Friars looks to beat Monarchs for first time since 2011 in Trinity League battle with national implications.
This week's high school football action is loaded with big-time games headlined by No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) hosting No. 8 Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) at the Santa Ana Bowl on Saturday. This game has implications on the MaxPreps National Championship picture as the Monarchs have been the top-ranked team all year while the Friars have climbed to No. 8 after beginning the season at No. 21.
Mater Dei has cruised to a 6-0 start and is winning by an average margin of 41.3 points per game. Servite has outscored its first eight opponents 399-90 and hasn't trailed at any point this season.
Another huge showdown features the top-two teams in Alabama with Hoover hosting No. 4 Thompson (Alabaster) on Friday. The back-to-back 7A state champs has outscored the opposition 448-26 this season.
No. 2 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) had its closest game of the season last week in a 24-14 win over St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.) and gets another big test on Friday at Madison-Ridgeland Academy High School (Madison, Miss.) against five-star wide receiver and recent Missouri commit Luther Burden and East St. Louis (Ill.). The Flyers are just outside of the MaxPreps Top 25 so a win over the Ascenders will boost their resume and chances of entering the rankings.
The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference is one of the most competitive leagues in high school football and has a showdown featuring DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) against No. 24 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) on Friday. The Cadets have allowed 13 points through their first six games.
No. 15 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) faces another top-tier team a week after beating Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) 39-14 and host (7-0) Dillard (Fort Lauderdale) on Friday. The Raiders have won six straight since a 24-21 loss against No. 13 Jesuit (Tampa) and have notable wins over No. 17 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), American Heritage (Plantation) and the Chiefs.
No. 11 Chandler (Ariz.) puts its 42-game win streak on the line against an undefeated Queen Creek squad on Friday. The five-time defending state champs get back 2022 Ohio State commit Kyion Grayes as he makes his season debut and adds another dynamic playmaker for the Wolves offense.
Luther Burden III, East St. Louis
Photo by Ricky Slaughter
Saturday, 8 p.m. (All times local) at Santa Ana Bowl
Top players
The Monarchs have won nine straight against the Friars but this might be the best chance for Servite to knock off Mater Dei for the first time since 2011. In last spring's matchup, Mater Dei held on for a 24-17 win and expect another close battle on Saturday. Fifita has accounted for over 2,500 yards of total offense and 35 touchdowns while Brown is 11-0 as the starting quarterback for the Santa Ana power.
Top players
Thompson has dominated every opponent so far this year winning every game by at least 34 points while not allowing more than nine points in any game as the Warriors posted their fifth shutout of the season last week. Hoover has won eight of nine games by double digits and look to snap its five-game losing streak against Thompson.
Friday, 7 p.m. at Madison-Ridgeland Academy High School (Madison, Miss.)
Top players
The Flyers get another opportunity against a Top 5 opponent as they traveled to Southern California in September and lost 42-26 to No. 5 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). They have won five in a row since that loss outscoring the opposition 298-2. IMG Academy has outscored its first six opponents 303-45.
Top players
DeMatha has dominated since a 14-10 loss to Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), winning its last five by an average margin of 27.4 points per game. St. John's is allowing less than three points per game and has posted three straight shutouts heading into Friday. The Stags snapped the Cadets five-game wining streak against them last spring with a 17-7 victory.
Dillard has outscored its first seven opponents 320-7 and recorded six shutouts heading into Friday night. St. Thomas Aquinas has dominated the series between the two since 2004 winning seven of the eight meetings.
Top players
The Packers have won six straight since a 31-24 loss against Westlake (Atlanta) earlier in the season while the Vikings have reeled off four in a row since starting the year 2-2. The winner clinches at least a share of the 1-7A region title and they have split the last four meetings.
Friday, 7 p.m.
Top players
The last time the Wolves lost was 1,160 days ago against Corona Centennial (Calif.) and you have to go all the way back to Sept. 8, 2017 for a loss to an in-state opponent when Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) beat them 24-21. Queen Creek is looking to snap the Wolves 42-game win streak and 48-game in-state win streak on Friday.
Friday, 7 p.m.
Top players
Moeller is coming off a huge overtime win against a previously undefeated St. Edward (Lakewood) squad and look to add another quality victory on Friday. The Crusaders have reeled off seven in a row since a season-opening loss against Carmel (Ind.). Moore has been playing as well as any quarterback this season and is the favorite to be named the MaxPreps Michigan Football Player of the Year.
Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Top players
These two were supposed to open the season but had to reschedule the game because of COVID-19 protocols. The Chiefs are looking to bounce back after a 39-14 loss against No. 15 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) while the Indians are trying to add another quality win to their resume. Venice is looking for a statement victory on Saturday that would go a long way when it comes to joining the MaxPreps Top 25.
Top players
The Crusaders are in the middle of their toughest part of the schedule. After trailing 10-0 in the first half against St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) last week they scored the final 21 points to improve to 7-0. Up next they get a tough Pirates squad then close out the regular season against rival St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City) before postseason action gets under way.
