High school football schedule: No. 1 IMG Academy vs. No. 28 Edgewater headlines week's top games

This week's slate of high school football games is the best yet. There are four Top 50 matchups featured led by No. 1 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) hosting No. 28 Edgewater (Orlando). The Ascenders had last week off after a 49-13 season-opening win over Venice (Fla.) while this is the Eagles' season opener.

No. 20 Thompson (Alabaster) and No. 44 Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville) headline a huge Alabama showdown on ESPNU with the winner laying claim to the top-rated team in the state.

Patrick Surtain and No. 22 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) make their season debut against 2021 Miami commit Thad Franklin and No. 36 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.), which won 27-14 last week against Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah, Fla.). Franklin rushed for nearly 200 yards and four scores in the victory.

The final Top 50 contest is one of two Georgia matchups and features No. 38 North Gwinnett (Suwanee) hosting No. 33 Parkview (Lilburn).

No. 5 Grayson (Loganville) battling a 2-0 Collins Hill (Suwanee) squad is other Peach State contest.

Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Utah are the other states represented in the Top 10 Games of the Week.

MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

Thursday, 7 p.m. (All times local)

• • 7
    Edgewater
  • 48
    IMG Academy

  9/17 Final

Edgewater: WR Christian Leary (5-9, 190), WR Tommi Hill (6-1, 185), QB Canaan Mobley (5-11, 185), LB Deshawn Troutman (6-1, 205), DB Kevin Butler (5-9, 170)

IMG Academy: QB J.J. McCarthy (6-3, 190), OL JC Latham (6-6, 305), WR Jacorey Brooks (6-3, 185), OL Tyler Booker (6-4, 290), LB Kamari Wilson (6-1, 195)

Edgewater returns a handful of key players from last year's team that nearly beat St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) in the 7A state championship game. The Eagles face a huge, season-opening test and would skyrocket into the MaxPreps Top 10 with a win. McCarthy, a Michigan commit, threw for over 300 yards and five touchdowns in IMG Academy's season opener and looked like the No. 2 rated pro style quarterback in the country.

• • 35
    Thompson
  • 21
    Hewitt-Trussville

  9/18 Final

Thompson: LB Jeremiah Alexander (6-2, 235), ATH Sam Reynolds (5-9, 175), QB Conner Harrell (6-1, 190), DE Peter Woods (6-4, 250), CB Tony Mitchell (6-1, 180)

Hewitt-Trussville: RB Armoni Goodwin (5-8, 190), DE Justice Finkley (6-2, 255), OL Riley Quick (6-5, 250), ATH Omari Kelly (6-2, 180), LB Michael Edwards (6-2, 210)

Both enter 4-0 and each has played great football in 2020. The defending 7A state champ Warriors have outscored the opposition 192-83 while the Huskies a 139-50 scoring differential. They also had a forfeit win over Saraland in Week 2. This is the sixth meeting between the two since 2014 with Hewitt-Trussville winning three of the five. The Huskies were the only team to beat Thompson in 2019.

• • 7
    American Heritage
  • 3
    Chaminade-Madonna

  9/18 Final

American Heritage: S Jame Williams (6-5, 220), CB Earl Little Jr. (6-0, 165), LB Marvin Jones Jr. (6-4, 225), LB David Vadala (5-10, 205), RB Mark Fletcher (6-1, 200)

Chaminade-Madonna: RB Thad Franklin (6-0, 225), DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (6-4.5, 215), CB Brian Dilworth (6-0, 175), DE Jamaal Johnson (6-2, 240), CB Torrie Cox Jr. (5-9, 170)

The three-time defending 3A state champs face a big test against a very talented Patriots squad on Friday. Williams returned to American Heritage for his senior season after a six-interception junior campaign at Western (Davie). He checks in as the No. 1 safety in the Class of 2021 and gives coach Patrick Surtain one of the best defenses in high school football.

• • 7
    Collins Hill
  • 28
    Grayson

  9/18 Final

Collins Hill: ATH Travis Hunter (6-1, 175), QB Sam Horn (6-4, 190), RB Spenser Anderson (5-10, 185), DE James Smith (6-2, 245), DT Jonathan Martin (6-3, 300)

Grayson: RB Phil Mafah (6-1, 215), WR Jamal Haynes (5-9, 175), DE Victoine Brown (6-4, 230), LB Grady Bryant (5-10, 185), QB De'yon Cannon (6-2, 175)

The Rams have been unstoppable through two games scoring at least 50 points in each. Mafah, a Clemson commit, rushed for over 200 yards and two scores in a 55-21 win over McEachern (Powder Springs) last week and Cannon has filled in nicely under center. Collins Hill is off to a 2-0 start and the Eagles have one of the most dynamic duos in the country in 2022 Florida State commit Hunter and 4-star quarterback Horn.

