MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

The game of the week, the year, maybe even the decade – it's all that and more for South Florida football fans who will likely fill Traz Powell Stadium to standing-room-only limits when No. 1 Booker T. Washington takes on No. 2 Central under the Friday night lights.

Though no single game is likely to be bigger all season long, the battle for Miami bragging rights and the undisputed top ranking in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 is merely one of 10 top-notch matchups in the latest edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week.

Our current slate includes five other games involving nationally ranked teams. Most notably, fourth-ranked Allen (Texas), which also has legitimate national title aspirations and the schedule strength to go with it, has its second tough test in as many weeks – this time against Cedar Hill. Meanwhile, defending national champion Curtis (River Ridge, La.) opens the season with the first of two games it will play against an out-of-state opponent this season. The Patriots will take on Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) Friday night in suburban New Orleans.

With back-to-back weeks with eight correct picks, GOTW author Jamie DeMoney has opened a three-game cushion over Stephen Spiewak in our season-long predictions contest. Leland Gordon and Colin Ward-Henninger share third place with 11 correct picks apiece.



Here's a look at this week's Top 10 games along with predictions by MaxPreps staff writers and contributors Mitch Stephens, Stephen Spiewak, Kevin Askeland, Leland Gordon, Colin Ward-Henninger and Jamie DeMoney.

MaxPreps Top 10 Football Games of the Week



Washington (Miami) at Central (Miami)

Washington (1-0) ascended to the top spot in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard two weeks ago after a 55-0 thrashing of defending Georgia Class AAAAAA champion Norcross. The shutout was against a Norcross offense with eight starters back from a unit that averaged more than 37 points per game last season. Senior quarterback Treon Harris, a Florida State commit and son of coach Tim "Ice" Harris, tallied nearly 350 combined passing and rushing yards with five touchdowns to lead the Washington onslaught. A year ago, Washington led Central 19-3 in the first half but let it slip away and eventually lost, 37-26. It extended to four games the Tornadoes' on-field losing streak to Central.

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Not surprisingly, Central's explosive one-two punch at running back played a huge role in its 42-20 regular season-opening win against American Heritage (Plantation) last week. Seniors Joseph Yearby (a Miami commit) and Dalvin Cook (Florida) combined to run for 380 yards and all six of the Rockets' touchdowns, according to the Miami Herald. The only cause for concern in the post-mortem for the Central was its susceptibility to giving up the big play. The Rockets allowed American Heritage to score touchdowns on a 95-yard kickoff return and an 80-yard run from scrimmage.

Mitch Stephens: Washington 28, Central 27
Kevin Askeland: Washington 42, Central 35
Jamie DeMoney: Central 35, Washington 27
Stephen Spiewak: Washington 31, Central 28
Leland Gordon: Washington 52, Central 45
Colin Ward-Henninger: Central 28, Washington 27
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Cedar Hill (Texas) at Allen (Texas)

Cedar Hill, state runner-up in Class 5A/II last year, opened with a 38-28 win against Guyer (Denton), a team picked by many to win a state title in Class 4A this season. The Longhorns raced to a 24-7 lead in the first half, thanks in large part to the performance of junior receiver Damarkus Lodge. The four-star prospect had four receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown at the break, according to the Dallas Morning News.

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Allen cemented its current status as the premier program in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex after last week's impressive 49-27 road win at Carroll (Southlake). The Eagles scored all of their points in the second and third quarters of the game. Wunderkind quarterback Kyler Murray opened his junior season with 464 passing yards and three touchdowns, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Mitch Stephens: Allen 35, Cedar Hill 27
Kevin Askeland: Allen 38, Cedar Hill 25
Jamie DeMoney: Allen 41, Cedar Hill 27
Stephen Spiewak: Allen 45, Cedar Hill 31
Leland Gordon: Allen 32, Cedar Hill 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: Allen 48, Cedar Hill 35


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Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) vs. Curtis (River Ridge, La.)

Bergen Catholic has just seven returning starters back from a team that went 8-4 against one of the nation's toughest schedules last season. This game against Curtis will be the Crusaders' 16th against a non-New Jersey opponent since 2006. They have fared well in those outings, compiling a 13-2 record including winning three out of four last year. In addition to playing defending MaxPreps mythical national champion Curtis this week, Bergen Catholic is set to play two other defending state champions in Jordan (Sandy, Utah) and Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in the next two weeks.



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A total of 11 starters return from the team that earned Curtis its 24th state championship and first national title last season. The Patriots, winners of their last 28 games, have most of their experience back at the skill positions. The receiver corps are led by senior Malachi Dupre (rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports) along with Houston recruit Henry Smith. Along with blue chip linebacker Kenny Young, the strength of Curtis' defense is a secondary that features three players rated three stars or higher.

Mitch Stephens: Curtis 28, Bergen Catholic 20
Kevin Askeland: Curtis 28, Bergen Catholic 14
Jamie DeMoney: Curtis 35, Bergen Catholic 7
Stephen Spiewak: Curtis 35, Bergen Catholic 28
Leland Gordon: Curtis 42, Bergen Catholic 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Curtis 28, Bergen Catholic 14


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Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.) vs. Bellevue (Wash.)

