Seven of the 10 games featured this week are for a section or state title.
Video: Top 10 Games of the WeekNo. 1 Mater Dei meets No. 5 St. John Bosco in a SoCal battle royale.Bruce Rollinson and Mater Dei are one win away from making their first appearance in a CIF state bowl game. The only thing standing in their way is one of the best high school football programs — St. John Bosco
. This is the fourth meeting between the two since 2016 and Mater Dei has won two of three, but the Braves handed the Monarchs their only loss of the season in last year's CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship.
Two new teams that jumped in the Xcellent 25 rankings presented by the Army National Guard from Ohio are meeting in the Division 1 state championship on Friday night — Mentor and Pickerington Central
. History will be made as neither team has won a state title.
One of the most dominant programs in New Jersey history, Bergen Catholic, is going for its 17th state championship in school history and the only thing standing in its way is a very talented St. Peter's Prep team.
The other states featured in this week's slate of games are Texas, Florida, Nevada, Oklahoma and Kentucky.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the WeekNo. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) vs. No. 5 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (All times local) @ Cerritos College (Norwalk)Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersMater Dei: QB
JT Daniels (6-2, 205), WR
Amon-Ra St. Brown (5-11.5, 190), OT
Tommy Brown (6-6.5, 315), LB
Solomon Tuliaupupu (6-2, 220) and ATH
Bru McCoy (6-3, 215)
St. John Bosco: QB
DJ Uiagalelei (6-4, 240), S
Jaiden Woodbey (6-2, 205), CB
Chris Steele (6-1, 190), WR
Josh Delgado (5-11, 170) and S
Stephan Blaylock (5-10, 185)
StorylineA
spot in the CIF Open Division state championship game is on the line
this Saturday night at Cerritos College. Both these teams met in the section
final last year and the Braves handed Mater Dei its only loss of 2016
with a 42-28 win en route to their second state title since
2013. This game features two of the best quarterbacks in the country
regardless of class. Uiagalelei, the No. 3 rated pro style quarterback
from the Class of 2020, has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 29
touchdowns in seven starts. Daniels, the No. 1 rated pro style
quarterback from the Class of 2019, has thrown for 3,500-plus yards and 44
touchdowns.
No. 21 Mentor (Ohio) vs. No. 25 Pickerington Central (Ohio)Friday, 8 p.m. @ Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton)Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersMentor: QB
Tadas Tatarunas (6-4, 210), DE
Noah Potter (6-5, 250), RB
Eli McDougal (5-10, 180), WR
Logan Shea (5-9, 170) and LB
Mike Brey (5-11, 185)
Pickerington Central: QB
Demeatric Crenshaw (6-2, 195), TE
Trenton Gillison (6-5, 220), ATH
Xavier Henderson (6-0, 190), TE
Alex Morgan (6-5, 245) and CB
Jaquwan Crawford (5-10, 160)
StorylineHistory
will be made Friday night in the Ohio Division 1 state
championship game because the winner will claim its first
football state title. Mentor has knocked off some Ohio powers on its
road to the state title game including wins over St. Edward and St.
Ignatius. Pickerington Central is coming off a 41-28 semifinal win over
Colerain and it has won 11 in a row heading into this weekend.
No. 22 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) vs. St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)Friday, 8 p.m. @ MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersBergen Catholic: QB
Johnny Langan (6-3, 220), ATH
Josh McKenzie (5-9, 185), RB
Rahmir Johnson (5-10, 175), WR
Dylan Classi (6-0 , 190) and LB
Javontae Jean-Baptiste (6-5, 215)
St. Peter's Prep: ATH
Shayne Simon (6-3, 215), DT
Jayson Ademilola (6-3, 290), DE
Justin Ademilola (6-3, 240), QB
Maasai Maynor (6-0, 180) and ATH
Chase Jones (6-2, 205)
StorylineThis
could very well end up being the best game of the weekend. Bergen
Catholic has won eight in a row since losing to No. 1 Mater Dei. St. Peter's Prep has won seven of its last eight
games and the only two losses for the Marauders have come against Top 25
teams — St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) and Bergen Catholic).
