MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

By Zack Poff Sep 27, 2019, 3:00pm

New Jersey power St. Joseph Regional hosts Baltimore's St. Frances Academy; Mater Dei heads east to take on St. John's.

Video: Top 10 Games of the Week
Seven Top 25 teams are featured this week.

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) looks to keep alive its perfect record against out-of-state opponents during the MaxPreps era (since 2004) when the Monarchs travel to Washington D.C. to face a very talented St. John's squad.

The Monarchs are 7-0 in such games and 6-0 since 2017.

And while the national eyes will be on the Monarchs and Cadets, the Game of the Week is going down in New Jersey between No. 12 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.) and No. 5 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore). The defending Non-Public Group 4 champs are 3-0 and outscoring its opponents 112-34. The Panthers have won 27 of their last 28 games with the lone loss coming earlier this year to Mater Dei.



The other games featured this week are from Texas, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and Utah.

MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

1 p.m. Saturday (All times local)
Top Players

St. Frances Academy: DE Chris Braswell (6-3, 220), RB Blake Corum (5-8, 195), DE Demon Clowney (6-4, 225), S Jordan Toles (6-3, 190), CB Luke Hill (5-11, 180)

St. Joseph Regional: OL Luke Wypler (6-3, 285), RB Audric Estime (6-1, 215), QB Michael Alaimo (6-4, 215), DE Amin Vanover (6-4, 260), S Elijuwan Mack (6-0, 185)

This is the lone game featuring Top 25 teams. St. Frances Academy bounced back strong last week with a 49-0 win over Norland (Miami) after losing to the No. 1 team in the country. In their four wins this year the Panthers have outscored the opposition 217-13. St. Joseph Regional has won nine straight dating back to last year and already owns two out-of-state wins in 2019 but face its toughest test of the season on Saturday.
8:30 p.m. Friday
Top Players



Mater Dei: QB Bryce Young (5-11, 185), OL Myles Murao (6-2, 310), LB Raesjon Davis (6-1, 210), CB Jaylin Davies (5-11, 165), WR Kody Epps (5-10.5, 170)

St. John's: WR Rakim Jarrett (6-0, 210), LB Mekhail Sherman (6-3, 235), DL Tré Williams (6-2, 305), QB Sol-Jay Maiava (6-0, 190), DL Taizse Johnson (6-1, 290)

Don't let St. John's three-game losing streak fool you — all three losses are to Top 25 opponents and two are ranked in the Top 5. Mater Dei has been playing at a different level than everyone else in 2019 and winning by an average margin of 38 points per game. Both teams begin league/conference play after this.

8 p.m. Friday
Top Players

Valdosta: WR Jaheim Bell (6-2, 215), QB Tate Rodemaker (6-3, 185), RB TJ Dailey (6-0, 175), WR Tarrell Roberts (5-7, 160), WR Javonte Sherman (6-1, 165)

Lowndes: QB Jacurri Brown (6-3, 195), DE Jaylon Jones (6-4, 260), LB Jalon Baker (6-0, 180), CB Josh Brown (5-11, 165), OL Jacarri Williams (6-3, 320)



One of the top rivalries in high school football gets even sweeter when both teams are 5-0. Lowndes jumped into the Top 25 last week after an impressive 48-21 win over Northwestern (Miami) and Valdosta is close to joining the rankings. They already own a big-time win over Colquitt County (Norman Park). These two programs have been playing since 1968 and the Wildcats own a 35-21 edge, but Lowndes has won two in a row in the Winnersville Classic series.

8 p.m. Friday — Watch Live

Top Players

Grayson: QB C.J. Dixon (6-5, 210), ATH Jamal Haynes (5-9, 175), WR Ryan King (6-3, 205), RB Lafayette Gurvin Jr. (5-10, 200), DE Jadyn Bost (6-1, 240)

Colquitt County: RB Daijun Edwards (5-10, 200), WR Lemeke Brockington (5-11, 175), QB Jaycee Harden (6-2, 190), CB Nyquann Washington (5-11, 165), TE Carter Boatwright (6-5, 225)

Two of the favorites to win the 7A Georgia state title face off live on the NFHS Network. Grayson jumped into the Top 25 rankings after a huge win over a talented Marietta squad and the Rams answered that with a gritty victory over Westlake (Atlanta) to improve to 4-0. The Packers bounced back after a one point loss to Valdosta (Ga.) with a 31-14 win over Warner Robins (Ga.). This is the sixth meeting between the two since 2010 and Colquitt has won three of five.