Bellevue has won 10 state championships since 2001 and Skyline has captured seven since 2000. This is the first meeting since 2011 between the top two programs in the state of Washington. The teams had a pair of home-and-home series in 2006-2007 and again in 2010-2011, with each side posting a 2-2 record.

Skyline has a huge hole to fill at quarterback after the graduation of Max Browne (now at USC). Browne threw for 12,951 yards and 146 scores in three seasons leading the Spartans' high-octane passing game. However, a transfer with a ton of talent looks to be up to the task. Enter Kilton Anderson, a senior with an all-state pedigree from his days quarterbacking Naples High, one of the top programs in the state of Florida. The South Alabama recruit had more than 2,200 combined passing and rushing yards and 45 touchdowns last season.

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In contrast to Skyline's propensity to attack through the air, Bellevue is content to gobble up most of its yardage on the ground with a Wing-T formation that relies on deception in the backfield and linemen firing quickly off the ball. The top individual weapon for Bellevue on both sides of the ball is likely to be senior running back/receiver/defensive back Budda Baker, a four-star prospect who averaged 16 yards per carry last season and scored 21 total touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Bellevue 35, Skyline 28
Kevin Askeland: Bellevue 40, Skyline 21
Jamie DeMoney: Bellevue 31, Skyline 21
Stephen Spiewak: Bellevue 28, Skyline 17
Leland Gordon: Bellevue 28, Skyline 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: Bellevue 28, Skyline 17


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Folsom (Calif.) at Granite Bay (Calif.)

The top ranking in the Sac-Joaquin Section is on the line as No. 1 Folsom travels to No. 2 Granite Bay. It's the first time the teams have met since a 2009 playoff game won by Folsom.

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Folsom's high-powered offense looked in midseason form when the Bulldogs tore apart Woodcreek (Roseville), 56-21, last week. Quarterback Jake Browning – who had a whopping 5,248 passing yards and 63 touchdowns as a sophomore – picked up where he left off, throwing for 438 yards and seven scores in the season opener. On the Granite Bay side, Friday's game versus Folsom is its first game with James Albano on the sideline as interim head coach. Albano was tapped to lead the Grizzlies this year after Ernie Cooper unexpectedly announced his retirement in June following a 17-year run at Granite Bay and a win in the Division I state championship game last December.

Mitch Stephens: Folsom 38, Granite Bay 24
Kevin Askeland: Folsom 56, Granite Bay 21
Jamie DeMoney: Folsom 49, Granite Bay 28
Stephen Spiewak: Folsom 28, Granite Bay 24
Leland Gordon: Folsom 49, Granite Bay 34
Colin Ward-Henninger: Granite Bay 45, Folsom 42




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St. Xavier (Cincinnati) at Colerain (Cincinnati)

With a 34-7 season-opening win against Ben Davis (Indianapolis), St. Xavier – considered perhaps the best 6-5 team in America last season – gave a glimpse to why many people are picking it to win the Ohio Division I state title this year. Junior receiver Ben Glines was the offensive star for the Bombers last week, collecting two touchdown passes and rushing for another score. Iowa-bound running back C.J. Hilliard had 75 yards rushing and also ran for a score.

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Colerain also started off the year with a win versus an out-of-state opponent. In their second win against a Florida team in three seasons, the Cardinals' vaunted rushing attacked overpowered Park Vista (Lake Worth, Fla.), 45-27. Kelvin Cook – in his first varsity start at quarterback – completed only 1 of 3 passes for 15 yards, but the 5-foot-9, 152-pound senior had 169 yards rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. But Cook's total was only second-best on the team. Senior Detuan Smith – a 5-5, 185-pounder – gained 223 yards and also scored two touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: St. Xavier 21, Colerain 20
Kevin Askeland: St. Xavier 28, Colerain 14
Jamie DeMoney: St. Xavier 27, Colerain 20
Stephen Spiewak: St. Xavier 28, Colerain 21
Leland Gordon: St. Xavier 20, Colerain 15
Colin Ward-Henninger: Colerain 21, St. Xavier 20


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Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) at Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.)

Oscar Smith boasts enough talent and experience on both sides of the ball to contend for a third state title in Virginia's largest class in the last six seasons. The Tigers are stacked on the defensive front. Andrew Brown, the nation's top-rated defensive tackle, leads the way along with four-star junior defensive end Josh Sweat. On offense, the headline-grabber is senior running back Deshawn McClease -- who is rated four stars by 247Sports. McClease ran for more than 1,000 yards with 20 touchdowns as a junior behind an offensive line that returns four starters from 2012.

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Lake Taylor has seven starters back on both sides of the ball from a team that was 15-0 and was a Class AAA/Division 5 state champion. Opponents averaged less than 10 points per game in 2012, and the Titans should have one of the top defenses in the state again this year. The unit features Jalyn Holmes, a senior end who is committed to Ohio State. On offense, running the show for the third-straight season will be quarterback Delmon Williams, who threw for just less than 2,000 yards with 35 touchdowns as a junior.