Bergen Catholic is going for its 17th state championship in school and
first since 2004, while St. Peter's Prep is going for its third state title
since 2005.
No. 10 Katy (Texas) vs. Atascocita (Humble, Texas)Friday, 7 p.m. @ NRG Stadium (Houston)
Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersKaty: RB
Deondrick Glass (5-11, 190), DE
Michael Matus (6-2, 235), CB
KeShon Rowe (5-10, 170), OT
Connor Galvin (6-6, 260) and RB
Josh Oglesby (5-7, 180)
Atascocita: OT
Kenyon Green (6-5, 315), CB
Travian Blaylock (5-11, 175), QB
Jack Roe (6-0, 170), LB
Jaylon Allen (6-3, 210) and DT
Bryton Thompson (6-2, 260)
StorylineAtascocita
has been rolling since losing to Klein Collins (Spring) in
September. The Eagles have won nine games in a row outscoring the opposition,
492 to 91. Since Katy's season opening 24-21 win against The Woodlands
the Tigers have allowed 48 points total in its last nine games. Katy has
one of the best defenses in the state and they might have the best
running back duo in all of Texas with Glass and Oglesby splitting carries.
Katy is going for its ninth state championship — tied with
Celina and Carroll (Southlake) for most in Texas high school football
history. All three teams are still alive heading into the third round of
the UIL Texas playoffs.
No. 14 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) vs. Reed (Sparks, Nev.)Saturday, 12 p.m. @ Mackay Stadium (Reno)Game Preview,
Follow Live, and
Watch LiveTop Players
Bishop Gorman: QB
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (6-1.5, 195), TE
Brevin Jordan (6-3, 250), LB
Palaie Gaoteote (6-2, 235), DE
Adam Plant (6-5, 245) and WR
Jalen Nailor (5-11, 170)
Reed: QB
Cameron Emerson (6-0, 185), LB
Jake Olson (5-10, 190), DE
Eric Schmitz-Moran (6-1, 220), LB
Matt Johnson (5-10, 195) and CB
Chase Merrill (5-8, 160)
StorylineBishop
Gorman's quest for a ninth consecutive state championship runs through
Reed, a team they have dominated over the last decade. The average
margin of victory for the Gaels against the Raiders is 35.6 points/game
and the closest Reed has come was a 25-point loss in the 2013 Nevada
Division 1 state championship. Bishop Gorman hasn't lost a game to a
Nevada opponent since 2008 against Palo Verde. The Gaels have won 96 straight
games against in-state opponents.
No. 4 Allen (Texas) vs. Martin (Arlington, Texas)Friday, 7:30 p.m. @ Southlake's Dragon StadiumGame Preview and
Follow Live
Top PlayersAllen: QB
Grant Tisdale (6-1, 205), WR
Theo Wease (6-3, 195), RB
Brock Sturges (5-10, 200), DT
Jayden Jernigan (6-1, 270) and CB
Taj Bickham (5-11, 150)
Martin: RB
Montrell Smith (5-10, 175), TE
Brayden Willis (6-4, 215), ATH
Juma Otoviano (5-10, 180), WR
Sorrell Brown (6-2, 180) and LB
Kelvin Spencer (6-1, 215)
StorylineThe
Allen Eagles have made it to the semifinals five consecutive years and
if they want to make is six straight they have to get by an 11-1
Arlington Martin first. The winner of this game plays the winner of
Midland Lee and Euless Trinity with a spot in the UIL Texas 6A-D1
semifinal on the line.
