MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

By Zack Poff Sep 4, 2019, 7:30pm

Northwestern, IMG Academy lead this week's slate in a Florida battle royale.

The MaxPreps Top 10 high school football Games of the Week feature nine ranked teams and some of the best rivalries in the country.

In our featured game, No. 15 Northwestern (Miami) hopes the third time is the charm against No. 5 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) as the Ascenders have won the previous two meetings.

The only other Top 25 matchup is going down at Rutgers University between No. 4 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) and No. 18 St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia). The Cadets have rolled in their first two games against Florida opponents and the Philly power is coming off a heartbreaking 21-17 loss to No. 10 Marietta (Ga.).

Video: MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week
Two Top 25 matchups leads this week's action.



The other states represented this week feature California, Arizona, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Louisiana and Nevada.

MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

7:30 p.m. Friday, (All time local) at Traz Powell Stadium (Miami)


Top Players

Northwestern: LB Terrence Lewis (6-1, 195), S Kamren Kinchens (5-10, 175), WR Marcus Fleming (5-9, 160), WR Romello Brinson (6-2, 180), RB Nathaniel Noel (5-10, 170)

IMG Academy: CB Elias Ricks (6-2, 190), S Lejond Cavazos (6-1, 195), DL Demonte Capehart (6-4, 285), WR Michael Redding III (6-1, 195), RB Lovasea Carroll (6-0, 190)



The two best defenses in the state face off in our MaxPreps Game of the Week. The back-to-back 6A state champs haven't allowed a single point in 2019 while IMG Academy rolled in its season opener two weeks ago in a 46-7 win over Venice. This is the third straight year these two are facing off — IMG won 21-0 in 2017 and 34-7 last season.
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
No. 4 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) vs. No. 18 St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
8 p.m. Friday, at Rutgers University


Top Players

St. John's: WR Rakim Jarrett (6-0, 205), LB Mekhail Sherman (6-3, 235), DL Tré Williams (6-2, 305), QB Sol-Jay Maiava (6-0, 190), ATH Antwain Littleton (6-0, 265)

St. Joseph's Prep: QB Kyle McCord (6-3, 205), WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (6-4, 185), RB Kolbe Burrell (5-9, 190), LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (6-0, 210), OL Matthew Lombardi (6-7, 280)

St. John's crazy four game stretch starts with St. Joseph's Prep. After this, the Cadets get No. 6 Duncanville (Texas) on the road, host No. 5 IMG Academy and then play No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). This game is loaded with future Power 5 conference players led by Jarrett, Sherman and Williams for the DMV power and McCord, Harrison Jr. and Trotter Jr. lead the way for the Hawks.




7 p.m., Friday


Top Players

Mater Dei: QB Bryce Young (5-11, 185), OL Myles Murao (6-2, 310), LB Raesjon Davis (6-1, 210), CB Jaylin Davies (5-11, 165), CB Domani Jackson (6-1, 170)

Centennial: ATH Jaydin Young (6-0, 175), WR Dyelan Miller (6-3, 190), QB Jonathan Morris (5-11, 170), ATH Eric Haney (5-10, 180), DL Xavier Garcia (5-11, 215)



Mater Dei has looked like the best team in the country through its first two games. The Monarchs rolled past No. 20 Corona Centennial 42-12 to open the year and answered that with a 63-7 win over Villa Park last week. Young, a 2020 USC commit, accounted for five touchdowns and now has eight on the season. Mater Dei is a heavy favorite on paper against the back-to-back 5A state champs, but so were St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in 2017 and 2018 and both left Arizona with a loss.


7 p.m., Friday


Top Players

Centennial: WR Gary Bryant (5-11, 165), DE Korey Foreman (6-5, 270), CB Isaiah Young (5-10, 165), WR Branden Alvarez (5-10, 175), RB Nicholas Floyd (5-10, 190)


Cathedral Catholic: LB Jordan Allen (6-2, 195), RB Zavien Watson (6-2, 220), CB Dee'Shon Swafford (5-10, 175), QB DJ Ralph (6-2, 200), LB Devin Dye (6-2, 210)



The Dons had a huge win last week against Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and look to take down another big-time program on Friday. The Huskies bounced back strong after an opening week loss to Mater Dei and beat Orange Lutheran (Orange) 56-14. The defense returned four interceptions for scores and Floyd had another big night on the ground, rushing for 179 yards and two scores. If Cathedral Catholic takes down the Inland Empire power expect to see them jump in the Top 25 rankings next week.


7 p.m., Friday


Top Players

Katy: RB Ron Hoff (5-9, 170), WR Jordan Patrick (5-9, 160), QB Bronson McClelland (6-0, 210), CB Hunter Washington (5-11, 180), CB Bryan Massey (6-0, 170)



Atascocita: RB Quincy Thompson (5-9, 195), DE Asyrus Simon (6-3, 235), QB Brice Matthews (5-11, 170), OT Kam Dewberry (6-4, 285), WR Dylan Robinson (6-2, 190)

The Tigers went from unranked to No. 12 after beating North Shore (Houston) and get a legit Atascocita squad next who rolled past Katy Taylor (Texas) 69-7. The Eagles haven't had any luck in this series, Katy has won all three matchups since 2009.

