MaxPreps Top 10 high school football games of the week

The latest edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week spotlights some of the best playoff matchups happening this weekend across the nation.

Four of our featured games involve MaxPreps Xcellent 25 teams including a pair of games in Ohio, where No. 6 Colerain (Cincinnati) takes on traditional power Moeller for the first time in five seasons and defending state champion No. 18 St. Ignatius (Cleveland) has a rematch with Mentor.

As winter approaches, state championships are already on the line in the upper Midwest. In Wisconsin, Waunakee would set a state record with 49 wins in a row while earning its fourth-consecutive state title if it defeats Homestead.

Although it's a first-round game between teams with a combined record of just 13-7, the most-watched playoff game in Florida will be Yulee (Fla.) hosting Taylor County. Derrick Henry, a Yulee senior, needs only 102 yards to break the national record for career rushing yards that has stood since 1953.



Mitch Stephens, who went 16-4 over the past two weeks, has pulled into a tie with Jamie DeMoney for first place in our season-long predictions contest. Both prognosticators have 85 correct selections in 120 games (70.8 percent). Sitting in third place – just two games off the pace – is Leland Gordon. Fourth place belongs to Stephen Spiewak, who is six games behind the leaders.

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, Leland Gordon and Jamie DeMoney.


Mentor (Ohio) at St. Ignatius (Cleveland)

The Region 1 championship game in Ohio's grueling Division I playoff bracket is a rematch of a Week 3 game won in comfortable fashion by St. Ignatius on Sept. 8, 48-21. It was the Wildcats' second-straight win and sixth overall against Mentor in nine meetings since 2004.

Mentor (11-1) earned this rematch by scoring 28 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes of a stunning 63-56 upset of then-nationally ranked St. Edward (Lakewood) last Saturday. Brandon Fritts caught the game-winning 16-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Trubisky with less than a minute to play. Fritts, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior, ended the night with season-high totals of 242 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Trubisky, a North Carolina recruit, had a season-best 476 passing yards and eclipsed the 3,000 passing yards mark for the year. The 6-3, 200-pound senior has accounted for six touchdowns in each of Mentor's two playoff victories.

View the MaxPreps Ohio football playoff brackets



While Mentor was winning in theatrical fashion, it was just the opposite for St. Ignatius, which rolled past an undermanned North Royalton squad in the other Region 1 semifinal game, 56-0. The Wildcats (11-1) had already built a 49-0 lead by halftime, all thanks to senior running back Tim McVey, who scored a school-record seven touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Mentor 35, St. Ignatius 34
Steve Montoya: Mentor 35, St. Ignatius 30
Stephen Spiewak: St. Ignatius 35, Mentor 34
Kevin Askeland: Mentor 56, St. Ignatius 50
Leland Gordon: St. Ignatius 28, Mentor 27
Jamie DeMoney: St. Ignatius 37, Mentor 24


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Waunakee (Wis.) vs. Homestead (Mequon, Wis.)

A win Friday afternoon at University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium would give Waunakee its fourth-consecutive Division 2 state title. It would also extend the Warriors' winning streak to 49 games, breaking the state record they tied with a 35-28 overtime triumph over Whitefish Bay in the state semifinals last Saturday.

View the MaxPreps Wisconsin football playoff brackets

While Waunakee is looking to add to a mounting list of state titles, Homestead hopes to pick up its first championship since 2008. The Highlanders (11-1) romped past their semifinal opponent, Marshfield, building a 42-0 halftime en route to an eventual 49-8 final margin.

Mitch Stephens: Waunakee 35, Homestead 21
Steve Montoya: Homestead 45, Waunakee 31
Stephen Spiewak: Homestead 35, Waunakee 31
Kevin Askeland: Waunakee 42, Homestead 14
Leland Gordon: Waunakee 31, Homestead 27
Jamie DeMoney: Waunakee 28, Homestead 13


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Taylor County (Perry, Fla.) at Yulee (Fla.)

If Yulee senior Derrick Henry can run for 102 yards Friday night against Taylor County, the Alabama recruit will break the all-time high school record for career rushing yards that has stood since 1953. To say the milestone is well within reach would be a major understatement. Henry, a 6-3, 240-pound senior, has averaged a whopping 327 rushing yards per game this season and has run for more than 100 yards in 44 consecutive contests.

View the MaxPreps Florida football playoff brackets

As for the game itself, Taylor County (6-4) secured a spot in this Class 4A playoff game by winning three games in a row at the end of the regular season. The Bulldogs proved they could play with Yulee, losing by a slim 42-41 margin when the teams met in the first round of the playoffs last year.



