MaxPreps Top 10 high school football games of the week

There is a regular season title or advancement in postseason play one the line in every matchup featured in the latest edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week.

In Southern California, El Toro (Lake Forest) can become the South Coast League champion in its first year as a league member since 2005 – but it will need to get past fellow unbeaten Mission Viejo to do so. This game pits one of California's top senior quarterbacks in El Toro's Conner Manning against one of the state's best junior signal callers in Mission Viejo's Ian Fieber.

Moving from one end of the map to the other, the No. 1 and 2-ranked teams in Georgia's Class AAAAAA will square off. Camden County – the third-ranked team in the latest Xcellent 25 – travels to unbeaten Lowndes. The winner clinches no worse than a tie for the championship of AAAAAA Region 1.

In other games involving nationally ranked teams: No. 16 Colerain will open the playoffs with a rematch against St. Xavier, and No. 17 Bentonville will host Fayetteville in a matchup between the past two Arkansas Class 7A state champions.



A 7-3 record last week allowed Jamie DeMoney to re-open a lead in our season-long predictions contest. With 72 out of 100 (72 percent) correct picks this season, Jamie holds a two-game edge on Leland Gordon and a three-game lead on Mitch Stephens. In fourth place – but only five games off the pace – is Stephen Spiewak.

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.

MaxPreps Top 10 Football Games of the Week

El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.) at Mission Viejo (Calif.)

The South Coast League championship trophy will be awarded to the winner of this showdown between two of Orange County's most prolific offenses. El Toro seeks the title after a six-year hiatus from being a member of the league. On the other hand, Mission Viejo hopes to secure its sixth SCL title in eight seasons.

See the latest MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 football rankings

Led by Utah-bound quarterback Conner Manning, El Toro (9-0) averages just more than 47 points per game. Manning, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, is having a fantastic year with 3,525 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Not to be outdone, Mission Viejo (9-0) has scored nearly 50 points per game and has an average margin of victory of nearly 34 points. First-year starting quarterback Ian Fieber, a transfer from Orange Lutheran, has more than 2,000 yards passing in his junior season.



This is the first meeting between these teams since 2005 -- when El Toro was last a South Coast League member. Mission Viejo won that game, 48-7.

Mitch Stephens: Mission Viejo 35, El Toro 27
Steve Montoya: El Toro 28,  Mission Viejo 26
Stephen Spiewak: Mission Viejo 35, El Toro 28
Kevin Askeland: El Toro 45, Mission Viejo 42
Leland Gordon: Mission Viejo 56, El Toro 49
Jamie DeMoney: Mission Viejo 41, El Toro 38


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Camden County (Kingsland, Ga.) at Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.)

State No. 1-ranked Camden County travels to No. 2 Lowndes with the championship of the newly formed Class AAAAAA Region 1 hanging in the balance.

This game tops our list of the Top 10 Georgia football games of the week

Camden County (8-0) beat its first four league opponents by an average margin of more than 36 points. The Wildcats have four seniors who have accepted scholarship offers to play in the Southeastern Conference next season. The group includes their leading passer Brice Ramsey (6-4, 205) and leading rusher J.J. Green (5-9, 170), both of whom are headed to the University of Georgia.

These teams have played each other only three times since 2004, with all the prior meetings coming in the playoffs. Lowndes won two of the three, including a 10-0 triumph over the Wildcats for the Class AAAAA state championship in 2007. A win Friday would allow the Vikings (9-0) to finish the regular season unbeaten for the first time since 2008.



Mitch Stephens: Lowndes 24, Camden County 20
Steve Montoya: Camden County 31, Lowndes 21
Stephen Spiewak: Camden County 35, Lowndes 21
Kevin Askeland: Camden County 40, Lowndes 18
Leland Gordon: Camden County 28, Lowndes 13
Jamie DeMoney: Camden County 27, Lowndes 14


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St. Xavier (Cincinnati) at Colerain (Cincinnati)

St. Xavier (6-4) ensured it would not miss the playoffs for the first since 2008 with a 23-9 win last week against St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.). Junior running back C.J. Hilliard led the way with 113 yards on the ground. Despite their four losses, the Bombers were a perfect 3-0 in the tough Greater Catholic League this season and all four of their defeats were to teams currently ranked in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25.

