Video: Top 10 Games of the WeekZack Poff takes a look at this week's Top 10 led by a NorCal showdown between De La Salle and Folsom. Get
your popcorn ready because high school football is finally back. A
couple of states already started and more states begin action this week
led by California and Georgia.
This week's slate of games is led by three Top 25 matchups.
No.
18 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) hosts No. 19 Folsom (Calif.) in a huge Northern California
contest. The Spartans haven't lost to a NorCal foe since 1991, but that
streak could be in serious jeopardy Friday night. The winner puts itself in a great spot to represent Northern
California in December's CIF Open Division state championship game.
No.
10 Chandler (Ariz.) travels to Southern California and takes on Inland Empire
power No. 17 Corona Centennial (Corona, Calif.). This game has a chance to be one of the
best in 2018.
No. 12 St. Louis (Honolulu) welcomes No. 24 Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.) to
Hawaii. The Crusaders were the only Top 25 to play so far this year and cruised to a 69-6 win over Wai'anae (Hawaii) last week. Last year,
these two squared off and it was one of the best games of 2017. St.
Louis held on for a 56-50 win. Expect the same kind of fireworks this Friday.
Seven Top 25 teams are featured in this week's slate of games. Ten different states are represented including seven from
California, four from Georgia, and three from Arizona.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the WeekNo. 19 Folsom (Calif.) @ No. 18 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)Friday, 7:30 p.m. (All times local) Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersFolsom: WR
Joe Ngata (6-3, 210), QB
Kaiden Bennett (6-0, 170), RB
Daniyel Ngata (5-9, 180), WR
Elijhah Badger (6-1, 185) and DT
Tyler Hardeman (6-2, 260)
De La Salle: LB/FB
Henry To'oto'o (6-2, 230), RB
Shamar Garrett (5-7, 170), TE/DE
Isaiah Foskey (6-5, 235), LB
Jhasi Wilson (6-1, 215) and DT
Beaux Tagaloa (6-0, 275)
The
last time De La Salle lost to a Northern California opponent, gas was
$1.20 per gallon and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch released "Good Vibrations."
Once Friday gets here 9,750 days will have passed since the last time
the Spartans lost to a NorCal foe. All that can change this weekend.
Folsom is loaded. They have one of the most explosive offenses in the
country led by 2019 Clemson commit Ngata, Bennett, and 2020
running back Daniyel Ngata, Joe's brother. It will be a big-time matchup because De La
Salle has a legit defense led by 4-star linebacker To'oto'o.
No. 10 Chandler (Ariz.) @ No. 17 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)Friday, 7:30 p.m. (San Bernardino Valley College)Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersChandler: QB
Jacob Conover (6-0, 185), TE
Brayden Liebrock (6-5, 220), RB
DeCarlos Brooks (5-9, 190), DT
Matthew Pola-Mao (6-2, 295) and S
Avery Carrington (6-3, 190)
Centennial: WR
Gary Bryant (5-10, 160), DE
Drake Jackson (6-4, 260), CB
Isaiah Young (5-10, 160), RB
Thomas Kinslow (5-10, 180) and LB
Tuasivi Nomura (6-1, 195)
The
last time these two played back in 2016, it was an instant classic.
Corona Centennial came back in the fourth quarter and knocked off the
Wolves 56-49. Expect another high scoring game this time around. The
Wolves enter this one as the back-to-back Arizona 6A state champs and
the Huskies want to prove they belong with Mater Dei and St. John Bosco
as the top team from Southern California.
