MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Although the high school football season is barely underway, some of the best matchups of the season are already on tap this weekend.

The first edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week includes two head-to-head battles of teams listed in the preseason Xcellent 25: No. 15 Miami Central travels to No. 3 Hoover and No. 24 Oscar Smith plays host to ninth-ranked and defending national champ Booker T. Washington.

Hoover brings a 30-game winning streak into the 2014 campaign. Among ranked teams, only No. 16 Bellevue (Wash.) and its 54 straight wins has a longer unbeaten run. On the other side, Miami Central won Florida's 6A state title three of the last four years while being a fixture in the national polls. But the Rockets have lost three of their last four games against ranked opponents.

Other Week 1 action involving Xcellent 25 teams includes No. 11 St. John Bosco going Hawaiian for a matchup against traditional power St. Louis at Aloha Stadium. No. 20 McEachern opens the season at home against North Gwinnett, which eliminated the Indians from last year's playoffs. No. 22 Trinity Christian travels to Buford with plans to stop the Wolves' 28-game winning streak.



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.


Central (Miami) at Hoover (Ala.)

What to watch: Third-ranked Hoover's quest for its first national championship begins against a team that had similar aspirations last year. No. 15 Miami Central was No. 2 in the preseason MaxPreps Xcellent 25 but ended the year fourth, with only a loss to national champ Booker T. Washington (Miami) on its resume. Hoover's lofty expectations this year are buoyed by seven returning offensive starters from a 15-0 team and a front seven featuring Auburn-committed senior linebacker Darrell Williams and Alabama-bound defensive end Christian Bell. For Miami Central, graduation decimated much of its experience on offense, but it has nine seasoned starters returning on defense. One of the unit's top players is senior defensive back Calvin Brewton, a Florida State recruit.

This game will be featured on Qwixcore, featuring live scoring updates

Just the facts: A win Saturday would be Hoover's sixth in a row against out-of-state opponents. The Bucs haven't lost to a non-Alabama team since falling to Camden County in 2008, 44-16. … Central has lost three of its last five out-of-state games. Its only other game against an Alabama team was a 49-28 triumph over Prattville in 2010.

Mitch Stephens: Hoover 28, Central 21
Kevin Askeland: Central 24, Hoover 14
Jamie DeMoney: Hoover 21, Central 13
Stephen Spiewak: Hoover 20, Central 17
Leland Gordon: Hoover 14, Central 13
Colin Ward-Henninger: Hoover 20, Central 14


{PAGEBREAK}
Washington (Miami) at Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.)

What to watch: A new head coach and 12 first-year starters will help lead No. 9 Booker T. Washington in its defense of last year's MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national title. Tim Harris Jr. now has the reins of the program following in the steps of his father. Tim "Ice" Harris is now an assistant coach at the University of Miami after guiding Washington to back-to-back 4A state titles in 2012-13. Also gone is quarterback Treon Harris, son of Ice Harris and brother of Tim. Treon is now a freshman quarterback at Florida. Stepping in under center this season will be senior Maurice Alexander, a speedy Florida International recruit who played for Homestead (Fla.) last season. Meanwhile, No. 24 Oscar Smith returns half of its starters from a 14-1 team that played for a state title. The Tigers' most heralded player is defensive end Josh Sweat, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior rated the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2015 by 247Sports.



This game will be featured on Qwixcore, featuring live scoring updates

Just the facts: Washington enters Saturday's game with a 26-game winning streak, the longest in Florida by a wide margin. During their run, the Tornadoes have beaten teams from four different states and toppled three opponents that were ranked in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25. … This will be Oscar Smith's second game against a Florida opponent in six years. The Tigers took down Venice (Fla.), 27-13, in 2009.

