High school football: No. 5 Chaminade-Madonna at No. 4 Miami Central headlines MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

By Zack Poff Sep 20, 2023, 9:30am

No. 22 Corona Centennial hosts No. 16 Liberty in only other MaxPreps Top 25 matchup this week.

One of the biggest high school football games of the season takes place on Thursday as No. 4 Central (Miami) faces No. 5 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) at Traz Powell Stadium. The Lions are 4-0 with all four wins coming against teams in our expanded top 100. Miami Central is 1-1 with the lone loss being a 39-35 defeat at No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

This is the third meeting between the two since 2017. Chaminade-Madonna won 27-7 in 2019, while the Rockets won 48-24 in 2017.

The other MaxPreps Top 25 matchup this week features No. 16 Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.) making the trip to Southern California to lock horns with No. 22 Centennial (Corona, Calif.). Liberty is 4-0 and has outscored the opposition 209-34. The Huskies are 2-2 with both losses coming against the top-two ranked teams in the MaxPreps Top 25.

One of the biggest rivalries in the Lone Star State takes place as Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) hosts Westlake (Austin, Texas) in a matchup of undefeated teams. Austin Westlake has won 57 of its last 58 games. The Cavaliers are 4-0 and looking to beat the Chaparrals for the first time since 2019.



Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.), the defending AAAAAAA state champs, have a big road test at Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.). Both are off to 4-0 starts. The Hawks have outscored the opposition 174-69 and are coming off an impressive 56-35 win over Cedar Grove (Ellenwood, Ga.). The Panthers are winning by an average margin of 32.5 points per game.

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) finishes non-league action at St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) on Friday. The Monarchs are 4-0 and have outscored the opposition 193-36. The Panthers are fresh off their first win of the season beating West (Salt Lake City) 21-6. Three of their four losses have come against teams ranked in the top 10.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

Thursday, 7 p.m. (All times local) - ESPN2

Top players

Chaminade-Madonna: WR Jeremiah Smith (6-3, 200), Joshisa Trader (6-1, 175), DB Zaquan Patterson (6-0, 185), QB Cedrick Bailey (6-6, 185), RB Davion Gause (5-11, 215)

Central: DL Armondo Blount (6-3, 250), ATH Lawayne McCoy (6-0, 170), DB Amari Wallace (5-11, 170), QB J.C. Evans (6-4.5, 205), RB Jayden Ford (5-6, 160)



Chaminade-Madonna put together one of the toughest schedules and face its biggest challenge Thursday. The Lions are coming off a 28-16 win against No. 21 American Heritage (Plantation). The Rockets bounced back with a 38-28 win over Booker T. Washington (Miami) after a narrow loss at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas). They jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead against Carol City (Miami) last week before the game was called because of weather.


Top players

Liberty: QB Navi Bruzon (5-11, 190), LB Keaton Stam (6-2, 230), TE Ryan Wolfer (6-5, 240), OL Kaden Haeckel (6-5, 285), LB Hudson Dunn (6-1, 205)

Centennial: QB Husan Longstreet (6-2, 190), RB Cornell Hatcher Jr. (6-0, 205), OL Wade Helton (6-5, 290), OL Brent Helton (6-5, 300), WR Cory Butler Jr. (5-10, 175)

The first of two Arizona vs. California matchups features two of the best quarterbacks in the country. Bruzon has accounted for 1,017 yards of total offense and 18 touchdowns despite not playing in the second half this season because of blowouts. Longstreet has racked up 1,103 yards of total offense and eight touchdowns playing against legit competition.



Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network

Top players

Westlake: RB Jack Kayser (5-8, 175), OL Tyler Knape (6-4, 285), QB Paxton Land (6-5, 210), LB Elliott Schaper (6-3, 205), WR Heath McRee (6-0, 170)

Lake Travis: LB Markus Boswell (6-2, 205), QB Kadyn Leon (6-0, 175), OL Adrian Oratokhai (6-4, 295), WR Seth Galbraith (6-4, 190), LB Easton Aird (6-1, 195)

Lake Travis is off to its best start since 2020. Austin Westlake has won 35 consecutive regular season games. The last team to beat them during the regular season was when Hudson Card led the Cavaliers to a 26-25 win in 2019. This is one of the best rivalries in the country and after Lake Travis won 10 straight meetings from 2008-16, the Chaparrals have won four of the last five.

Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network



Top players

Mill Creek: RB Cameron Robinson (5-9, 190), DL KingJoseph Edwards (6-5, 230), DB Trajen Greco (6-1, 180), DB Jaiden Patterson (6-1, 170), QB Shane Throgmartin (6-2, 200)

Parkview: ATH Mike Matthews (6-1, 180), DB Jalyn Crawford (6-0, 180), DB Zelus Hicks (6-1.5, 180), OL Cortez Smith (6-4, 295), DB Antonio White (6-2, 170)

Both teams are inching closer to joining the MaxPreps Top 25 and a win on Friday will go a long way. Mill Creek is ranked at No. 36 in our expanded top 100, while Parkview checks in at No. 38. The Hawks won their first state championship last season and are looking like serious title contenders again in 2023. The Panthers are loaded with talent and it all starts with Matthews. The five-star Tennessee commit is a big-time playmaker in all three phases.

Friday, 7 p.m.

