MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Las Vegas. Try to pick a more dramatic – or possibly tougher – location for the nation's top-ranked team to put aspirations for its first mythical national championship on the line.

That's what lies ahead for No. 1 Washington (Miami) Friday night when it takes on No. 25 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in a much-anticipated nationally televised game. A preview of this one kicks off the latest edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week.

Turning the spotlight to other key games involving Xcellent 25 teams; on Saturday No. 16 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) heads south to Orange County to take on Servite (Anaheim) in a rematch of the 2010 Open Division final. Meanwhile, last season's national champ, Curtis (River Ridge, La.), is playing a featured game for the fourth time in five weeks. The No. 20 Patriots are taking on top-rated running back Leonard Fournette and his St. Augustine (New Orleans) Purple Knights.



Stephen Spiewak's correct selections in seven out of 10 games last week was just enough to allow him to remain in first place in our season-long predictions contest. Spiewak's overall record of 40-19-1 is one better than that of Leland Gordon's and two ahead of GOTW author Jamie DeMoney.

Here's a look at this week's Top 10 games along with predictions by MaxPreps staff writers and contributors Mitch Stephens, Stephen Spiewak, Kevin Askeland, Leland Gordon, Colin Ward-Henninger and Jamie DeMoney.


Washington (Miami) at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

What to watch: Washington trying to take another gigantic step toward a mythical national championship. The Tornadoes (5-0) have beaten every opponent by double-digit spreads and have a cumulative margin of victory of 212-30. Their most recent conquest was previously undefeated Monsignor Pace (Opa Locka) last week. Despite Florida State-committed quarterback Treon Harris sitting out with both a sore ankle and upset stomach, his team rolled to a 49-7 victory. Even Washington's wins earlier in the season against then-nationally ranked Norcross (Ga.) and eighth-ranked rival Central (Miami) looked almost easy. However, this week's game presents a unique set of circumstances. Flying more than 2,500 miles away from home into a distraction-rich environment like Las Vegas while wearing the tag as the nation's consensus No. 1 team to play against No. 25 Bishop Gorman might be coach Ice Harris and company's biggest challenge to date. As for Bishop Gorman, this will be its sixth-consecutive interstate game to open the season. The Gaels (4-1) were idle last week after returning home from New Jersey with a 20-17 win against Bergen Catholic (Oradell) on Sept. 21. Quarterback Randall Cunnigham Jr. continues to impress in his first year as the starter. The senior dual-threat has 690 passing yards, 449 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns.

Just the facts: This is the third-consecutive year that Bishop Gorman has hosted at least one nationally ranked opponent. In their only other game against a Florida school, the Gaels lost, 20-17, at home to then-No. 2 Armwood (Seffner) in 2011 – but it was later changed to a win due to forfeit. … Washington wants to become the first Miami school to claim the national championship in at least one poll since Miami Northwestern did it in 2007. It would be the sixth time since 2005 that a Florida school finished No. 1 in one of the major polls.

Mitch Stephens: Washington 21, Bishop Gorman 14
Kevin Askeland: Bishop Gorman 35, Washington 24
Jamie DeMoney: Washington 38, Bishop Gorman 27
Stephen Spiewak: Washington 35, Bishop Gorman 24
Leland Gordon: Bishop Gorman 35, Washington 29
Colin Ward-Henninger: Washington 21, Bishop Gorman 20
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De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) vs. Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)

What to watch: No. 16 De La Salle's one and only regular-season game against a Southern California opponent this year in a game that will be played at Santa Ana Stadium on Saturday. The Spartans (5-0) clobbered San Ramon Valley (Danville), 47-21, last week to extend their NorCal winning streak to a remarkable 241 straight games. Senior running back John Velasco leads De La Salle with 748 rushing yards on 83 carries and a team-high eight touchdowns. After a 24-point loss on the road against No. 25 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Servite has won three in a row including a week 2 win over then-nationally ranked Long Beach Poly. The Friars' top offensive weapon has been junior quarterback Travis Waller, who also averages nearly nine yards per carry and has scored four touchdowns rushing and four more through the air.