Mitch Stephens: Oscar Smith 28, Washington 20
Kevin Askeland: Oscar Smith 35, Washington 21
Jamie DeMoney: Washington 38, Oscar Smith 21
Stephen Spiewak: Washington 28, Oscar Smith 21
Leland Gordon: Oscar Smith 27, Washington 19
Colin Ward-Henninger: Oscar Smith 24, Washington 21


{PAGEBREAK}
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at St. Louis (Honolulu)

What to watch: It's already the second game of the young season for St. Louis. The Crusaders debuted last week with a shaky defensive effort, surrendering over 700 yards and losing 63-47 to Mililani (Honolulu). That outcome, coupled with the arrival of No. 11 St. John Bosco for Friday night's game, probably produced a few sleepless nights for the St. Louis coaching staff this week. Even a slightly leaky defense might struggle to keep wraps on an offense engineered by UCLA-committed quarterback Josh Rosen. Rated the nation's second-best pro-style passer by 247Sports, Rosen passed for 3,200 yards with 39 touchdowns and only seven interceptions last season as the Braves finished 16-0 and won the California Open Division state crown.

This game will be featured on Qwixcore, featuring live scoring updates

Just the facts: Cal Lee, who led St. Louis to 15 Prep Bowl and state titles from 1982 to 2001, returned as Crusaders head coach this season. In the interim, Lee was head coach of Hawaii's Arena Football League franchise and an assistant at the University of Hawaii and then Kalani (Honolulu). … According to CalPreps.com, this will be the 164th all-time matchup between teams from California and Hawaii. California owns a 101-59-3 record in those games, including a 33-20 record since 2001.



Mitch Stephens: St. John Bosco 35, St. Louis 21
Kevin Askeland: St. John Bosco 48, St. Louis 14
Jamie DeMoney: St. John Bosco 55, St. Louis 20
Stephen Spiewak: St. John Bosco 28, St. Louis 17
Leland Gordon: St. John Bosco 59, St. Louis 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: St. John Bosco 48, St. Louis 7


{PAGEBREAK}
North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.) at McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)

What to watch: It's a rematch of a Class 6A state semifinal game won by North Gwinnett last December. No. 20 McEachern aims not only avenge that loss in Saturday's season opener but also to be playing on the last weekend of the season to win its first state title. Optimism for that scenario is high as the Indians return five starters on each side of the ball. This includes a pair of players rated five stars by 247Sports: offensive lineman Chuma Edoga (a USC commit) and running back Taj Griffin (Oregon). North Gwinnett returns only seven total starters but has a five-star prospect of its own in offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt (Clemson).

Sign up to be the one who provides Qwixcore live scoring updates from this game

Just the facts: This is one of seven matchups to be played over two days in the 23rd annual Corky Kell Classic. The event is traditionally played at the Georgia Dome but was moved to McEachern this year because the Atlanta Falcons are hosting an NFL preseason game. … McEachern is quarterbacked by sophomore Bailey Hockman, son of head coach Kyle Hockman. As a freshman, Hockman was thrown into a starting role (in place of the injured Ty Clemons) and led his team to three playoff victories.

Mitch Stephens: McEachem 21, North Gwinnett 20
Kevin Askeland: McEachern 35, North Gwinnett 28
Jamie DeMoney: McEachern 28, North Gwinnett 17
Stephen Spiewak: McEachern 17, North Gwinnett 10
Leland Gordon: McEachern 27, North Gwinnett 22
Colin Ward-Henninger: North Gwinnett 17, McEachern 14


{PAGEBREAK}
Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) at Buford (Ga.)

What to watch: No. 22 Trinity Christian's roster is loaded with experience and next-level talent, but its first stint in the national rankings could be brief without a win Saturday. That will be no easy task facing a Buford program that owns 28 straight wins and only one loss at home since 2006. Buford has 11 returning starters – including five seniors committed to "power five" conference colleges -- from a 15-0 team that earned the school its ninth state title since 2001. Trinity Christian has 13 starters back from a Class 3A state title squad and currently boasts seven seniors pledged to FBS programs.

This game will be featured on Qwixcore, featuring live scoring updates



Just the facts: A Buford win would expand the state of Georgia's surprisingly wide advantage in recent games played against Florida opponents. The Peach State is 61-33-3 against its neighbor to the south in games played since 2003. … There will be two head-to-head encounters in this game between likely future college teammates. Trinity Christian defensive back Kevin Toliver and Buford offensive lineman Blake Ferguson have both committed to LSU. Another Buford lineman, Nick Polino, is headed to North Carolina, as is Trinity Christian linebacker Andre Smith.

