MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

It's the 50th edition of the annual "Holy War" game on Cleveland's west side, and it may be the most intriguing matchup in the history of the rivalry.

St. Ignatius (Cleveland) and St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) – longtime Catholic football powers separated by less than 6 miles – own undefeated records and are ranked nationally in the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25. In addition to bragging rights and momentum heading into next week's state playoffs, a win would give St. Ignatius its 300th victory under legendary coach Chuck Kyle.

Elsewhere, there are two other matchups involving nationally ranked teams to take a look at in this edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week.

Sixth-ranked Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) hopes to win its 12th-straight game against an out-of-state opponent – and its 34th-straight game overall – when it travels to Cincinnati to play battle-tested Archbishop Moeller.



Tennessee recruit Riley Ferguson is expected to be back under center for No. 8 Butler (Matthews, N.C.) when it hosts Independence (Charlotte) with a conference championship up for grabs. Ferguson missed the last six games with a broken hand.

There's now a two-way tie for the lead in our season-long predictions contest. Leland Gordon correctly picked seven out of 10 winners last week, allowing him to close the gap on the lead Jamie DeMoney held by himself the previous three weeks. Both Leland and Jamie have picked 65 winners in 90 games (72.2 percent). A mere two games back, Mitch Stephens is alone in third place after posting a 7-3 record last week.

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

St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) at St. Ignatius (Cleveland)

St. Ignatius, 9-0 and ranked third in this week's Xcellent 25, has a 27-21-1 advantage all-time in the series and wins in seven of the last 10 meetings. Last season, the Wildcats beat St. Edward by identical scores of 20-17 twice in three weeks, helping propel them toward their 11th Division I state championship.

These are the top two teams in the Midwest region in our Regional Computer Rankings



St. Edward made its debut in the national rankings this week at No. 25. The Eagles are seeking a repeat of their undefeated season in 2010. That was last time they beat St. Ignatius and the only time they've done so since 2006. Both teams are coming off similar-looking wins against top rivals from the Cincinnati Greater Catholic League. In both cases, a senior running back helped save the day: Dwayne Aaron ran for 250 yards and four touchdowns as St. Edward erased a 42-21 third-quarter deficit to beat Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 49-42. Likewise, Tim McVey found the end zone four times to rally St. Ignatius from a 21-6 hole in an eventual 32-21 win against St. Xavier (Cincinnati).

Mitch Stephens: St. Ignatius 28, St. Edward 27
Steve Montoya: St. Ignatius 21, St. Edward 20
Stephen Spiewak: St. Ignatius 28, St. Edward 24
Kevin Askeland: St. Edward 26, St. Ignatius 21
Leland Gordon: St. Ignatius 17, St. Edward 14
Jamie DeMoney: St. Ignatius 27, St. Edward 24



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Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)

Trinity's current 33-game winning streak is tied for 13th-longest in the nation. In addition, the Shamrocks beat their last 11 out-of-state opponents, including a 49-14 blowout of Moeller one year ago this weekend. Trinity has been idle since thumping Male (Louisville), 38-7, on Oct. 12. Senior receiver James Quick caught nine passes for 101 yards in the game. With only two catches against Moeller, Quick would break the state record for career receptions.

View the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings

Moeller must find a way to bounce back emotionally after watching a 21-point second-half lead melt away en route to a 49-42 defeat versus nationally ranked St. Edward (Lakewood). The loss – the Crusaders' third in five weeks -- dropped them to 6-3 on the season. Another "L" on Saturday could leave them in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Mitch Stephens: Trinity 35, Moeller 21
Steve Montoya: Trinity 45, Moeller 20
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity 35, Moeller 27
Kevin Askeland: Trinity 28, Moeller 27
Leland Gordon:  Trinity 27, Moeller 21
Jamie DeMoney: Moeller 42, Trinity 35





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Independence (Charlotte, N.C.) at Butler (Matthews, N.C.)

Independence once towered over North Carolina's prep football scene, winning 109 consecutive games overall and seven Class 4A titles in a row during the 2000s. Things began to change on the final week of the 2007 regular season when Butler ended the Patriots' 114-game in-state winning streak. The Bulldogs went on to also win five of the next eight games in the series and capture two state titles while Independence has won zero.

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Independence would capture its first Southwestern 4A Conference title since 2008 with a win against three-time defending champ Butler. The Patriots (9-1) have averaged more than 45 points in their last seven games thanks in large part to junior running back Isiah Robinson, who has more than 1,000 rushing yards this season.