7 p.m., Friday


Top Players

St. Ignatius: WR Connor Cmiel (6-2, 175), OL Nick Schwitzgebel (6-3, 285), QB Griffin Hanna (6-2, 195), WR Henry Cook (5-10, 160), LB Aidan Hubbard (6-3, 215)



Mentor: QB Ian Kipp (6-2, 195), RB Brian Trobel (5-8, 175), WR Luke Floriea (5-10, 175), LB Kyle Bischof (6-0, 220), WR Nolan Vernon (6-1, 195)

Both teams had impressive wins to begin the year. Mentor beat defending Division 1 state champs St. Edward (Lakewood), 29-28, and St. Ignatius took down defending Illinois 8A state champs Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 27-10. This is the 19th meeting between the two since 2005 — the teams have split the previous 18 — but Mentor has won the last two.

7 p.m., Saturday at Traz Powell Stadium (Miami)


Top Players

Miami Central: CB Henry Gray (6-0, 175), RB Amari Daniels (5-8, 195), RB Kejon Owens (6-9, 165), CB Deidrick Stanley (5-9, 175), OL Laurence Seymore (6-1, 295)

Carol City: WR Thaiu Jones-Bell (5-11, 180), RB Katravis Geter (5-9, 175), S Darius Stokes (5-10, 175), ATH Jovan Ferguson (5-10, 150), QB Keyone Jenkins (5-9, 175)



One of the best rivalries in the country, both teams are loaded with some of Florida's best talent and the winner will find themselves in the Top 25 next week. Carol City checks in at No. 25 and Miami Central is the first team out right now at No. 26. The Rockets bounced back after losing their season opener 49-13 to No. 2 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) to beat Booker T. Washington (Miami) 32-29. The Chiefs are looking to bounce back after losing to No. 15 Northwestern (Miami) but beat a very talented Deerfield Beach (Fla.) team 24-12 to start the season.

7 p.m., Friday


Top Players

St. Xavier: QB Matthew Rueve (6-4, 185), WR Liam Clifford (6-2, 195), TE Marshall Lang (6-4, 225), LB Matthew Devine (6-0, 210), LB Noah Taylor (6-3, 200)

Colerain: LB Jaylen Thomas (5-10, 190), ATH Deshawn Pace (6-3, 195), LB Elijah Ford (6-3, 210), RB Hamzah Abdul-Waheed (5-6, 170), OL Ace Ehrenschwender (6-0, 280)

When these two lock horns it has to be featured in the Top 10 Games of the Week. It's one of the best rivalries in high school football and this is the 23rd meeting between the two since 2005. That series is split 11-11, though Colerain has current bragging right though because it has won the last three. Both started the year with wins. St. X got an out-of-state 38-17 victory over Brownsburg (Indiana) and the Cardinals took down Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio) 28-19.



7 p.m., Thursday


Top Players

John Curtis Christian: QB Collin Guggenheim (5-11, 190), DE Angelo Anderson (6-2, 260), RB Corey Wren (5-9, 170), DT Elinus Noel III (6-0, 325), CB Dante Thomas (5-10, 160)

Edna Karr: CB Jamie Vance (5-10, 155),  QB Leonard Kelly (5-10.5, 185), WR Destyn Pazon (6-0, 170), OL Kenneth Bannister (6-4, 260), DT Tygee Hill (6-2, 260)

Louisiana's top two teams square off Thursday — Karr has won three consecutive 4A state titles and 27 games straight while John Curtis Christian added its 27th state title last year went 13-0. This is the third meeting between the two Louisiana powers since 2013 and John Curtis Christian has won both.



8 p.m. Saturday


Top Players

Servite: TE Jake Overman (6-3, 230), DE Tristen Wilson (6-2, 195), OL Nicholas Martinez (6-6, 300), WR Tetairoa McMillan (6-3, 185), ATH Noah Avinger (5-11, 165)

Bishop Gorman: WR Rome Odunze (6-2, 200), QB Micah Bowens (6-0, 195), RB Cam Barfield (5-9, 175), WR Zachariah Branch (5-8, 160), LB Bryan Certain (5-9, 205)

The Las Vegas power looks to bounce back after a 31-19 loss to No. 8 St. Louis (Honolulu) in Hawaii. The Gaels get a very talented Servite team which plays in the toughest league in the country (Trinity League). This will be the nightcap on Saturday in a four-game event put on by the Polynesian Classic. No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) takes on Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) in the only game on Friday and the other two contests on Saturday feature Darnell Washington and Desert Pines (Las Vegas) taking on Logan (Utah) followed by Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas). This is the first meeting between Gorman and Servite since 2015 and the Gaels have won all five of the previous matchups since 2011.

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