Just the facts: The last time these teams played was the 2010 Open Division state championship game. De La Salle won decisively, 48-8, on a rain-soaked night at the Home Depot Center. … Both squads have first-year head coaches who previously were on staff as assistants and who also are former players for their programs. Justin Alumbaugh (a 1998 De La Salle grad) became Spartans head coach when legendary coach Bob Ladouceur stepped down last January. A.J. Gass (Servite Class of 1993) took over at Servite when Troy Thomas left to coach his alma mater Crespi (Encino, Calif.).

Mitch Stephens: De La Salle 35, Servite 21
Kevin Askeland: De La Salle 38, Servite 14
Jamie DeMoney: De La Salle 30, Servite 17
Stephen Spiewak: De La Salle 40, Servite 17
Leland Gordon: De La Salle 42, Servite 30
Colin Ward-Henninger: De La Salle 34, Servite 27
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Curtis (River Ridge, La.) at St. Augustine (New Orleans)

What to watch: What does Curtis have left after draining its tank to beat then-nationally ranked Karr (New Orleans) last week? The Patriots had a 23-0 lead after the first quarter, but lost starting quarterback Abby Touzet to a broken collarbone and were outscored 33-7 over the next 30 minutes. Senior running back George Moreira saved the day inside the final minute of the game with a four-yard touchdown run – his third of the night -- and Curtis came out on top, 38-33. Friday's game against St. Augustine is the fourth-straight contest against a tough opponent for the Patriots, who split games against out-of-state powers Bergen Catholic (N.J.) and St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) earlier this season. As for St. Augustine, the Purple Knights (2-1) have lost only to Karr, 34-24, on Sept. 13. They are led by running back Leonard Fournette, rated the No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2014 according to 247 Sports.

Just the facts: St. Augustine has not beaten Curtis in five previous meetings played since 1993. The last time the teams met was a 33-0 Curtis victory in 2002. … The game will be played at Tad Gormley Stadium, located in New Orleans' historic City Park and site of many prominent high school games since it was built in 1937. Tad Gormley's playing field was renamed in honor of NFL running back Reggie Bush when the former New Orleans Saints standout donated $80,000 for repairs to the stadium following Hurricane Katrina.

Mitch Stephens: Curtis 28, St. Augustine 21
Kevin Askeland: Curtis 40, St. Augustine 35
Jamie DeMoney: Curtis 24, St. Augustine 21
Stephen Spiewak: Curtis 35, St. Augustine 21
Leland Gordon: Curtis 24, St. Augustine 22
Colin Ward-Henninger: Curtis 28, St. Augustine 17
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Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville, Tenn.) at Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.)

What to watch: Ensworth putting its 26-game winning streak on the line Friday against the third-ranked team in the latest MaxPreps Freeman Rankings for Tennessee. Ensworth (5-0) opened the year with a memorable 27-26 win over Kentucky powerhouse Trinity (Louisville) and breezed past lesser opponents in the weeks that followed. Montgomery Bell Academy (6-0) boasts a defense that's allowed less than 10 points per game and figures to be Ensworth's toughest test since the opening weekend of the season.

Just the facts: MBA's top interior defensive lineman is senior Jashon Robertson, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound senior who became Vanderbilt's first Class of 2014 commitment in June 2012. … Ensworth has beaten MBA four straight times since 2010 with an average margin of victory of nearly 30 points.