Remarkably, Butler didn't seem to miss a beat when Ferguson went down with a broken hand. The Bulldogs dominated in all six games played without their Tennessee-bound quarterback, winning by an average margin of 46 points.

Mitch Stephens: Butler 35, Independence 26
Steve Montoya: Butler 24, Independence 21
Stephen Spiewak: Butler 48, Independence 17
Kevin Askeland: Butler 48, Independence 24
Leland Gordon:  Butler 42, Independence 27
Jamie DeMoney: Butler 48, Independence 21





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Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) at Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)

A win Saturday guarantees Don Bosco Prep at least a share of the title in the Big North – United Conference, which was named America's toughest prep football league this season by MaxPreps. The Ironmen have 58 straight wins versus in-state opponents and have beaten Bergen Catholic 10 consecutive times. Their overall 46-game winning streak was snapped the opening week of the season by Gilman (Baltimore) but they've since won five consecutive games – all by double-digit margins – against quality competition, including two state-title contenders from outside New Jersey.

View the latest Freeman Rankings to see where these teams stack up nationally

It's been a season of ups and downs for Bergen Catholic, which entered the Top 10 of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 after winning at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in mid-September, but then has come up short twice in its last four games. Quarterback Jonathan Germano is having a terrific senior season with 1,822 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. However, four of his seven picks came in one game -- a 24-14 home loss to Cocoa (Fla.) on Oct. 13.

Mitch Stephens: Don Bosco Prep 21, Bergen Catholic 20
Steve Montoya: Bergen Catholic 21, Don Bosco Prep 13
Stephen Spiewak: Don Bosco Prep 28, Bergen Catholic 27
Kevin Askeland: Don Bosco Prep 28, Bergen Catholic 14
Leland Gordon: Don Bosco Prep 28, Bergen Catholic 24
Jamie DeMoney: Bergen Catholic 41, Don Bosco Prep 38





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McKinley (Canton, Ohio) at Washington (Massillon, Ohio)

For the 122nd time since 1894, two of the top programs in prep football history will square off with the venerable Victory Bell at stake. Massillon, which has the fourth-most wins all-time, owns a 64-52-10 edge against McKinley, the seventh winningest team in history. McKinley has won three of the last four in the series but Massillon has won nine out of 14 games played since 2000.

The venue for this game is featured in last week's slideshow of the Top 10 football stadiums to see before you die (Edition 2)

McKinley (7-1) had its highest-scoring output of the season when it steamrolled Boardman (Youngstown) last week, 53-14. Sophomore sensation Eric Glover ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns, bringing his season totals to 1,304 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.

Massillon (8-1) can lock up the top seed in the Region 2 playoffs with a win. The Tigers have won their last six games, including a 44-23 victory against Division III title contender St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron) last week. Senior quarterback Kyle Kempt, a Cincinnati recruit, had 216 passing yards and two touchdowns to bring his season totals to 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Massillon 24, McKinley 17
Steve Montoya: Massillon 44, McKinley 41
Stephen Spiewak: Massillon 38, McKinley 24
Kevin Askeland: Massillon 27, McKinley 20
Leland Gordon: McKinley 24, Massillon 22
Jamie DeMoney: Massillon 31, McKinley 21





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Ironwood Ridge (Tucson, Ariz.) at Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.)

The winner of this game will capture first place in the Division II Section II standings and likely be the No. 1 seed when the state playoffs begin next week. Ironwood Ridge pitched its second-consecutive shutout in a 56-0 mismatch against Catalina Foothills (Tucson) last week. Senior Anthony Braunreiter ran for 73 yards on only seven carries and scored his 15th and 16th touchdowns of the season as the Nighthawks improved to 9-0.

This game leads the list of the Top Arizona Games of the Week

Salpointe Catholic has won nine in a row after opening the season with a 35-20 loss to SoCal power Crespi (Encino, Calif.). As a team, the Lancers have amassed 2,620 rushing yards this season. The leading individual runner is senior Johnny Pena, a 5-foot-10, 190-pounder who has more than 1,000 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns this season.

Mitch Stephens: Salpointe Catholic 24, Ironwood Ridge 21
Steve Montoya: Ironwood Ridge 28, Salpointe Catholic 20
Stephen Spiewak: Salpointe Catholic 25, Ironwood Ridge 21
Kevin Askeland: Ironwood Ridge 28, Salpointe Catholic 7
Leland Gordon: Salpointe Catholic 31, Ironwood Ridge 28
Jamie DeMoney: Salpointe Catholic 28, Ironwood Ridge 27





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Armwood (Seffner, Fla.) at Plant (Tampa, Fla.)