On the other side, Yulee (7-3) tied its highest scoring output of the season in a 56-6 rout of Hamilton County (Jasper) in the regular season finale last week. In the game, Henry ran for 404 yards – his third-highest total this season – and tied his season-high of six touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Yulee 45, Taylor County 28
Steve Montoya: Yulee 45, Taylor County 21
Stephen Spiewak: Yulee 48, Taylor County 14
Kevin Askeland: Yulee 50, Taylor County 6
Leland Gordon: Yulee 42, Taylor County 32
Jamie DeMoney: Yulee 49, Taylor County 20


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East Forsyth (Kernersville, N.C.) vs. Butler (Matthews, N.C.)

A pair of unbeatens are matched up in the quarterfinals of the North Carolina Class 4AA playoffs. East Forsyth and Butler last met during the 2010 playoffs, a game won easily by Butler (56-7) along the way to a state championship and 16-0 record.

View the MaxPreps North Carolina football playoff brackets

East Forsyth (13-0) knocked off defending champion Page (Greensboro) a week ago, 44-24. Garrison Duncan, East Forsyth's senior quarterback, ran for 185 yards and accounted for three touchdowns. For the season, the 6-3, 215-pounder has 1,488 passing and 1,266 rushing yards with 32 total touchdowns.

University of Michigan recruit Channing Stribling had two touchdown receptions and also scored on an interception and a kickoff return – all in the first half of seventh-ranked Butler's 55-26 blowout of Independence (Charlotte). It was the second win in three weeks for the Bulldogs (12-0) against their chief rival.

Mitch Stephens: Butler 34, East Forsyth 28
Steve Montoya: Butler 35, East Forsyth 14
Stephen Spiewak: Butler 45, East Forsyth 25
Kevin Askeland: Butler 42, East Forsyth 14
Leland Gordon: East Forsyth 47, Butler 45
Jamie DeMoney: Butler 39, East Forsyth 23


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Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) at St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Notre Dame (8-3) slipped past Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 28-27, for an opening-round win in the Pac-5 playoffs that was its fourth-straight victory overall. The Knights dodged a bullet when Oaks Christian nearly tied the game with less than two minutes left in regulation. The Lions scored a touchdown to make the score 28-27, but failed on the point-after attempt that would have possibly sent the game into overtime.



View the MaxPreps California football playoff brackets

Meanwhile, St. John Bosco improved its on-field record to 11-0 (and 7-4 with four forfeits included) with a 38-17 romp over Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita). It propelled the Braves into the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 rankings at No. 22. Standout Josh Rosen had his most efficient game of the season. The sophomore completed 13 of 18 passes for 223 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Mitch Stephens: Notre Dame 28, St. John Bosco 27
Steve Montoya: St. John Bosco 38, Notre Dame 24
Stephen Spiewak: St. John Bosco 28, Notre Dame 24
Kevin Askeland: St. John Bosco 38, Notre Dame 31
Leland Gordon: St. John Bosco 45, Notre Dame 38
Jamie DeMoney: St. John Bosco 31, Notre Dame 17


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Colerain (Cincinnati) vs. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)

Two teams with time spent in the national rankings this season do battle for the Ohio Region 4 championship. This will be only their fifth meeting in the last nine years, all during the postseason. Colerain won the four previous games with the most recent one being a 17-10 win in 2008.

Colerain hasn't won a regional title since 2006. The Cardinals are 12-0 for only the fourth time ever after winning a wild 35-34 overtime classic over Elder (Cincinnati) last Saturday. Alfred Ramsby ran for 192 yards and the game-deciding touchdown from 20 yards out. The senior quarterback has 1,432 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns this season.

View playoff brackets and state champions from across the nation

An upset against Colerain would give Moeller (9-3) its first regional crown since 1997. The Crusaders handled Lakota East (Liberty Center), 46-20, to extend the streak of at least one Greater Catholic League South team appearing in the Region 4 championship game for the 17th-consecutive season. Senior Keith Watkins II had a huge game against Lakota East despite carrying the ball only seven times. The Michigan State recruit ran for 168 yards (an average of 24 yards) and three touchdowns. It was the third-straight win for Moeller, which survived a 2-3 stretch in September and October after it had landed in the Top 10 of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 rankings.

Mitch Stephens: Moeller 28, Colerain 24
Steve Montoya: Colerain 38, Moeller 35
Stephen Spiewak: Colerain 35, Moeller 28
Kevin Askeland: Moeller 48, Colerain 42
Leland Gordon: Colerain 28, Moeller 22
Jamie DeMoney: Moeller 34, Colerain 27




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Ankeny (Iowa) vs. Xavier (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

In its final season as a district with a single high school, Ankeny wants to leave a legacy with an undefeated record and first state championship since 2007. It would be only the second title overall for Jerry Pezzetti, who is third in Iowa history with 371 coaching wins. The Hawks (13-0) feature dual-threat quarterback Joel Lanning, a four-year starter and Iowa State recruit. Lanning ran for 116 yards and a touchdown in a 28-12 win over Southeast Polk (Runnells) in last week's state semifinals. He has 2,188 passing and 905 rushing yards with 37 total touchdowns this season.