See our MaxPreps Ohio football playoff brackets

Colerain's reward for going undefeated and earning its first No. 1 seed in the Region 4 playoffs since 2008? A rematch against St. Xavier, a team it has beaten only three times in the last 10 tries. The Cardinals will probably need another big game from quarterback Alfred Ramsby. The senior had 187 passing yards and 103 rushing yards and accounted for all four of his team's touchdowns in a 31-28 win against the Bombers on Sept. 7. For the season, Ramsby has 1,281 passing yards, 1,103 rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Colerain 21, St. Xavier 17
Steve Montoya: Colerain 28, St. Xavier 17
Stephen Spiewak: St. Xavier 17, Colerain 14
Kevin Askeland: Colerain 38, St. Xavier 14
Leland Gordon: Colerain 21, St. Xavier 17
Jamie DeMoney: Colerain 21, St. Xavier 14


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Fayetteville (Ark.) at Bentonville (Ark.)

This battle between the last two Class 7A state champions will decide the regular season title in the 7A/6A West division. Led by Arkansas-bound quarterback Austin Allen, Fayetteville has bounced back from an 0-2 start to the year. The defending state champion Bulldogs beat Har-Ber (Springdale) last week for their seventh-straight win, 38-21. That broke a four-game losing streak to Wildcats.



This matchup was featured in our Top 10 playoff rematches we'd like to see story

Bentonville aims to finish the regular season unbeaten for the third-straight year and extend its regular-season winning streak to 35 games overall. The Tigers (9-0) have surrendered just 50 points all season and their average margin of victory is 35 points. Their largest blowout of the season came last week in a smothering 63-0 win over Springdale. Senior standout Tearris Wallace paced the offense with 120 rushing yards and four touchdowns on only 15 carries, according to NWAOnline.com.

Mitch Stephens: Bentonville 35, Fayetteville 21
Steve Montoya: Bentonville 45, Fayetteville 21
Stephen Spiewak: Bentonville 28, Fayetteville 17
Kevin Askeland: Bentonville 28, Fayetteville 14
Leland Gordon: Bentonville 32, Fayetteville 17
Jamie DeMoney: Bentonville 41, Fayetteville 21


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Hampton (Va.) at Phoebus (Hampton, Va.)

Hampton owns a huge 33-10 edge all-time in its series against crosstown rival Phoebus. That is despite the fact it had lost six consecutive times to the Phantoms before pulling off a 13-10 overtime victory in last season's regular season finale. This year's game should set up as another grueling defensive war of wills. Hampton (7-1) has seven wins this season, with six coming by way of the shutout. Phoebus (9-0) has surrendered only 10 touchdowns and just 77 total points all season.

See the Hampton vs. Phoebus series history in the MaxPreps record book

A side note worth mentioning is the reason the game is being played on Thursday rather than Friday night. As reported by the Newport News Daily Press, the schedule change was necessitated by this weekend's wedding of Hampton coach Mike Smith's daughter. With more than 400 wins in 40 seasons on his resume, it seems Smith has more than earned the right to be granted this accommodation.



Mitch Stephens: Phoebus 28, Hampton 21
Steve Montoya: Phoebus 21, Hampton 20
Stephen Spiewak: Phoebus 21, Hampton 10
Kevin Askeland: Phoebus 35, Hampton 14
Leland Gordon: Hampton 21, Phoebus 17
Jamie DeMoney: Hampton 19, Phoebus 16


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Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) at St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Santa Margarita (8-1) will win a piece of the Trinity League title for the first time if it can beat St. John Bosco. This team was in the top five of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 before a season-ending knee injury to Nebraska-bound quarterback Johnny Stanton and a subsequent loss to Mater Dei (Santa Ana) on Oct. 12. While the offense has searched for a new identity without Stanton, the Eagles defense has remained consistent and stout. Leading tackler Sammy Gibbs added 11 tackles to his team-high season total of 103 during a 42-0 blowout of JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) last week. It was the Eagles' fourth shutout of the year.

See where these teams stack up in the MaxPreps California Bowl Game Rankings

St. John Bosco also wants to capture its first Trinity League title, and would do so in outright fashion with a win Friday night. The Braves, unbeaten in conference play, are officially 5-4 overall. But all four losses are by forfeit for using an ineligible player. On the field, their average margin of victory is 25 points. Last week's 39-13 rout of Servite (Anaheim) broke a seven-game losing streak to the Friars. Quarterback Josh Rosen threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns. The talented sophomore has 1,575 passing yards and 18 touchdowns this season.

Mitch Stephens: Santa Margarita 21, St. John Bosco 20
Steve Montoya: St. John Bosco 28, Santa Margarita 21
Stephen Spiewak: St. John Bosco 35, Santa Margarita 21
Kevin Askeland: Santa Margarita 24, St. John Bosco 21
Leland Gordon: St. John Bosco 21, Santa Margarita 16
Jamie DeMoney: St. John Bosco 27, Santa Margarita 21


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Godby (Tallahassee, Fla.) at Wakulla (Crawfordville, Fla.)