• • 0
    Parkview
  • 21
    North Gwinnett

  9/18 Final

Parkview: RB Cody Brown (6-0, 225), RB Tyler Curtis (6-1, 225), CB Quincy Bryant (6-0, 195), WR Jared Brown (6-0, 175), CB Ronnie Hamrick II (6-0, 175)

North Gwinnett: LB Barrett Carter (6-1, 220), CB Aaron Brebnor (5-10.5, 180), WR Bobby Ezzard (6-1, 180), WR Seth Anderson (6-0, 170), RB Marcus McFarlane (5-11, 200)

The winner of this game will be trending in the right direction to jump into the MaxPreps Top 25. The Panthers showed why they have one of the best backfields in the country last week in their season opening 33-16 win over Mountain View (Lawrenceville). Brown and Curtis combined for 411 yards rushing and five touchdowns. They face a huge test against one of the top defenses in the state led by 2021 Clemson commit Carter.

• • 26
    King
  • 34
    Cass Tech

  9/19 Final

King: S Jaylon Reed (6-0, 190), QB Dante Moore (6-2, 180), OL Johnathan Slack (6-3, 265), OL Brandon Honorable (6-7, 280), WR Lynn Wyche-El (5-9, 165)

Cass Tech: LB Kobe King (6-0.5, 225), OL Raheem Anderson (6-3, 300), CB Kalen King (5-11, 170), OL Terrence Enos (6-5, 315), DT Doran Ray (6-3, 275)

Michigan reversed course two weeks ago and returned football to the fall. The state opens with a lot of big-time games, led by these two Detroit rivals — one of the best rivalries in high school football. This is the 21st meeting between the two since 2004 with the series deadlocked at 10 wins each.

• • 40
    Trinity Leadership
  • 44
    Bryant

  9/18 Final

Trinity Christian: QB Shedeur Sanders (6-1, 200), WR Robert Williams III (6-1, 170), S Marvin Martin (6-0, 185), WR Jordyn Williams (6-1, 180), CB Cameron Wilson (5-9, 165)

Bryant: QB Austin Ledbetter (6-2, 200), WR Hayden Schrader (6-2, 195), RB Tanner Anderson (5-10, 205), LB Myles Aldridge (6-3, 200), WR Joseph Young (6-0, 190)

Sanders and Trinity Christian have reeled off three straight wins since a season opening loss and the 2021 FAU commit has been playing lights out during his senior campaign. Bryant has dominated its first two opponents, outscoring them 105-24. The back-to-back 7A state champs have won 19 straight games.

• • 22
    St. Xavier
  • 25
    Cathedral

  9/18 Final

St. Xavier: WR Liam Clifford (6-1, 195), QB Brogan McCaughey (6-2, 195), DT Giovanni Albanese (6-0, 285), LB Matthew Devine (6-0, 220), RB Charles Kellom (6-0, 185)

Cathedral: WR Camden Jordan (6-0, 175), QB Nathan McCahill (6-0, 180), LB Jeff Utzinger (6-2, 175), RB Jake Langdon (6-0, 190), WR Michael Page (5-10, 160)

St. Xavier looks to get revenge on Indiana in the second out-of-state game featured. The lone loss for the Cincinnati power this season came in overtime against Brownsburg (Ind.) but the Bombers bounced back to beat two great programs in La Salle (Cincinnati) and Elder (Cincinnati) in back-to-back weeks. Cathedral is 4-0 and the winner will trend in the right direction to jump in the MaxPreps Top 50.

Friday, 7 p.m.

• • 7
    Pleasant Grove
  • 38
    Corner Canyon

  9/18 Final

Pleasant Grove: WR Darrius Clemons (6-3, 195), TE Isaac Vaha (6-7, 230), ATH Aaron Jones (5-10, 180), QB Sam Leavitt (6-1, 185), LB Spencer Tauteoli (6-1, 225)

Corner Canyon: QB Jaxson Dart (6-3, 210), OL Jackson Light (6-3, 285), WR Noah Kjar (6-0, 180), WR Cody Hagen (6-0, 175), OL Luke Sampson (6-4, 250)

The No. 14 team in the country puts its 31-game winning streak on the line against a 5-0 Vikings squad. Dart has put his name in the mix for National Player of the Year and has accounted for 2,000 yards of total offense and 30 touchdowns through five games. The Chargers have won three straight against Pleasant Grove and are winning by an average margin of 21 points per game.

Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch Live on NFHS Network

• • 9
    American Fork
  • 41
    Skyridge

  9/18 Final

American Fork: QB Maddux Madsen (6-0, 170), WR Fisher Ingersoll (5-10, 165), LB Noah Moeaki (6-3, 205), TE Garrison Grimes (6-2, 200), DE Dallin Kartchner (6-0, 215)

Skyridge: QB McCae Hillstead (5-11, 175), WR James Palmer (6-2, 185), RB Jeter Fenton (5-11, 190), CB Smith Snowden (5-10, 165), DT Stone Mulitalo (6-3, 280)

This matchup will be as entertaining as any this week as both teams are rolling this season and check in as the Nos. 3 and 4 teams in the state rankings. Madsen and Hillstead have combined for nearly 3,500 yards of total offense and 53 total touchdowns this season. Expect a lot of points to be scored Friday with the winner moving closer to joining the MaxPreps Top 50.