MaxPreps Top 10 Football Games of the Week

By this time next week, top-ranked Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) will either have one very impressive win on its resume or else we'll have a new No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings.

The Ironmen host So-Cal powerhouse Mission Viejo (Calif.) Saturday evening. Seven of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week feature at least one Xcellent 25 team, but this is the only matchup on the slate between teams that aren't from the same state.

In the lone battle between two nationally ranked teams, No. 13 Gilman (Baltimore) is taking on No. 15 Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) in the inaugural Patriot Classic at Navy Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
Jenks vs. Union in action

Hands down, the best pure rivalry game of the week is the annual Backyard Bowl, where Jenks (Okla.) takes on Union (Tulsa, Okla.) at the University of Tulsa's Chapman Stadium. These two programs have combined to win every Oklahoma 6A state championship since 1996.



With a 9-1 record last week, Kevin Askeland made a huge move to the top of the heap in our season-long prediction contest. He is now tied with Steve Montoya for first place with 22 out of 30 correct picks. Stephen Spiewak and Jamie DeMoney are only one game back with 21 correct picks and Mitch Stephens is in last place, but only two games out of first place. You can track our overall results and standings all season long by clicking here.
 
Here's a look at this week's Top 10 games of the week along with predictions by MaxPreps staff writers and contributors Mitch Stephens, Steve Montoya, Stephen Spiewak, Kevin Askeland and Jamie DeMoney.

Begin Slideshow{PAGEBREAK}No. 15 Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) vs. No. 13 Gilman (Baltimore)
Good Counsel came within an eyelash of losing its season opener to Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.). The Falcons won 24-17 with the deciding score coming on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Brendan Marshall to Stefon Diggs on their second overtime possession. Diggs – MaxPreps' No. 1-rated athlete prospect in the nation – also had an 80-yard touchdown reception in the game. Good Counsel lost to Gilman, 28-7, last season one week after winning its opener against Ohio power St. Xavier (Cincinnati).

Gilman catapulted into this week's Xcellent 25 rankings after steamrolling Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) in the I-95 Kickoff Classic. Junior quarterback Shane Cockerille and senior Cyrus Jones combined for nearly 450 rushing yards with seven total touchdowns in an impressive 51-27 blowout that was pretty much over at halftime. A win here is crucial to the Greyhounds' hopes to remain nationally ranked. They will play no other opponents that are likely to be ranked and have no state playoffs at the end of the season.

Mitch Stephens: Gilman 24, Good Counsel 21
Steve Montoya: Gilman 27, Good Counsel 21
Stephen Spiewak: Gilman 21, Good Counsel 20
Kevin Askeland: Good Counsel 35, Gilman 34
Jamie DeMoney: Gilman 23, Good Counsel 20

{PAGEBREAK}Mission Viejo (Calif.) at No. 1 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Mission Viejo doesn't need to concern itself with what happened the last time a California team traveled cross-country to play Don Bosco Prep. There's reason to believe Diablos have enough offensive weapons to avoid a fate similar to Don Bosco's 30-6 beatdown of De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) in 2009. Mission Viejo has an experienced offensive line paving the way for 215-pound USC-committed running back Jahleel Pinner and a savvy senior quarterback in Alex Bridgford, who threw four touchdowns passes in a 35-6 rout of Centennial (Bakersfield) last week.

Don Bosco Prep's win over De La Salle kicked off a 12-0 season that culminated in the school's first national poll championship. This year, the Ironmen began the season ranked No. 1. They have 13 total returning starters including several future FBS recruits. Defensive lineman Darius Hamilton, receiver Leonte Carroo and defensive back Yuri Wright are part of MaxPreps' Top 100 recruits for the Class of 2012. Don Bosco Prep enters the year with a 35-game winning streak. It has won 14 of its last 15 games against out-of-state opponents.

Mitch Stephens: Don Bosco Prep 21, Mission Viejo 7
Steve Montoya: Don Bosco Prep 31, Mission Viejo 14
Stephen Spiewak: Don Bosco Prep 42, Mission Viejo 7
Kevin Askeland: Don Bosco Prep 26, Mission Viejo 12
Jamie DeMoney: Don Bosco Prep 24, Mission Viejo 17

Photo by Jim Stout

{PAGEBREAK}Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.) at No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Cypress Bay didn't look sharp in its season opener, a 24-7 win over Deerfield Beach. But you can forgive the Lightning if it was because of the "look-ahead" factor with No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) looming on the schedule. This is an experienced team with a physical offensive line and a strong linebacker corps led by Miami commit Josh Witt.