Union (Tulsa, Okla.) vs. Owasso (Okla.)Friday, 7 p.m. @ Chapman Stadium (Tulsa)
Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersUnion: WR
CJ Moore (6-5, 175), DT
Jordan Kelley (6-3, 295), S
Patrick Fields (6-0, 190), QB
Peyton Thompson (6-2, 190) and WR
A.K. Wilson (5-9.5, 170)
Owasso: S
Joshua Proctor (6-2, 190), QB
Will Kuehne (6-1, 170), S
Wayne Jones (6-0, 195), DE
Courtre Alexander (6-4, 225) and RB
Bryce Cabrera (5-9, 195)
StorylineThese two faced off earlier this year and it was one of the best games of 2017. Union outlasted Owasso 44-41 in overtime.
This game features two of the best player in the state in 2018 Oklahoma
State commit Moore and 2018 Ohio State commit Proctor. Union or
Jenks has won Oklahoma's Class 6A (large schools) state title every
year since 1996. This Owasso team presents the biggest threat to that streak over the last 31 years.
No. 11 Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) vs. St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.)Sunday, 2 p.m. @ University of Kentucky
Game Preview,
Follow Live, and
Watch LiveTop PlayersTrinity: WR
Rondale Moore (5-8.5, 175), DE
Stephen Herron Jr. (6-3.5, 235), QB
Nick Bohn (6-0, 180), DE
Arak McDuffie (6-5, 240) and RB
Luke McGuire (5-10, 175)
St. Xavier: QB
Jack Albers (6-1, 180), OG
Wyatt Smock (6-4, 290), WR
Cameron Garrett (6-2, 185), RB
Anthony Moretti (5-10, 185) and OG
Chase Farris (6-5, 315)
StorylineTrinity
rolls into the Kentucky Class 6A state championship game winners of 29
straight. The Shamrocks have won 12 state titles under current head
coach Bob Beatty since 2001 and have a state record 24 titles overall in school history.
Trinity vs. St. Xavier is one of the best rivalries in the country and
it makes it even juicier when they square off in the state championship.
This will be the sixth meeting between the two with the state title on
the line and Trinity has won three of five.
Folsom (Calif.) vs. St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)Saturday, 1:45 p.m. @ Sacramento StateGame Preview,
Follow Live, and
Watch LiveTop PlayersFolsom: WR
Joe Ngata (6-3, 180), QB
Kaiden Bennett (6-0, 175), RB
Daniyel Ngata (5-9, 180), WR
Elijhah Badger (6-1, 185) and S
Tanner Ward (5-9, 180)
St. Mary's: RB
Dusty Frampton (5-11, 215), LB
Harrison Heath (6-1, 195), WR
Jamar Marshall (6-0, 180), and QB
Hunter Low (5-10, 160) and S
Aaron Jenkins (6-1, 215)
Storyline
The Folsom Bulldogs earned a spot in their eighth consecutive section championship game knocking off Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.) 27-14 last week. Up next is St. Mary's in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 section championship. The last time these two faced each other was in last year's section championship game and the boys from Stockton cruised to a 56-25 win. St. Mary's is hoping they can get
Marcus Aponte back for this game, if not they will have to rely on its third string quarterback, Low, for the third straight week.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) @ Venice (Fla.)Friday, 7:30 p.m. Game Preview,
Follow Live, and
Watch LiveTop Players
St. Thomas Aquinas: CB
Al Blades Jr. (6-0, 170), CB
Asante Samuel (5-9.5, 165), WR
Elijah Moore (5-11, 180), LB
Nikolas Bonitto (6-2.5, 205) and S
Jordan Battle (6-1, 170)
Venice: WR
Jaivon Heiligh (6-2, 185), QB
Bryce Carpenter (6-1, 195), DT
Tyrone Barber (6-3, 275), S
Noah Carr (5-11, 180) and DE
Riley Prachar (6-4, 235)
Storyline
Venice has been one of the more underrated teams this year and the Indians showed they can hang with the big boys, trailing No. 2 IMG Academy 17-12 through three quarters. With a spot in the state championship game on the line, Venice get another chance to show they belong among the state's best against Florida power and the three-time defending 7A state champs, St. Thomas Aquinas. These two met in the semifinals last year and the Raiders cruised to a 46-8 victory.