View the MaxPreps Iowa football playoff brackets

Xavier (13-0) earned the chance to play for its first state title since 2006 by beating Cedar Falls last week, 27-6. It was the second time this season that Xavier downed the Tigers on their home field, which happens to be the University of Northern Iowa's UNI Dome and also the site of this weekend's championship games. The Saints might have the best defense in Iowa with a unit that has surrendered only eight points per game.

Mitch Stephens: Ankeny 21, Xavier 14
Steve Montoya: Xavier 17, Ankeny 14
Stephen Spiewak: Ankeny 17, Xavier 10
Kevin Askeland: Ankeny 35, Xavier 12
Leland Gordon: Ankeny 27, Xavier 21
Jamie DeMoney: Ankeny 24, Xavier 9





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Syracuse (Utah) vs. Jordan (Sandy, Utah)

In order to capture a state championship in just the fifth season since its school opened, Syracuse must find a way to contain the explosive Jordan offense featuring sophomore sensation Austin Kafentzis. If there is any defense in Utah capable of making that happen, it might be Syracuse. On average, the Titans (12-0) have allowed less than 10 points per game this season and last week held Bingham (South Jordan) to less than half its season average in a 21-16 semifinal victory.

View the MaxPreps Utah football playoff brackets

Jordan (11-1) has beaten three playoff opponents by an average margin of 35 points. Led by Kafentzis' 208 passing and 128 rushing yards with two total touchdowns, the Beetdiggers rolled past defending 5A champion Lone Peak (Highland) in the semifinals. Kafentzis now has 2,776 passing yards and 1,841 rushing yards and 52 total trips to the end zone this season.

Mitch Stephens: Jordan 35, Syracuse 24
Steve Montoya: Jordan 21, Syracuse 14
Stephen Spiewak: Jordan 38, Syracuse 24
Kevin Askeland: Jordan 28, Syracuse 14
Leland Gordon: Syracuse 24, Jordan 23
Jamie DeMoney: Jordan 34, Syracuse 17


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Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport, Tenn.) at Maryville (Tenn.)

Dobyns-Bennett (12-0) earned its first trip to the state quarterfinals since 2004 -- and the right to challenge two-time defending champion Maryville -- by defeating Sevier County (Sevierville) last week, 28-21. Led by Vanderbilt-committed quarterback/receiver Malik Foreman, the Indians are averaging nearly 51 points per game this season.

View the MaxPreps Tennessee football playoff brackets



Maryville extended its winning streak to 41 games (sixth-longest in the nation) with a 39-25 win against Oak Ridge last week. The Rebels (12-0) have won a remarkable 181 of 185 games and nine state championships in the last 12 seasons. They were an easy winner over Dobyns-Bennett in the only other meeting between these teams since 2000 (41-0 in 2009).

Mitch Stephens: Dobyns-Bennett 31, Maryville 30
Steve Montoya: Maryville 21, Dobyns-Bennett 10
Stephen Spiewak: Maryville 31, Dobyns-Bennett 17
Kevin Askeland: Maryville 32, Dobyns-Bennett 30
Leland Gordon: Dobyns-Bennett 31, Maryville 28
Jamie DeMoney: Maryville 49, Dobyns-Bennett 42


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Alemany (Mission Hills, Calif.) at Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Alemany scored an early knockout blow against its Pac-5 playoffs opening-round opponent, Moorpark. The Warriors (9-2) led 28-0 at halftime and eventually won, 42-14. The game featured four touchdowns from senior running back Deshone Randall and 226 receiving yards and a touchdown for USC commit Steven Mitchell, according to the Ventura County Star.

View the MaxPreps Southern Section football playoff projections

A win Friday would give Mater Dei – one of the top programs in the history of SoCal prep football – its first 10-win season since 2002. The Monarchs improved their record to 9-2 by plastering Lakewood last Friday, 71-10. It was, by far, their highest offensive output of the season. A remarkable story because the offense was led last week by junior Chase Forrest, who was given his first career start in a first-round playoff game by veteran coach Bruce Rollinson. The gamble paid huge dividends as Forrest responded by completing 12 of 14 passes for 167 yards and four touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Mater Dei 27, Alemany 21
Steve Montoya: Mater Dei 45, Alemany 38
Stephen Spiewak: Mater Dei 35, Alemany 28
Kevin Askeland: Alemany 28, Mater Dei 21
Leland Gordon: Mater Dei 27, Alemany 21
Jamie DeMoney: Alemany 31, Mater Dei 21




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