No. 24 Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.) @ No. 12 St. Louis (Honolulu)Friday, 7 p.m. (Aloha Stadium)Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersNarbonne: OT
Jonah Tauanu'u (6-5.5, 315), CB
Brandon Jones (5-10, 165), DT
Jordan Berry (6-3, 280), LB/DE
Jordan Banks (6-3, 245) and QB
Jaylen Henderson (6-3, 170)
St. Louis: DT
Faatui Tuitele (6-4, 300), LB
Jordan Botelho (6-3, 220), QB
Jayden de Laura (6-0, 180), DE
Gino Quinones (6-2, 260) and WR
Matt Sykes (6-3, 195)
This
is a huge game for both schools. St. Louis wants to prove they can hang
with Southern California and Narbonne wants to prove it's one of
the top teams in the country. This is a huge opportunity for Henderson, too, because he gets a chance to start the year under center
for Narbonne, while Long Beach Poly (Calif.) transfer
Jake Garcia
has to sit out the first month. St. Louis' de Laura had a
monster debut last week and the 2020 quarterback hopes to ride that
momentum into Friday's showdown at Aloha Stadium. Another must-see
matchup is 2019 Oregon commit Tauanu'u and Tuitele in
the trenches.
No. 15 Marietta (Ga.) vs. Rome (Ga.)Thursday, 8 p.m. (Rome's Barron Stadium - Corky Kell Classic)Game Preview and
Follow Live
Top Players
Marietta: QB Harrison Bailey (6-5, 230), ATH Arik Gilbert (6-5, 250), WR Ramel Keyton (6-3, 180), DE BJ Ojulari (6-4, 215) and OT Jake Wray (6-5, 290)
Rome: QB Knox Kadum (6-2, 190), RB Jamious Griffin (5-10, 205), OT Quantavious Leslie (6-4, 285), C Aidan Gaines (6-1.5, 285) and WR Xavier Roberts (5-10, 180)
Rome, the back-to-back 5A state champs, puts its 27-game winning streak on the line against a very talented Marietta team on Thursday night in the Corky Kell Classic. This is a monster game for both teams. Rome wants to prove it can beat one of the best schools from 7A and Marietta is ready to show they are the best team from the Peach State.
McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) vs. Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.)
Saturday, 2:45 p.m. (Mercedes Benz Stadium - Corky Kell Classic)
Game Preview and Follow Live
Top Players
McEachern: DT Jamil Burroughs (6-2, 280), WR Javon Baker (6-1, 175), QB Carlos Del Rio (6-2.5, 200), RB Paris Brown Jr. (5-10, 200) and DT Jeffery Clark Jr. (6-1, 275)
Colquitt County: CB Jay Ward (6-1, 175), RB Ty Leggett (5-10, 170), RB Daijun Edwards (5-11, 185), OG Kamaar Bell (6-3, 320) and S Rashard Revels (6-0, 195)
Two of the top teams from 7A face off in their season openers. Colquitt County brings back a lot of starters from last year's team that nearly won a state title. They did lose their quarterback from last year but with a veteran offensive line and two big-time running backs in Leggett and Edwards the offense should have no problem moving the football. McEachern is one of the most talented teams in the state and a player to watch this season for the Indians is 2021 quarterback Del Rio. The sophomore has already landed offers from Miami, Michigan, Florida, Florida State and N.C. State.
No. 16 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) @ Orem (Utah)
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Game Preview and Follow Live
Top Players
Bingham: RB Braedon Wissler (5-7, 170), LB Lolani Langi (6-2, 225), DT Simote Pepa
(6-2, 295), LB Junior Tafuna (6-3, 220) and S Jared Greenfield (5-11, 170)
Orem: WR Puka Nacua (6-2, 190), QB Cooper Legas (6-2, 210), OG Kingsley Suamataia
(6-5, 290), CB Ethan Slade(5-11.5, 170) and ATH Terrance Faumui (6-2, 210)
Two of Utah's best face off Thursday to begin the 2018 season. Orem won its first state title in 24 years last season and Bingham repeated as state champs in Utah's largest classification. Nacua and Legas are one of the best quarterback/wide receiver tandems in the country and they take on one of the top defenses in the nation.
Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.) @ Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Game Preview and Follow Live
Top Players
Chaminade:
LB Blake Antzoulatos (6-2, 225), QB Ryan Stevens(6-1, 170), S Chris Rankins (6-0, 205), LB Michael Erhart (6-1, 215), and DT Liam Gilhuly (6-2, 265)
Oaks Christian:
DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (6-4.5, 240), RB Zach Charbonnet (6-2, 215), ATH Josh Calvert (6-3, 220), WR Bryce Farrell (5-11, 170) and LB Ryan Franke (6-4, 210)
This game features two of the better teams in Southern California. Oaks Christian won its first section title since 2010 last year after beating Valencia in the CIF Southern Section DII championship game. Chaminade went 9-2 last season with its only two losses coming against Trinity League opponents — St. John Bosco and Orange Lutheran. This one features two of the best defenses player in high school football — 2019 Cal commit Antzoulatos has recorded nearly 300 tackles over the last two seasons and Thibodeaux checks in as the No. 1 overall recruit from the Class of 2019 on 247sports player composite rankings.
Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.) vs. Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.)
Saturday, 8 p.m. (Memorial Stadium - Charlotte Kickoff Night)
Game Preview and Follow Live
Top Players
Mallard Creek:
QB Jadyn Washington (5-11.5, 170), S Jaidyn Denis (6-2, 190), DE Quentin Williams (6-3, 210), RB Trenton Simpson (6-2, 210) and RB Charles Mincy Jr. (5-10, 180)
Dutch Fork:
RB Ron Hoff (5-9, 170), WR Jalin Hyatt (6-2, 165), QB Ty Olenchuk (6-0, 185), OT Kameren Stewart
(6-6, 235) and DE Kendrick Allen (6-0, 200)
Saturday night's Charlotte Kickoff Night features one of the best teams from North Carolina and one from South Carolina. Bragging rights will be on the line. Mallard Creek finished last year 14-1 and returns a lot of key players in 2018. Dutch Fork reeled off its second consecutive state title last season and has a chance at a three-peat this year. Both teams appeared in the MaxPreps Preseason Top 100.
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) @ Carmel (Ind.)
Friday, 7 p.m.
Game Preview and Follow Live
Top Players
Trinity: DE Stephen Herron Jr. (6-3.5, 235), S Jacob Dingle (6-0, 185), RB Luke McGuire (5-10, 185), QB Seth Jutz and RB Geremiah Smith (5-8, 180)
Carmel: DE Beau Robbins (6-4, 240), RB Camari Hunt (5-11, 195), OG Caleb Shaffer (6-5, 315), DT Cole Brevard (6-3, 280) and LB Joey Schmidt (6-2, 220)
These two met last season to begin the year and Trinity rolled to a dominant 31-3 win. This year's matchup will be way more competitive. Carmel returns a lot of key players from last year's team that made it to the 6A Indiana state semifinals and Trinity has to replace a lot of key pieces. Luckily, the Shamrocks have one of the best coaches in high school football history in Bob Beatty. He has won 13 state titles at the Kentucky power since taking over as head coach in 2000 and he has one of the best defensive players in the country leading the way in 2019 Stanford commit Herron Jr.
Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) @ Pinnacle (Phoenix)
Friday, 7 p.m.
Game Preview and Follow Live
Top Players
Perry: OT Brayden Rohme (6-6, 270), TE Kyle Patterson (6-5, 220), ATH Colby Dickie (5-7, 175), QB Chubba Purdy (6-2, 205), and RB Jalen Young (5-9, 175)
Pinnacle:
QB Spencer Rattler (6-1, 180), RB Kaleb Covington (5-10, 185), RB Amelec Juntunen (6-0, 185), LB Thans Dixon
(6-0, 205) and OT Tosh Baker (6-8, 240)
This
game features two teams that could potentially be a road block to
Chandler winnings its third consecutive 6A state title. Pinnacle has the
No. 1 quarterback from the Class of 2019 under center and Rattler is one of the best playmakers in the country. Purdy takes
over for his older brother under center, but Perry was dealt a huge blow
when D'Shayne James suffered a season ending injury getting ready for the year.