7 p.m. Friday
Top Players



Mallard Creek: LB Trenton Simpson (6-3, 225), DE Quentin Williams (6-3, 235), RB Quasean Holmes (5-8, 195), QB Dustin Noller (6-2, 185), WR Elijiah Metcalf (5-7, 160)

Vance: LB Power Echols (6-1, 205), DE Steve Sings (6-4, 225), LB Stefon Thompson (6-0, 220), CB Marqui Lowery Jr. (6-0, 170), QB Austin Grier (5-11, 200)

Mallard Creek is the first team out of the Top 25 rankings and a win over a 3-0 Cougars squad would give them a great chance to jump in next week. The Mavericks have the talent to win their first state title since 2015. The Cougars made the 4A state title game last season and will be in the mix again this year.

7 p.m. Friday
Top Players

Carol City: WR Thaiu Jones-Bell (5-11, 190), ATH Jovan Ferguson (5-10, 150), S Darius Stokes (5-10, 175), WR D'Andre Stafford (6-2, 170), QB Keyone Jenkins (5-10, 160)

St. Thomas Aquinas: WR Marcus Rosemy (6-2, 195), LB Derek Wingo (6-2, 210), OL Marcus Dumervil (6-5, 305), S Jahvante Royal (6-3, 185), OL Marlon Martinez (6-4.5, 285)



It has been a rough start to the year for the Chiefs, who come in 2-3 but a win over the No. 6 team in the country would be huge for first-year head coach Josh Taylor. St. Thomas Aquinas has cruised to a 3-0 start with shutouts of two consecutive opponents. It would be a statement if the Raiders can make it three straight.

7 p.m. Friday
Top Players

Lone Peak: S Nate Ritchie (6-3, 200), LB Jared Fotu (5-11, 225), RB Daniel Yamada (6-1, 205), WR Shawn Wood (6-0, 170), QB JD Neeleman (6-4, 185)

Corner Canyon: QB Cole Hagen (6-2, 180), DE Van Fillinger (6-3, 250), LB Josh Wilson (6-0, 210), RB Austin Bell (5-9, 185), WR Cody Hagen (6-0, 160)

This game features the top two ranked teams in Utah, according to MaxPreps computer rankings. Corner Canyon checks in at No. 1 and the Chargers are 6-0 and riding an 18-game win streak. The defending 5A state champs are winning by an average margin of 29 points per game in 2019. The Knights won the 6A state championship last season and their only loss on the year came against No. 20 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) by one score. The winner of this one will emerge as the favorite to win the 6A Region 4 title.

7:30 p.m. Friday
Top Players

Rockwall: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6-1, 185), QB Braedyn Locke (6-0, 180), S Tyler Ashworth (5-10, 180), WR J.J. Williams (5-11, 190), CB P.J. Barber (5-8, 160)



Longview: QB Haynes King (6-2, 190), DL Sawyer Goram-Welch (6-4, 280), RB Kaden Meredith (5-9, 180), LB Tyshawn Taylor (5-10, 175), S Malik Cannon (5-11, 165)

If you like explosive offenses than this is the game for you. Rockwall has scored at least 45 in every game this year and 2020 Ohio State commit Smith-Njigba has 36 receptions for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns through the Yellowjackets first four games. Locke has emerged as one of the best quarterbacks from the Class of 2022 and thrown for over 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns. Longview has the No. 2 rated dual-threat quarterback from the Class of 2020 in Texas A&M commit King. He led the Lobos to their first state title in 81 years last season and they enter this one riding a 20-game winning streak.

7:30 p.m. Friday
Top Players

Upland: LB Justin Flowe (6-2, 225), RB Tyevin Ford (5-11, 230), LB Jonathan Flowe (6-1, 200), ATH DonJ'rael Brooks (5-10, 160), OL Joseph Church (6-5, 285)

Mission Viejo: QB Peter Costelli (6-3, 205), WR Mavin Anderson (6-1, 175), DE Lance Keneley (6-5, 240), LB Easton Mascarenas (6-0, 205), RB Jacquez Robertson (5-6, 180)

The Diablos are one of the first five teams out of the Top 25 rankings and are a couple of wins away from joining. They have to get by a very talented Upland team first. The Scots have won three straight since a season opening loss to La Habra and a win against a 5-0 Diablos squad would be huge. This one features some of the best players in Southern California led by the Flowe brothers, Costelli and Anderson.