Mitch Stephens: Trinity Christian 28, Buford 27
Kevin Askeland: Trinity Christian 35, Buford 31
Jamie DeMoney: Buford 20, Trinity Christian 19
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity Christian 24, Buford 20
Leland Gordon: Buford 18, Trinity Christian 16
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity Christian 28, Buford 21


{PAGEBREAK}
Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.) vs. Charlotte Christian (N.C.)

What to watch: It's a Thursday night season-opener between defending state champs in North Carolina's largest public and independent school classifications. Mallard Creek is favored by many to repeat as Class 4-AA titlist despite returning only six starters from a 16-0 squad. Conversely, Charlotte Christian -- which enters the year with a 19-game winning streak -- welcomes back Stanford-bound senior offensive lineman Brian Chaffin and running back Elijah Deveaux, who ran for 1,824 yards as a sophomore.

This game will be featured on Qwixcore, featuring live scoring updates

Just the facts: Mallard Creek's state title last season marked the 11th time since 2000 a team from the Charlotte area won it all in North Carolina's largest public-school classification. … Charlotte Christian is aiming to become the first North Carolina Independent Schools Athletics Association team to win three straight Division I state championships since Charlotte Latin in 2007.

Mitch Stephens: Charlotte Christian 35, Mallard Creek 34
Kevin Askeland: Mallard Creek 40, Charlotte Christian 28
Jamie DeMoney: Mallard Creek 28, Charlotte Christian 21
Stephen Spiewak: Mallard Creek 35, Charlotte Christian 21
Leland Gordon: Mallard Creek 35, Charlotte Christian 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Charlotte Christian 21, Mallard Creek 20




{PAGEBREAK}
Eastern Christian Academy (Elkton, Md.) at Spartanburg (S.C.)

What to watch: It's the opening salvo in a brutal gauntlet for Eastern Christian Academy. The Honey Badgers' schedule – which includes upper-crust opponents from seven different states – was ranked the toughest in the nation recently by MaxPreps. Leading it off is Spartanburg, which went only 6-6 last season but is poised to make a huge leap forward in 2014. The Vikings return seven starters on offense, including running back Tavien Feaster. He's the 14th-best prospect nationally in the Class of 2016 according to 247Sports. ECA's top headline-grabber continues to be senior quarterback David Sills V. The 6-4, 190-pounder is a four-year varsity starter who recently switched his long-standing, much-publicized verbal commitment from USC to West Virginia.

This game will be featured on Qwixcore, featuring live scoring updates

Just the facts: After Friday's game in South Carolina, Eastern Christian Academy will depart for Dallas to play three consecutive games against highly touted teams from around the Metroplex. The Honey Badgers have a Sept. 5 matchup with No. 14 DeSoto sandwiched between games against state-title contenders Trinity (Euless) and Coppell. … Last fall, Feaster totaled more than 2,300 combined rushing and receiving yards with 28 total touchdowns. He followed that up by winning both the 100 and 200 meters (with blazing times of 10.59 and 21.29 seconds, respectively) this past spring at the Class 4A state track and field championships.

Mitch Stephens: Spartanburg 30, Eastern Christian Academy 20
Kevin Askeland: Eastern Christian Academy 28, Spartanburg 14
Jamie DeMoney: Spartanburg 35, Eastern Christian Academy 33
Stephen Spiewak: Spartanburg 42, Eastern Christian 35
Leland Gordon: Eastern Christian Academy, 38, Spartanburg 29
Colin Ward-Henninger: Spartanburg 21, Eastern Christian Academy 14


{PAGEBREAK}
Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) at Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.)

What to watch: Friday night kicks off a new era of Byrnes football with Brian Lane as head coach. Lane, a former Byrnes player and assistant coach, inherits a team with 13 returning starters from a 12-2 state semifinalist squad. All eyes will be focused on the Rebels' quarterback position, where junior Micah Young will replace the state's all-time leader in touchdown passes, Shuler Bentley (now at Old Dominion). Meanwhile, Northwestern, which went 15-0 and won the 4A-II title last year, has six starters back on both sides of the ball. The Trojans' top player is senior receiver Dupree Hart. The 5-8, 160-pound playmaker caught 115 passes last season and already owns the state record with 306 receptions for his career.