St. Thomas Aquinas had an extra week to prepare for Cypress Bay following its 34-31 win against nationally ranked Prattville (Ala.) on Aug. 27. The Raiders (1-0) beat Prattville because they made more key plays in crunch-time, allowing them to prevail despite being outgained, 342-320. But Aquinas also showed some vulnerability on special teams, giving up a blocked punt and a handful of long returns. In the last two meetings in this series, Aquinas won by wide margins: 36-0 in 2009 and 60-14 last year.

Mitch Stephens: St. Thomas Aquinas 35, Cypress Bay 21
Steve Montoya: St. Thomas Aquinas 35, Cypress Bay 20
Stephen Spiewak: St. Thomas Aquinas 35, Cypress Bay 21
Kevin Askeland: St. Thomas Aquinas 45, Cypress Bay 6
Jamie DeMoney: St. Thomas Aquinas 33, Cypress Bay 20
{PAGEBREAK}No. 5 Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at Elder (Cincinnati)
Trinity has rocketed up the Xcellent 25 rankings after two games this season. The Shamrocks began the year ranked No. 20, but are now No. 5 after outscoring perennial Tennessee powers Brentwood Academy and Montgomery Bell Academy by a combined score of 111-28. Junior quarterback Travis Wright has been outstanding, throwing for more than 500 yards and eight touchdowns. This is the third of five consecutive games versus out-of-state competition for Trinity.

Elder went a disappointing 4-5 last season but this year is considered one of the top Division I challengers among many outstanding squads in the Cincinnati area. The Panthers showed great offensive balance in a pair of easy early season wins. They rushed for more than 340 yards in an opening-week 33-14 blowout of Centerville then got nearly 300 passing yards from senior quarterback Ben Gramke in last week's 35-10 rout of Lakota West (West Chester). This is the third straight year these teams have met. Elder won 26-7 in 2009 and Trinity was victorious at home last season, 22-20.

Mitch Stephens: Trinity 21, Elder 20
Steve Montoya: Trinity 21, Elder 7
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity 28, Elder 17
Kevin Askeland: Trinity 40, Elder 24
Jamie DeMoney: Trinity 27, Elder 20{PAGEBREAK}No. 17 St. Xavier (Cincinnati) at Colerain (Cincinnati)
Last week, senior Conor Hundley galloped for 156 yards and four touchdowns in St. Xavier's 38-21 win over Pickerington Central on a rainy Sunday afternoon in the Kirk Herbstreit Classic at Ohio Stadium. It was one of the bright spots in an uneven performance for the Bombers, who turned the ball over four times in the first half but also forced Pickerington Central to commit five turnovers. Last season, St. Xavier ousted Colerain in the second round of the Division I playoffs with a 24-23 victory.

Colerain has played outstanding, hard-nosed defense in each of its two wins. The Cardinals opened with a 17-7 victory over Cocoa (Fla.), ending the Tigers' 38-game winning streak, and blistered Ryle (Union, Ky.), 37-0, last week. Junior running back Jackson Sorn had a big game against Ryle, rushing for more than 220 yards and two touchdowns despite carrying the ball just nine times. His production will be needed to make up for the loss of fellow junior back Chris Davis, who is out for the season with a knee injury.

Mitch Stephens: Colerain 17, St. Xavier 14
Steve Montoya: Colerain 21, St. Xavier 20
Stephen Spiewak: St. Xavier 17, Colerain 10
Kevin Askeland: St. Xavier 30, Colerain 28
Jamie DeMoney: St. Xavier 20, Colerain 9
{PAGEBREAK}Union (Tulsa, Okla.) vs. Jenks (Okla.)
Perhaps the best contemporary rivalry in all of high school football renews at the University of Tulsa's Chapman Stadium. These teams have combined to win every Oklahoma 6A championship since 1996. Union has won the last three titles and six overall. The Redskins lost to Jenks in the regular season but beat the Trojans in the state championship game the last two years. In fact, the loser of the "Backyard Bowl" has won the state title six of the last eight years. Union opened with a 21-0 shutout of usually high-scoring Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.). Junior Kendall Holmes ran for more than 100 yards with two touchdowns.



Despite playing without Oklahoma-committed running back Alex Ross, Jenks hammered Bixby 54-13 in its opener. Junior backup Trey'Vonne Barr'e more than picked up the slack, gaining 282 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Ross, who is nursing an ankle injury, may not play again this week against Union.

Mitch Stephens: Jenks 24, Union 23
Steve Montoya: Jenks 27, Union 20
Stephen Spiewak: Union 35, Jenks 28
Kevin Askeland: Union 28, Jenks 24
Jamie DeMoney: Union 31, Jenks 21

Standing room only for this game.