Mitch Stephens: Ensworth 24, MBA 21
Kevin Askeland: Ensworth 42, MBA 20
Jamie DeMoney: Ensworth 27, MBA 19
Stephen Spiewak: Ensworth 17, MBA 10
Leland Gordon: Ensworth 20, MBA 10
Colin Ward-Henninger: Ensworth 17, MBA 13
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Olive Branch (Miss.) at South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)

What to watch: The 14th meeting in the last 11 seasons between two of the Magnolia State's top programs. South Panola – which has lost only nine times since 2004 – has toppled the Conquistadors 12 out of 13 times. Both squads enter Friday's game with 5-1 records with their losses coming to powerful out-of-state opponents. South Panola was beaten 26-9 at Memphis University on Sept. 20. Olive Branch lost a 27-26 heartbreaker to Texas power Longview on Sept. 14 in Shreveport, La.



Just the facts: Olive Branch quarterback Ross Trail has completed 68 of 120 passes for 1,010 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior committed to Louisville earlier this month via his Twitter account. … South Panola won 89 straight games – the fifth longest streak in prep football history – between 2003 and 2008.

Mitch Stephens: Olive Branch 21, South Panola 20
Kevin Askeland: South Panola 17, Olive Branch 14
Jamie DeMoney: South Panola 27, Olive Branch 21
Stephen Spiewak: South Panola 41, Olive Branch 38
Leland Gordon: South Panola 35, Olive Branch 29
Colin Ward-Henninger: South Panola 28, Olive Branch 22
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Spartanburg (S.C.) at Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.)

What to watch: Spartanburg coach Chris Miller returns to Byrnes on Friday, the program he led to four state titles between 2007 and 2011. Spartanburg is off to a 5-0 start and has plenty of momentum heading into its attempt to end a run of 10 consecutive losses to Byrnes since 2004. The Vikings' biggest weapon is budding superstar sophomore running back Tavien Feaster, who has totaled nearly 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards with 12 touchdowns this season. Byrnes (4-1) has averaged more than 58 points per game and its only loss was in overtime to nationally ranked Northwestern (Rock Hill) on Sept. 13. Senior quarterback Shuler Bentley (an Old Dominion recruit) has 1,870 passing yards and an absurd total of 31 combined passing and rushing touchdowns.

Just the facts: Feaster, who really emerged when he had more than 300 total yards and five touchdowns in Spartanburg's 37-20 win over Greenwood on Sept. 20, already has scholarship offers from Clemson and North Carolina, according to 247Sports. … Since 1991, Spartanburg (five) and Byrnes (10) have combined to win 15 football state championships.

Mitch Stephens: Spartanburg 35, Byrnes 34
Kevin Askeland: Byrnes 54, Spartanburg 42
Jamie DeMoney: Byrnes 62, Spartanburg 45
Stephen Spiewak: Byrnes 45, Spartanburg 41
Leland Gordon: Byrnes 44, Spartanburg 36
Colin Ward-Henninger: Byrnes 49, Spartanburg 29
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Brighton (Salt Lake City) at Bingham (South Jordan, Utah)

What to watch: A pair of unbeaten teams battling to stay atop Utah's Class 5A Region 3 standings. For Brighton, this is its first 6-0 start to a season since 2004. The Bengals got there due in large part to the running of four-star junior running back Osa Masina, who had 253 rushing yards in a 38-28 win over Alta (Sandy) last week. Although he has just 10 catches in six games, the top offensive player for Bingham might be senior tight end Dalton Schultz, rated a four-star prospect by 247 Sports.

Just the facts: Friday's game will be the first between these teams since Brighton beat Bingham, 31-24, in the second round of the 2005 Class 5A state playoffs. … Bingham's average margin of victory this year is more than 29 points, which has allowed many members of its huge 154-man roster to see game action. Five different Miners quarterbacks have thrown a pass in a game and 42 different players have recorded at least one tackle this season.

Mitch Stephens: Bingham 35, Brighton 28
Kevin Askeland: Bingham 28, Brighton 27
Jamie DeMoney: Bingham 31, Brighton 27
Stephen Spiewak: Bingham 28, Brighton 21
Leland Gordon: Bingham 20, Brighton 17
Colin Ward-Henninger: Bingham 31, Brighton 17
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Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) vs. St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.)