Armwood must regroup after its stunning 3-0 loss to Hillsborough (Tampa) last week. Not counting forfeits, it was the Hawks' first loss in the last 12 games against the Terriers and the first time they've been shut out since 2001. To get back on track versus Plant, Armwood may need a big game from senior receiver/quarterback Alvin Bailey. The Florida recruit had 10 touchdowns in the first four games but has been held scoreless ever since.

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Senior running back Wesley Bullock had a season-high 211 rushing yards and scored twice to lead Plant to a 22-12 triumph over Alonso (Tampa) last Friday. It was the sixth win of the season for the Panthers, whose only loss was an ugly 33-3 decision against nationally ranked Curtis (River Ridge, La.) on Sept. 7 at the Louisiana Superdome.

Mitch Stephens: Armwood 21, Plant 17
Steve Montoya: Plant 10, Armwood 7
Stephen Spiewak: Plant 17, Armwood 14
Kevin Askeland: Armwood 35, Plant 7
Leland Gordon: Armwood 35, Plant 30
Jamie DeMoney: Plant 28, Armwood 12



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Gainesville (Fla.) at Madison County (Madison, Fla.)



Gainesville wrapped up the District 5-6A title with a 34-19 win over Vanguard (Ocala) last week. The next challenge is to go into Madison County's Boot Hill Stadium and come out victorious, something no team has done in a regular-season game since 2006. The Hurricanes (8-0) will likely need some big plays from speedy senior receiver Chris Thompson, a Florida recruit who has been slowed recently by a fractured foot.

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Madison County opened up a 21-0 lead in the second half last week at Pensacola Catholic but ended up needing overtime to come away with a 29-28 victory. Junior running back Keon Bruton ran in a touchdown and 2-point conversion in the overtime period to secure the Cowboys' 28th-consecutive regular-season win against a Florida opponent.

Mitch Stephens: Madison County 28, Gainesville 21
Steve Montoya: Madison County 20, Gainesville 14
Stephen Spiewak: Gainesville 28, Madison County 24
Kevin Askeland: Madison County 40, Gainesville 14
Leland Gordon: Madison County 35, Gainesville 28
Jamie DeMoney: Madison County 27, Gainesville 16



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Jesuit (New Orleans) at Archbishop Rummel (Metairie, La.)



Jesuit wants to extend a two-game winning streak against Rummel and clinch no worse than a share of the District 9-5A championship for a third-straight year. The Bluejays (7-0) won their 17th-straight regular-season game with a 31-6 rout of Brother Martin (New Orleans) last Saturday. Tulane-bound quarterback Tanner Lee led the way with two touchdown passes.

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Rummel recorded its second shutout in three games when it clobbered Chalmette last Friday, 49-0. According to NOLA.com standout senior quarterback Damian Williams was a perfect 11-for-11 passing in the game for 173 yards and a touchdown.

Mitch Stephens: Archbishop Rummel 35, Jesuit 28
Steve Montoya: Archbishop Rummel 21, Jesuit 20
Stephen Spiewak: Jesuit 31, Archbishop Rummel 24
Kevin Askeland: Jesuit 42, Archbishop Rummel 14
Leland Gordon: Archbishop Rummel 38, Jesuit 36
Jamie DeMoney: Archbishop Rummel 32, Jesuit 24



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Salesianum (Wilmington, Del.) at Middletown (Del.)



Supremacy in the Delaware state rankings and a likely top seed in the Division I state playoff brackets are on the line in this No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. Salesianum (8-0) picked up its third-straight win against an out-of-state opponent with a 42-0 shutout of Avon Grove (Pa.) last week. Five different Salesianum players had rushing touchdowns in the game, including 6-3, 235-pound junior quarterback Troy Reeder. But Reeder – a North Carolina verbal commitment in lacrosse – injured his foot in the game and may not be able to play this week.

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Middletown, last season’s Division I state champion, seeks its second-consecutive win over the Sallies and its 10th-straight overall. The Cavaliers are explosive on offense, scoring 47 or more points in all seven games and have a 54-14 average margin of victory. Leading the way is Darius Wade, a talented junior combo quarterback, and senior running back Jamar Baynard, who ran for six touchdowns in a 57-21 blowout of Appoquinimink (West Middletown) last week.

Mitch Stephens: Middletown 27, Salesianum 21
Steve Montoya: Middletown 37, Salesianum 21
Stephen Spiewak: Middletown 21, Salesianum 10
Kevin Askeland: Middletown 35, Salesianum 14
Leland Gordon: Middletown 29, Salesianum 27
Jamie DeMoney: Middletown 42, Salesianum 14



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.