Photo by Keith Owens

{PAGEBREAK}Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) at Aledo (Texas)
Lake Travis had won its previous 48 games before losing to Aledo in a Week 3 matchup last season. It was a meeting between the two eventual Class 4A state champions. Lake Travis is 2-0 this season after winning its first two games by comfortable margins. Junior quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 253 yards and five touchdowns in a 43-14 rout of Hendrickson (Pflugerville) last week.

Aledo is 1-1 on the season after bouncing back from an opening-week upset loss to Stephenville with a 50-7 rout of Weatherford last Friday. University of Texas commit Johnathan Gray racked up 336 rushing yards and five touchdowns on only 15 carries. He is now well over 7,000 rushing yards in his career.

Mitch Stephens: Aledo 31, Lake Travis 27
Steve Montoya: Aledo 28, Lake Travis 27
Stephen Spiewak: Lake Travis 48, Aledo 45
Kevin Askeland: Lake Travis 28, Aledo 27
Jamie DeMoney: Lake Travis 47, Aledo 42
{PAGEBREAK}No. 3 Allen (Texas) at Longview (Texas)
Allen has looked every bit the part of the No. 3-ranked team in the nation so far. The Eagles opened the year with a 28-13 win over a strong Cedar Hill team then totally dominated Justin Northwest last week, 59-0. For the season, Alabama-bound quarterback Alec Morris has thrown for nearly 600 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

Longview did no worse than reaching the state semifinals each of the last three seasons. The Lobos were in the 5A semifinals last year after competing at the 4A level in 2008-09. This is a physical team that wears opponents out late in the game. A perfect example was its 38-22 win over John Tyler (Tyler) last week, in which the Lobos ran for 170 yards and outscored the Lions 21-0 in the fourth quarter. This is the fourth consecutive season these teams have met in the regular season. Allen is 2-1 in the series having lost in its previous trip to Longview, 28-25 in 2009.

Mitch Stephens: Allen 28, Longview 24
Steve Montoya: Allen 21, Longview 14
Stephen Spiewak: Allen 21, Longview 17
Kevin Askeland: Allen 40, Longview 14
Jamie DeMoney: Allen 35, Longview 10
{PAGEBREAK}St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.) at No. 20 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
With 13 starters returning – including its quarterback – St. Bonaventure might be the team to beat in the CIF-SS Northern Division this season. Marc Evans (6-2, 210) threw for 29 touchdowns as a junior. His top target could end up being senior Jordan Farris (6-3, 205), a key newcomer that coach Todd Therrien is expecting big things from this season.

Centennial returns most of its offensive line and a the core of a strong defense that helped win 14 consecutive games last season before losing in the state Division I bowl game to Palo Alto. The question mark for the Huskies is replacing the production of quarterback Michael Eubank. The Arizona State signee accounted for more than 4,000 combined passing and rushing yards with 41 touchdowns last season.



Mitch Stephens: Centennial 38, St. Bonaventure 24
Steve Montoya: Centennial 14, St. Bonaventure 7
Stephen Spiewak: Centennial 28, St. Bonaventure 24
Kevin Askeland: Centennial 35, St. Bonaventure 20
Jamie DeMoney: Centennial 24, St. Bonaventure 21
{PAGEBREAK}No. 22 Bellevue (Wash.) at Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.)
No. 22 Bellevue made national headlines last week when it beat then-No. 21 Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 31-21, at the Mission Viejo (Calif.) Football Classic. The Wolverines countered the Lions' size and depth advantages with their own precision execution of the Wing-T offense and a hard-nosed defense. Tyler Hasty, son of former NFL defensive back James Hasty, was a two-way star, rushing for 99 yards as a quarterback and picking off two passes as a defensive back. Bellevue has just three losses to in-state opponents since the start of the 2006 season. Two of those defeats are to Skyline.

Standout junior quarterback Max Browne threw four touchdown passes in Skyline's opener, a 62-27 win against Liberty (Renton). As a sophomore, Browne had more than 4,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns and led the Spartans to the 4A state championship game. He had three touchdown passes in Skyline's 28-21 win over Bellevue.

Mitch Stephens: Skyline 31, Bellevue 28
Steve Montoya: Skyline 31, Bellevue 28
Stephen Spiewak: Bellevue 30, Skyline 27
Kevin Askeland: Bellevue 35, Skyline 21
Jamie DeMoney: Bellevue 28, Skyline 24

Jamie DeMoney is National Content Manager for XOS Digital PlayerOnDemand. He has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years.