What to watch: One of prep football's top rivalry games, expected to again draw 30,000-plus fans at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Friday night. Trinity has won the state titles in Kentucky's largest classification in all but two seasons since 2001. The two years it fell short (2004 and 2009), St. Xavier took home the crown. A brutal five-game stretch against border-state teams that won three state titles last season has left Trinity (2-3) in the unfamiliar position of having a losing record inside the month of October. St. Xavier improved its mark to 4-2 with a 27-13 win against Central (Louisville) last week.



Just the facts: Trinity has won six straight games against St. Xavier, evening the all-time series record up at 36-36-2. The teams have met in the regular season and again in the playoffs every year since 2007. … St. Xavier is guided by first-year head coach Will Wolford. The St. Xavier alum is a former NFL Pro Bowl offensive lineman who played for Buffalo, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh.

Mitch Stephens: St. Xavier 22, Trinity 21
Kevin Askeland: Trinity 40, St. Xavier 14
Jamie DeMoney: Trinity 37, St. Xavier 24
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity 24, St. Xavier 13
Leland Gordon: St. Xavier 30, Trinity 28
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity 31, St. Xavier 21
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Mount Carmel (Chicago) at Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.)

What to watch: A Saturday afternoon showdown between the No. 1 and 2 teams in this week's Chicago-area newspaper rankings. After beating previously unbeaten St. Rita (Chicago) last week by a 24-3 score, a Mount Carmel (5-0) win would all but clinch at least a share of the Catholic Blue Conference title for the first time since 2010. On the other hand, a Loyola (5-0) victory would put the Ramblers in strong position to win their third-consecutive outright crown.

Just the facts: Loyola has won four of its last five games played against Mount Carmel, including a 30-27 win over the eventual Class 8A state champion last season. … Both Mount Carmel and Loyola are charter members of the Chicago Catholic League, which was founded in 1912.

Mitch Stephens: Mount Carmel 21, Loyola 14
Kevin Askeland: Mount Carmel 35, Loyola 7
Jamie DeMoney: Mount Carmel 19, Loyola 10
Stephen Spiewak: Mount Carmel 28, Loyola 21
Leland Gordon: Loyola 28, Mount Carmel 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: Loyola 21, Mount Carmel 20
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Pickerington Central (Ohio) at Pickerington North (Ohio)



What to watch: Pickerington North looking for its third-straight win in this crosstown rivalry. The Panthers shut out Pickerington Central when the teams met during the regular season and again in the playoffs last season. Prior to that North had never beaten Central in the five previous times the teams had met. Pickerington North (5-0) is fresh off a 35-6 win against Lancaster last week. Senior quarterback Zephaniah Miller ran for more than 100 yards and had four touchdown passes, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Central has won its last three games after starting the season with a 38-33 loss to state-ranked Centerville. Senior Isaiah Richmond had more than 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers' 28-17 win over Reynoldsburg last week.

Just the facts: Pickerington Central was 7-3 last season but missed the postseason for the first time since 2005. Pickerington North went 12-2 and was not eliminated until the Division I state semifinals. It was only the second time in 10 seasons playing football that the Panthers had qualified for the state playoffs. … Pickerington has been designated the "Violet Capital of Ohio." As such, it only makes sense that both its high school teams chose purple for their primary team colors.



Mitch Stephens: Pickerington North 21, Pickerington Central 17
Kevin Askeland: Pickerington North 24, Pickerington Central 20
Jamie DeMoney: Pickerington North 28, Pickerington Central 23
Stephen Spiewak: Pickerington North 14, Pickerington Central 10
Leland Gordon: Pickerington North 35, Pickerington Central 20
Colin Ward-Henninger: Pickerington North 28, Pickerington Central 17

Jamie DeMoney is in his 20th season covering high school sports and recruiting. He is a Regional Content Manager and Product Specialist for XOS Digital and compiles the National Prep Poll for World Features Syndicate.