This is the third meeting between these teams in the last 12 months. Wakulla won a pair of games against Godby last season, including a 20-14 triumph in the Class 5A region semifinals. The War Eagles are looking to extend a 14-game regular season unbeaten streak and earn their second-straight District 2-5A championship. Junior quarterback J.T. Bradwell had career highs of 340 passing yards and four touchdowns as Godby improved to 8-0 with a 64-28 blowout of Tate (Cantonment) last week. It was the third time the Cougars have scored more than 60 points this season.

This game tops our list of the Top 10 Florida football games of the week

In contrast to Godby's strong passing game, Wakulla prefers more of a physical rushing attack. The War Eagles (8-0) have averaged 307 rushing yards per game with a running back-by-committee approach. Nine different Wakulla runners have scored touchdowns this season.

Mitch Stephens: Wakulla 21, Godby 20
Steve Montoya: Wakulla 28, Godby 17
Stephen Spiewak: Wakulla 20, Godby 17
Kevin Askeland: Godby 38, Wakulla 35
Leland Gordon: Godby 21, Wakulla 19
Jamie DeMoney: Godby 26, Wakulla 19


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Warner Robins (Ga.) at Northside (Warner Robins, Ga.)

Along with possibly capturing the AAAAA Region 2 championship, Warner Robins is eager to break out of its recent slump against Northside. A win Friday would give the Demons only their second win in this rivalry during the last eight years and would also knock Northside out of the top spot in the Class 5A state rankings, where it has presided all season. Warner Robins (7-1) picked up its sixth-straight victory after scoring 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points to pull away from Grovetown last week, 35-14.



See Hudl videos of the Warner Robins football team in action

Northside (8-0) boasts one of the top defenses in Georgia. The Eagles, who have allowed only 42 points all season, recorded their fourth shutout of the year (35-0) last week against Greenbrier (Evans). Northside scored all 35 points on its first five possessions of the game and senior receiver Keshun Hill had 200 all-purpose yards on only four touches, according to the Macon Telegraph.

Mitch Stephens: Northside 27, Warner Robins 21
Steve Montoya: Warner Robins 31, Northside 28
Stephen Spiewak: Northside 35, Warner Robins 21
Kevin Askeland: Warner Robins 30, Northside 14
Leland Gordon: Warner Robins 29, Northside 28
Jamie DeMoney: Northside 31, Warner Robins 10


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Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.) at Hickman (Columbia, Mo.)

This will be the 17th renewal of this cross-town rivalry but the first time the teams will meet in a postseason game. It's also the first time since 2003 the game will be played at either team's home stadium rather than at University of Missouri's Faurot Field, where the Providence Bowl – so-named because both schools are located on Providence Road -- is hosted every season. The last 10 meetings in the rivalry have been split with five wins for each school.

See our MaxPreps Missouri football playoff brackets

Hickman (8-1) rallied from a 21-10 fourth-quarter deficit to beat 7-3 Rock Bridge, 22-21, in a game played Sept. 21. Junior quarterback Mason Murry led the Kewpies' comeback effort with two touchdown passes. The lead held up as Rock Bridge's chance to win the game with a 29-yard field goal attempt as time expired was unsuccessful.



Mitch Stephens: Hickman 21, Rock Bridge 17
Steve Montoya: Hickman 27, Rock Bridge 16
Stephen Spiewak: Rock Bridge 21, Hickman 17
Kevin Askeland: Hickman 14, Rock Bridge 7
Leland Gordon: Hickman 17, Rock Bridge 16
Jamie DeMoney: Rock Bridge 23, Hickman 12



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Alta (Sandy, Utah) at Syracuse (Utah)

This Class 5A quarterfinal clash is a rematch of an opening-round game from last season won by Syracuse. Alta (9-2) has strung together four straight wins after losing to defending national champ Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) on Sept. 29. Last week, quarterback Chipper Lucero passed for 291 yards and three touchdowns as the Hawks beat Riverton in a first-round game, 27-14. The 6-2, 195-pound junior has 3,106 passing yards and 34 touchdowns this season.

See our MaxPreps Utah football playoff brackets

Syracuse is 10-0 for the first time in the five-year history of the program. The Titans' defense might be the best unit in the state, recording four shutouts and allowing only 70 points total this season. According to the Deseret News, they allowed Viewmont only 80 total yards and six first downs during a 54-0 drubbing last week.

Mitch Stephens: Syracuse 17, Alta 14
Steve Montoya: Alta 21, Syracuse 14
Stephen Spiewak: Alta 28, Syracuse 27
Kevin Askeland: Alta 35, Syracuse 14
Leland Gordon: Alta 21, Syracuse 19
Jamie DeMoney: Alta 26, Syracuse 23

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.