MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Video: MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week
Three playoffs games from the CIF Southern Section Division-I bracket are featured.

Half of this week's Top 10 Games of the Week are playoff matchups.

The Ohio Division-I postseason bracket gets started and two games — No. 24 Colerain (Cincinnati) vs. St. Xavier (Cincinnati) and St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) vs. St. Ignatius (Cleveland) — are featured.

The CIF Southern Section Division-I tournament also kicks off Friday and we've got three games tapped, including No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) beginning its quest for a third state title since 2013 against a very talented Serra (Gardena) squad. No. 8 Corona Centennial faces Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) for the second time this year and Mission Viejo (Calif.) takes on Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.).

No. 6 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) sees its season comes to an end after this week and the Ascenders end in Alabama against the back-to-back 7A state champs, Hoover.

No. 3 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) looks to cap off its perfect regular season and the last hurdle on the schedule is its rival Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.).

The 4A-District 9 title is on the line in Louisiana between the back-to-back state champs Edna Karr (New Orleans) and Warren Easton (New Orleans).

The final two games feature a Georgia rivalry between No. 9 Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.) and Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.), and a Sunshine State showdown between University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), which looks to wrap up an undefeated regular season, against a very talented Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) squad.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

St. Xavier (Cincinnati) @ No. 24 Colerain (Cincinnati)
Friday, 7 p.m. (All time local)

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Top Players

St. Xavier: OT Paris Johnson Jr. (6-7, 285), RB Chris Payne (6-2, 205), QB Wyatt Hudepohl (6-2, 190), LB Thomas Kiessling (6-4, 230), WR Jared Kreimer (6-1, 175)

Colerain: QB Deante Smith-Moore (5-9, 175), RB/LB Ivan Pace Jr. (6-0, 220), RB/CB JJ Davis (5-9, 175), LB Luke Bolden (6-2, 230), ATH Syncere Jones (6-2, 185)

Colerain and St. X is one of the best rivalries in high school football and they meet in the playoffs for the fifth straight year, splitting the previous four games. Colerain won the early season meeting 14-12, the only game the Cards played this year decided by one score. In 2016, St. Xavier became the first Ohio team to win a state title with at least five losses — a feat the Bombers look to repeat this  season.

No. 6 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) @ Hoover (Ala.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

IMG Academy: RB Trey Sanders (6-0, 215), DE Nolan Smith (6-3, 230), OT Evan Neal (6-7.5, 360), RB Noah Cain (5-10, 215), LB Jaleel McRae (6-2, 230)

Hoover: WR George Pickens (6-3.5, 190), QB Robby Ashford (6-4, 210), RB Larry McCammon (5-10, 200), LB Nick Curtis (6-5, 205), CB Jabari Moore (6-0, 180)

IMG looks to end its season with a bang against one of the most talented teams in the land. The Ascenders' lone loss was to No. 4 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and they've since won three straight by a combined score of 135-14. The back-to-back Alabama 7A state champs clinched a share of the 7A Region-3 title last week and will be the top seed when playoffs begin next week. Get your popcorn ready as this one will be on ESPNU at 9 p.m. ET on Friday.

No. 3 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) @ Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
Saturday, 3 p.m.

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Top Players

St. John's: WR Rakim Jarrett (6-0, 180), RB Keilan Robinson (5-9, 185), DT Tre’ Williams (6-1.5, 310), QB Sol-Jay Maiava (6-0.5, 185), ATH Quinten Johnson (5-11, 190)

Gonzaga: DE Joseph Weté (6-4, 220), QB Caleb Williams (6-0, 190), LB Hunter Stewart (6-3, 225), CB Dean Engram (5-9.5, 165), TE Justin Ball (6-6, 230)

St. John's has reeled off 10 consecutive wins against WCAC teams over the last two seasons and Gonzaga is the only things standing in the way of the Cadets becoming back-to-back WCAC regular season champs. The Cadets are 8-0 this year and have downed some of the top teams in high school football. They are on the short list of teams who can claim the No. 1 spot at the end of the year.

St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) @ St. Ignatius (Cleveland)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

St. Edward: WR Quintel Kent (6-0, 170), ATH Caden Kolesar (5-10, 195), RB Jordan Castleberry (5-8, 195), QB Garrett Dzuro (5-11, 200), OT Caleb Herring (6-7, 300)

St. Ignatius: LB Thomas Eichenberg (6-3, 225), CB Jett Elad (6-0, 180), OG Grant Abbott (6-4, 270), TE Aidan Wells (6-5, 260), S Dan Scelza (6-0, 205)

These two faced off last week with St. Ignatius winning 21-7 to clinch the region's No. 2 seed. The Wildcats have won the last four meetings against St. Edward but it's always tough beating a team in back-to-back weeks. The Ohio Division-I field is always one of the toughest brackets in the country and the winner will have a chance to win it all this year. No school has won as many state titles as St. Ignatius with 11 and the last one coming in 2011. St. Edward is trying to win its fourth state title since 2010 — they went back-to-back in 2014 and 2015.

Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) @ No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Orange Lutheran: QB Ryan Hilinski (6-4, 240), WR Logan Loya (5-11.5, 170), WR Jojo Hawkins (5-9, 160), LB Jackson Cloyd (6-3, 220), TE Ethan Rae (6-4, 240)

Corona Centennial: WR Gary Bryant (5-10, 160), DE Drake Jackson (6-4, 260), CB Isaiah Young (5-10, 160), LB Tuasivi Nomura (6-1, 195), WR Reggie Retzlaff (6-2, 195)

These two met in late August earlier this season and Corona Centennial outscored the Lancers 35-7 in the second half to pull away for a 45-28 win. This meeting will be different as Orange Lutheran has had to deal with a ton of injuries in 2018. They lost 5-star wide receiver Kyle Ford with a torn ACL back in September but with 2019 South Carolina commit Hilinski under center the Lancers always have a chance. The Huskies have always had big-time offenses under Matt Logan, but may have their best defense since Vontaze Burfict and Will Sutton helped lead them to the 2008 state title. This year's defense is led by 4-star defensive end Jackson. Expect Corona Centennial to be the biggest hurdle for Mater Dei or St. John Bosco to win the CIF Southern Section Division-I championship.

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Serra (Gardena, Calif.) @ No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Serra: QB Doug Brumfield (6-5, 185), WR Lavon Bunkley-Shelton (5-11, 170), ATH Anthony Beavers Jr. (6-2, 180), LB Justin Houston (6-3.5, 190), CB Macen Williams (5-9.5, 150)

St. John Bosco: QB DJ Uiagalelei (6-4, 240), CB Chris Steele (6-1.5, 190), CB Trent McDuffie (5-10.5, 185), OT Drake Metcalf (6-3, 270), WR Kris Hutson (5-10.5, 155)

No. 1 St. John Bosco controls its own destiny to finish the year wire-to-wire as the top team in high school football. If they can win the CIF Southern Section Division-I championship and beat No. 12 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) in the state championship game they will end the year at No. 1. It all starts this Friday night live on the NFHS Network against a very talented Serra squad.

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Mission Viejo (Calif.) @ Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Mission Viejo: QB Joey Yellen (6-2.5, 210), ATH Akili Arnold (5-11, 170), RB Jamari Ferrell (5-8, 175), WR JoJo Forest (5-11, 175), DE Lance Keneley (6-5, 220)

Bishop Amat: QB Blake Archuleta (6-2, 190), CB Deven Jarvis (6-2, 190), WR Jaden Allen (5-10, 165), RB Kenny Collins (5-9, 170), DE Elijah Ponder (6-4, 195)

The matchup between the Diablos and  Lancers has a very good chance of being the best game this weekend. They are evenly matched and it will most likely come down to turnovers on Friday night. Things don't get any easier for the winner because a potential matchup with No. 4 Mater Dei awaits.

Easton (New Orleans) @ Edna Karr (New Orleans)
Thursday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Easton: QB Lance LeGendre (6-2, 205), CB Chester Kimbrough (5-10, 170), OT Caleb Etienne (6-6, 305), S Jahmal Sam (5-11, 180), WR Kiaeem Green (6-3, 205)

Edna Karr: CB Devin Bush (6-0, 190), RB Ahmad Antoine (5-9, 175), DT Austin Kent (6-1, 270), RB Ronnie Jackson (5-10, 190), QB Leonard Kelly (5-11, 185)

The district title is on the line Thursday in Louisiana. The Cougars have won 21 straight games and have won three in a row against Easton. Karr has dominated the series since 2007, winning 10 of the previous 11 meetings. The back-to-back 4A state champs have a good chance to make it three in a row in 2018.

Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.) @ No. 9 Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.

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Top Players

Lowndes: RB Travis Tisdale (5-8, 165), CB Josh Brown (5-11, 165), QB Jacurri Brown (6-3, 170), ATH Gary Osby (5-11, 220), LB Tiberius Drocea (5-10, 170)

Colquitt County: RB Daijun Edwards (5-11, 185), RB Ty Leggett (5-10, 170), CB Jay Ward (6-1, 175), S Rashard Revels (6-0, 195), OG Kam Bell (6-3, 320)

Rush Propst's team has looked like the best in Georgia in 2018. The No. 9 squad in the Top 25 cruised to a 9-0 start and has won every game by at least 12 points. The Packers clinch the outright 7A Region-I title with a win on Friday. Colquitt County has won four of the last five meetings against Lowndes, but the Vikings won last year in double overtime to clinch the region title.

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Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) @ University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Friday, 7 p.m.

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Top Players

Chaminade-Madonna: WR John Dunmore (6-2, 170), CB Te'cory Couch (5-9.5, 150), S Keontra Smith (5-11, 195), DE Cameron Williams (6-5, 215), CB James Williams (5-11, 175)

University: RB Kenny McIntosh (6-0.5, 220), ATH Joshua Sanguinetti (5-11.5, 170), S Tyler Scott (5-10, 180), WR Zay Flowers (5-11, 170), QB Nick Vattiato (5-11, 160)

Florida is known for producing some of the best talent in football and these two squads are no exception. Chaminade-Madonna's Dunmore, Couch, Smith and the Williams' duo all are committed to Power 5 schools. University School has quickly become a big-time program in basketball and is doing the same thing on the gridiron. The defending 3A Florida state champs are only thing standing in the Sharks' way of finishing the regular season undefeated.

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