Mitch Stephens: Lake Taylor 28, Oscar Smith 22
Kevin Askeland: Lake Taylor 35, Oscar Smith 31
Jamie DeMoney: Lake Taylor 21, Oscar Smith 14
Stephen Spiewak: Lake Taylor 28, Oscar Smith 10
Leland Gordon: Lake Taylor 28, Oscar Smith 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: Lake Taylor 14, Oscar Smith 10


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St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)

St. Joseph's Prep kicked off the season nearly 1,500 miles away from home last week, defeating Dallas Jesuit in impressive fashion. Junior wide receiver/defensive back John Reid scored three touchdowns in the 48-27 victory, including a 69-yard interception return. It was the first meeting between teams from Pennsylvania and Texas since 2008.

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Don Bosco has won 18 of its last 20 games against out-of-state opponents over the last eight seasons, which includes a pair of wins against St. Joseph's Prep in 2006 and 2007. The Ironmen are looking for a bounce-back season after falling short last year in their bid for a seventh-straight Non-Public IV state championship. Don Bosco's record of 8-3 equaled its first season without double-digit wins since 2004. The strength of this year's team should be its offensive line, which features 6-4, 245-pound Virginia Tech recruit Tyrell Smith.

Mitch Stephens: Don Bosco Prep 24, St. Joseph's Prep 21
Kevin Askeland: Don Bosco Prep 30, St. Joseph's Prep 21
Jamie DeMoney: St. Joseph's Prep 25, Don Bosco Prep 22
Stephen Spiewak: Don Bosco Prep 20, St. Joseph's Prep 10
Leland Gordon: St. Joseph's Prep 17, Don Bosco Prep 16
Colin Ward-Henninger: Don Bosco Prep 28, St. Joseph's Prep 21




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Serra (Gardena, Calif.) at Oceanside (Calif.)

Serra dropped one spot to No. 11 in the latest Xcellent 25 rankings after a closer-than-expected 28-22 win against Desert Ridge (Mesa, Ariz.) to open the season. The Cavaliers bolted to a 28-6 halftime advantage but their explosive offense was held scoreless throughout the final two quarters. Senior quarterback Jalen Greene (a Boise State recruit) accounted for all four of Serra's touchdowns and completed 7 of 10 passes for 182 yards overall. Five-star athlete Adoree' Jackson was on the receiving end of two of Green's scoring strikes and finished the game with 137 all-purpose yards.

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Oceanside was a 47-28 victor against St. Augustine (San Diego) on the season's opening weekend. It was the 12th consecutive win for the Pirates, who captured a section championship last season for the eighth time in nine years. A total of 11 starters are back from that team, including leading rusher Thai Cottrell, a 5-foot-6, 165-pound San Jose State pledge, and leading receiver Mikah Holder, who is 6-1, 170 pounds and headed to San Diego State.

Mitch Stephens: Serra 35, Oceanside 21
Kevin Askeland: Serra 28, Oceanside 21
Jamie DeMoney: Serra 37, Oceanside 21
Stephen Spiewak: Serra 42, Oceanside 21
Leland Gordon: Oceanside 34, Serra 31
Colin Ward-Henninger: Serra 42, Oceanside 14


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Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at Lawrence Central (Indianapolis)

Playing annually against one of the nation's toughest schedules, Trinity is a fixture in the MaxPreps Top 10 Football Games of the Week. In fact, the Shamrocks have now appeared in all three editions this season, including in advance of last week's 42-35 road win over Carmel (Ind.). Senior quarterback Reggie Bonnafon (a Louisville recruit) was outstanding in his second career varsity start, totaling nearly 350 combined passing and rushing yardage with four total touchdowns. It's déjà vu all over again this week with Trinity (1-1) back in the Top 10 GOTW and back in the Indianapolis area on Friday, this time taking on last year's Indiana 5A state champion Lawrence Central.

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Lawrence Central (2-0) extended its winning streak to 17 games with a closer-than-expected 34-31 win against North Central (Indianapolis) last week. Senior running back Mark Wilson led the Bears' offense with 129 rushing yards and a touchdown. Receiver Kenny Jones – a three-star prospect according to 247Sports – has caught a pair of touchdown passes in both of Lawrence Central's games this season. Defensively, Lawrence Central's strength is unquestionably at linebacker with four-star prospects Brandon Lee and Darrin Kirkland on the outside and last year's leading tackler, Nikia Averitte, manning the middle.

Mitch Stephens: Trinity 28, Lawrence Central 24
Kevin Askeland: Lawrence Central 35, Trinity 34
Jamie DeMoney: Trinity 31, Lawrence Central 27
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity 28, Lawrence Central 17
Leland Gordon: Trinity 31, Lawrence Central 28
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity 35, Lawrence Central 31

Jamie DeMoney is in his 20th season covering high school sports and recruiting. He is a Regional Content Manager and Product Specialist for XOS Digital and compiles the National Prep Poll for World Features Syndicate.