This game will be featured on Qwixcore, featuring live scoring updates



Just the facts: Lane was the starting quarterback at Byrnes in 1992-94 and then was on the coaching staff when the Rebels won four state championships between 2000 and 2006. … Northwestern outscored opponents by an average score of 48-16 last season. The Trojans' 42-35 win against Byrnes was their only contest decided by less than 21 points.

Mitch Stephens: Northwestern 35, Byrnes 28
Kevin Askeland: Byrnes 35, Northwestern 34
Jamie DeMoney: Northwestern 38, Byrnes 27
Stephen Spiewak: Northwestern 42, Byrnes 35
Leland Gordon: Northwestern 32, Byrnes 21
Colin Ward-Henninger: Northwestern 45, Byrnes 35


{PAGEBREAK}
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at Ensworth (Nashville)

What to watch: It's a high-profile border battle between teams with a combined eight state titles in the last 10 seasons. In one of last year's biggest stunners, Trinity posted only a 6-6 record after having gone a combined 41-2 from 2010-12. The Shamrocks have 13 starters back -- led by versatile senior running Donald Brooks – and are expected to bounce back in a big way this year. Ensworth will be on a mission to capture its fifth-consecutive Division II-AA state championship this fall. Those hopes are boosted by the return of Southeastern Conference-committed senior defensive backs Rico McGraw (Alabama) and Donovan Sheffield (Vanderbilt).

Sign up to be the one who provides Qwixcore live scoring updates from this game

Just the facts: Thursday will be the second-straight time these teams have met on opening weekend. Ensworth edged Trinity last year in Louisville (27-26). … Trinity has a 5-3 record against Tennessee teams in games played since 2004.

Mitch Stephens: Trinity 24, Ensworth 21
Kevin Askeland: Ensworth 35, Trinity 28
Jamie DeMoney: Ensworth 27, Trinity 13
Stephen Spiewak: Ensworth 20, Trinity 10
Leland Gordon: Ensworth 16, Trinity 14
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity 28, Ensworth 14




{PAGEBREAK}
Indianapolis Cathedral at Ben Davis (Indianapolis)

What to watch: It's a chance for defending 5A state champion Cathedral to stop a four-game losing streak to Ben Davis, a popular pick to capture the 6A crown this season. Cathedral graduated several key skill players off last year's 10-5 team but could have an advantage in Friday's game up front because of its talented group of linemen led by Northwestern-bound center Jared Thomas. Ben Davis probably has the edge in overall athleticism. Linebacker Asmar Bilal is a 6-3, 205-pound four-star prospect who is expected to choose between scholarship offers from Michigan and Notre Dame. The Giants also feature a third-year starting quarterback in Kyle Castner, who threw for 1,782 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior.

Sign up to be the one who provides Qwixcore live scoring updates from this game

Just the facts: Ben Davis is the only Indiana team Cathedral has played in the last 10 years that it hasn't beaten at least once. The Giants defeated the Irish each of the last three seasons, as well as in 2004. … Cathedral won the Class 5A state title after Indiana expanded to six classes to start last season. Prior to that, the Irish won the 4A crown three consecutive seasons. Overall, the program has captured 11 state championships since 1986.

Mitch Stephens: Ben Davis 24, Cathedral 21
Kevin Askeland: Ben Davis 28, Cathedral 27
Jamie DeMoney: Ben Davis 21, Cathedral 13
Stephen Spiewak: Cathedral 28, Ben Davis 21
Leland Gordon: Ben Davis 31, Cathedral 21
Colin Ward-Henninger: Ben Davis 14, Cathedral 10



Jamie DeMoney has covered high school sports and recruiting for the past 20 seasons. He is a Regional Content Manager and Product Specialist for XOS Digital and compiles the National Prep Poll (PrepNation) for World Features Syndicate.