Davis (6-2, 195)

Storyline

This is a classic matchup of the Carolina's, both teams enter undefeated. This game features one of the best individual matchups of the weekend when 4-star linebacker Dax Hollifield tries to slow down 2018 Clemson commit quarterback Derion Kendrick. In last week's 33-27 win over Buford (Ga.), the future Tiger had over 300 yards on offense to go with four total touchdowns.

No. 14 St. Xavier (Cincinnati) @ Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

St. Xavier: QB Chase Wolf (6-2, 195), WR Andrew Wittrock (6-0, 175), WR Cam Specht (5-7, 155), DE Blake Bacevich (6-4, 215) and DE Bobby Jefferson (6-3, 225)

Archbishop Moeller: DT Aeneas Hawkins (6-3, 265), TE Brenden Bates (6-5, 230), RB Colin Thurman (5-10, 195), QB Miles McBride (6-2, 180) and TE Jack McCracken (6-4, 195)

Storyline

Archbishop Moeller gets another crack at knocking off a Top 25 team this week and this one would be even sweeter against Cincinnati rival St. Xavier. This will be the 18th matchup between the two schools since 2004. The Bombers have won two in a row and own the series lead 9-8 over the past 13 years.

Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) @ No. 23 Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Santa Margarita: RB Chad Magyar (6-1, 195), QB Josiah Norwood (5-11, 165), RB Malone Mataele (5-11, 170), LB Caden Fitch (5-11, 215) and TE Jake Peters (6-5, 225)

Mission Viejo: CB Olaijah Griffin (6-0, 170), WR Austin Osborne (6-3, 185), LB Christian LaValle (5-11.5, 205), OT Jarrett Patterson (6-5, 285) and S/RB Akili Arnold (5-11, 170)

Storyline

This is the biggest game in Southern California this week. Both teams come in undefeated and Santa Margarita is trying to keep the Trinity League train rolling. It has proven to be the best league in high school football so far, posting a 23-1 record with the lone loss coming against No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas. The Eagles bring in one of the best offenses in the state averaging over 50 points per game, but Mission Viejo showed they have one of the stingiest defenses in all of California holding a very talented Long Beach Poly team to seven points and forcing four turnovers.

Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.) @ No. 24 St. Louis (Honolulu)
Saturday, 7 p.m. @ Aloha Stadium

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Top Players

Narbonne: LB Raymond Scott (6-2, 220), QB Jalen Chatman (6-0, 170), OT Jonah Tauanu'u (6-5, 275), RB Jermar Jefferson (5-10, 190) and LB Darien Butler (5-11, 215)

St. Louis: DT Faatui Tuitele (6-3, 270), QB Chevan Cordeiro (6-0.5, 175), S Isaiah Tufaga (6-0, 200), WR Jonah Panoke (6-2, 185) and OG Eliki Tanuvasa (6-2, 285)

Storyline

St. Louis cracked the Top 25 in this week's rankings and things don't get any easier this weekend against one of Southern California's best teams — Narbonne. The Hawaii power handed Punahou its first loss of the season in dominant fashion with a 49-13 victory. St. Louis has outscored the opposition 203-20 through its first four games. Narbonne is looking to bounce back after a lopsided loss to No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif) last week.

Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) @ Paramus Catholic (Paramus, N.J.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Bergen Catholic: QB Johnny Langan (6-3, 220), ATH Josh McKenzie (5-9, 185), RB Rahmir Johnson (5-10, 175), LB Javontae Jean-Baptiste (6-5, 200) and WR Dylan Classi (6-0, 190)

Paramus Catholic: DE Dorian Hardy (6-5, 240), QB Shelton Applewhite (6-4, 180), RB Jonathan Clark (5-9, 175), TE Henry Pearson (6-3, 235) and WR Mohammed Toure (6-3, 190)

Storyline

This will be the first league game for both teams and the last thing Bergen Catholic wants to do is lose its third straight. Both compete in one of the toughest leagues in high school football and starting 0-1 is not the way either wants to start league play.

Atascocita (Humble, Texas) @ Klein Collins (Spring, Texas)
Thursday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Atascocita: OT Kenyon Green (6-5, 315), OG Kendall Dearth (6-3, 275), CB Travian Blaylock (5-11, 175), S Alex Morris (6-1, 190) and QB Jack Roe (6-0, 170)

Klein Collins: RB Isaiah Spiller (6-0, 185), LB Donavan Mutin (6-0, 220), OT Kameron Lewis (6-4, 300), S Phillip Hill (6-0, 185) and QB Carter Rhyne (5-10, 160)

Storyline

Both teams had to replace a lot of seniors, but this game still features some of the best talent in the state. Green, a 2019 LSU commit, is the No. 10 overall recruit in his class and Spiller checks in as a Top 40 recruit in the state among all juniors. Klein Collins knocked off a very talented Lamar (Houston) team in its season opener and Atasocicta beat Klein Oak (Spring, Texas) to start the season 1-0.