Top players



Mater Dei: QB Elijah Brown (6-2, 185), OL Brandon Baker (6-5, 295), DL Aydin Breland (6-5, 295), OL DeAndre Carter (6-5, 340), DB Daryus Dixson (6-1, 180)

St. Frances Academy: QB Michael Van Buren (5-11, 185), DB Ify Obidegwu (6-1, 185), DB Edrees Farooq (5-11, 180), DB Blake Woodby (5-11, 180), LB Simeon Coleman (6-0, 210)

This Monarchs team is as talented as any in program history. They haven't trailed at any point through their first four games. They handed No. 9 Kahuku (Hawaii) its worst loss in program history with a 55-8 win. The Red Raiders beat No. 10 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 30-23 the following week. St. Frances Academy put together one of the toughest schedules of all-time and Mater Dei will be its fourth opponent ranked in the top 10. The only other time these two played was in 2019 when Bryce Young led the Monarchs to a 34-18 win.

Saturday, 2 p.m.

Top players

Mission Viejo: DB Dijon Lee Jr. (6-3, 180), WR Phillip Bell (6-2, 195), OL Mark Schroller (6-6, 270), DL Jaden Williams (6-4, 240), WR Vance Spafford (5-11, 175)



St. John's: DB Tariq Hayer (6-0, 175), RB Da'Jaun Riggs (6-0, 205), RB Cinqué Blount (5-10, 220), LB Montay Weedon (6-1, 210), QB Isaiah French (6-3, 200)

Another California-DMV area matchup features two teams ranked in our expanded top 100. Mission Viejo is coming off a 34-28 triple overtime win against Los Alamitos. The Cadets have won two in a row after a 45-20 season-opening loss against No. 21 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.). St. John's is looking for its first win against a team from California. They are 0-3 with losses against De La Salle (Concord), Mater Dei (Santa Ana) and St. John Bosco (Bellflower).


Top players

Treasure Coast: RB Jamison Davis (6-0, 170), OL Knajee Saffold (6-4, 320), DL Jahari Grant (6-2, 280), RB George Roberts (5-11, 195), QB Ahmar Atwell (5-11, 180)

St. Thomas Aquinas: WR Chance Robinson (6-1.5, 190), RB Jordan Lyle (6-0, 180), WR James Madison II (6-3, 190), DB Ryan Mack (5-11, 165), DB Justice Fitzpatrick (6-0, 165)



After a controversial 37-36 win over Cocoa, the Raiders improved to 3-1 last week with an impressive 48-22 victory against Western (Davie). They have won three in a row since a 20-7 season-opening loss against No. 10  St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). Treasure Coast has bounced back this year after going 4-7 in 2022.

Friday, 7 p.m.


Top players

Saguaro: RB Jaedon Matthews (5-11, 185), ATH Jakobi Spence (6-0, 180), ATH Joseph Clark IV (5-11, 195), QB Mason Bray (6-1, 185), DL Garrett Martin (6-4, 220)

Sierra Canyon: WR Xavier Jordan (6-1, 165), DL Richard Wesley (6-4, 225), QB Wyatt Becker (6-2, 180), WR Kwazi Gilmer (6-2, 180), DB Jae'on Young (5-11, 155)



The second Arizona vs. California matchup features two of the most talented teams on the West Coast. Sierra Canyon is one of the first five teams out of the MaxPreps Top 25, so a win on Friday could get them in the national rankings on Monday if a few teams slip up. The Trailblazers added their second win against a Trinity League opponent with a 40-6 victory against Orange Lutheran (Orange) last week. After a tough 35-31 loss against Basha (Chandler), the Sabercats rolled past Shadow Ridge (Surprise) last week.


Top players

De La Salle: QB Toa Faavae (6-1, 190), RB Dominic Kelley (6-0, 195), LB Andrew Cunningham (6-4, 225), DB Jaden Jefferson (5-8, 150), DL Matthew Johnson (6-5, 240)

Folsom: QB Ryder Lyons (6-4, 205), WR Jameson Powell (5-10, 160), DL Lucas Hardeman (6-1, 230), DB R.J. Whitten (6-0, 185), DL Elijah Gulewich (6-0, 220)

The last three meetings between these two Northern California powers has come down to one score. They split last season as Folsom won the regular season meeting 24-20, but De La Salle won the Division 1-AA regional final 17-14. The Spartans jumped back in the top 100 expanded rankings at No. 89 after a 24-10 win against St. Mary's (Stockton). The Bulldogs check in at No. 70.




Top players

Edgewater: DB Cai Bates (6-1, 180), DL Joshua Alexander-Felton (6-4, 265), RB Kaden Shields-Dutton (5-11, 210), QB Michael Clayton (6-3, 180), WR Sir Semaj Fleming (5-10, 175)

Apopka: ATH Donovan Muldrow (5-10, 180), DB Malachi Davey (6-0, 170), RB Nathan Jenkins III (5-9, 170), DL Lorenzo Payne IV (6-1, 230), OL Evan Ashford (6-5, 275)

Both teams should be state title contenders in their respective classifications. The Eagles are off to a 4-0 start and just had an impressive 31-14 win over Jones (Orlando). The Blue Darters finished as the 4M runner-up last season after a 16-13 overtime loss against Columbus (Miami). They are 3-0 and face their toughest test of the season on Friday. This has been a very competitive series and Apopka has won nine of the previous 17 meetings.