MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Texas high school football gets underway this weekend, with one of the top matchups of the entire season taking center stage.

Allen, the fourth-ranked team in the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25 and last year's Class 5A/I state champion, travels across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to play No. 23 Carroll (Southlake), which won the title in 2011. This is a rematch of last season's season-opener won convincingly by Allen, 24-0. It and three additional contests involving nationally ranked teams are part of the latest edition of MaxPreps Top 10 Football Games of the Week.

Another notable game involving a nationally ranked team is No. 24 Hoover (Ala.) taking on Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.), the No. 1-ranked squad in Georgia Class AAAAAA. In addition to bringing together the top-rated largest classification teams from neighboring football "power states," this contest is dripping with intrigue because of Colquitt County coach Rush Propst's return to Hoover. Propst won five state championships during his tenure as the Bucs coach from 1999 to 2007.

After correctly selecting eight of 10 winners in last week's games, GOTW author Jamie DeMoney has opened a two-game lead on Stephen Spiewak in our season-long prediction contest. Leland Gordon and Colin Ward-Henninger currently share third place with a 5-5 record.



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




Allen (Texas) at Carroll (Southlake, Texas)

Allen has only three returning offensive starters but included in that trio is quarterback Kyler Murray. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound dynamo had 1,342 yards rushing and 2,004 passing with 42 total touchdowns while leading the Eagles to a state championship as a sophomore. On defense, there are seven starters back including four seniors who've made FBS verbal commitments: linebackers Tay Evans (Oklahoma) and Christian Sam (Arizona State); and defensive backs Chad Adams (Arizona State) and Mayomi Olootu (Northern Illinois).

Visit the brand-new MaxPreps Dallas/The Metroplex site

Carroll surely is thinking revenge as it prepares for Allen, the team that shut it out, 24-0, in last year's season opener. It was the first time the Dragons were held scoreless since 1997. After the ineffective start, Carroll quickly righted the ship and averaged almost 55 points per game the rest of the way before losing in the state quarterfinals. The leader in 2012 was three-year starting quarterback and 5A state offensive player of the year Kenny Hill, who is now at Texas A&M. His successor is Ryan Agnew (6-1, 185), a fleet-footed junior who has confidence after leading the Dragons to the 7-on-7 Division I state championship over the summer and getting considerable game experience in mop-up duty as a sophomore.



Mitch Stephens: Allen 28, Carroll 21
Kevin Askeland: Allen 42, Carroll 28
Jamie DeMoney: Allen 27, Carroll 17
Stephen Spiewak: Allen 28, Carroll 24
Leland Gordon: Allen 55, Carroll 52
Colin Ward-Henninger: Allen 35, Carroll 20
{PAGEBREAK}
Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.) at Hoover (Ala.)

The site for this tape-delayed nationally televised matchup is Hoover's Metropolitan Stadium, a facility very familiar to Colquitt County's head coach. Rush Propst won 110 games and five state titles in nine years at Hoover. He also earned a little bit of infamy after his team was profiled by the weekly MTV docu-series "Two-A-Days" and a year later resigning from his position after allegations of misconduct were made public. Flash forward to today and Propst's Packers are off to a 1-0 start and are ranked No. 1 in Georgia Class AAAAAA following a 21-6 win over Grayson last weekend at the Georgia Dome. Colquitt County has six offensive and nine defensive starters back from a team that reached the state semifinals last year, including three-star defensive tackle Jamiyus Pittman (a Mississippi commit).

See the MaxPreps Regional Computer Football Rankings

Hoover has played an out-of-state opponent early on in each of the previous four seasons and won all of those games. The last time the Bucs faced a team from Georgia was 2009, when they went on the road and beat Camden County (Kingsland). For 2013, Hoover has five starters back on both sides of the ball from the program's seventh Class 6A state championship team since 2000. The most prominent player on this year's roster is senior defensive back Marlon Humphrey, who was selected as Alabama's winner in the MaxPreps Preseason Mr. Football from each state story.

Mitch Stephens: Hoover 34, Colquitt County 28
Kevin Askeland: Hoover 28, Colquitt County 21
Jamie DeMoney: Hoover 23, Colquitt County 21
Stephen Spiewak: Hoover 21, Colquitt County 20
Leland Gordon: Colquitt County 24, Hoover 20
Colin Ward-Henninger: Colquitt County 20, Hoover 17


{PAGEBREAK}
Plant (Tampa, Fla.) at Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.)

Plant – which won 102 games and four state titles the previous 10 seasons – could be in for a very long night on Thursday if its game against Sandy Creek begins in similar fashion to its 35-16 preseason loss last week to defending Florida 5A champion Godby (Tallahassee). A stunned Raymond James Stadium crowd watched the Panthers fall behind 35-0 in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Colby Brown connected with Cameron Winter on a pair of scoring strikes in the fourth quarter to prevent an even more lopsided margin of defeat.

Visit the brand-new MaxPreps Greater Atlanta site



To keep a tight grasp on its lofty national ranking in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, No. 5 Sandy Creek needs to not only win but probably win big against Plant. As a 4A team in a state with six classes, Plant represents one of the few opponents on the Patriots' schedule with much national name recognition. Sandy Creek returns seven offensive starters from a state-championship team including the pass-catch combination of senior quarterback Cole Garvin (a Marshall recruit) and senior receiver Demarre Kitt (Clemson). On defense, there are six starters back including University of Mississippi-bound tackle Chris Williams (6-0, 288) and senior defensive back Khari Lain (Arkansas State).

Mitch Stephens: Sandy Creek 35, Plant 21
Kevin Askeland: Sandy Creek 42, Plant 14
Jamie DeMoney: Sandy Creek 35, Plant 14
Stephen Spiewak: Sandy Creek 35, Plant 24
Leland Gordon: Sandy Creek 42, Plant 28
Colin Ward-Henninger: Sandy Creek 45, Plant 14


{PAGEBREAK}
Serra (Gardena, Calif.) vs. Desert Ridge (Mesa, Ariz.)

Coming off a 14-2 record and Division II state championship, the bar is set even higher in 2013 for nationally ranked Serra. The No. 10 Cavaliers return 15 starters including four seniors who are three-star recruits or higher according to 247Sports. Five-star defensive back prospect Adoree' Jackson, who averaged more than 18 yards every time he touched the ball on offense last season, is expected to be Serra's go-to guy in the running game. Boise State-committed quarterback Jalen Greene had 2,443 passing yards and 1,137 yards rushing with 34 total touchdowns as a junior. Jordan Lasley, a 6-1, 176-pound UCLA recruit, is primed for a big senior season at wide receiver.

Visit the brand-new MaxPreps Los Angeles site

For Desert Ridge (11-2 last season) to have a chance of keeping pace with a high-powered Serra offense in a Saturday game that's part of the Brothers in Arms Classic, it will probably need big performances from the Morrison twins. Tarek Morrison, a 5-10, 180-pound junior, is back at quarterback after leading the Jaguars in both rushing (1,404 yards) and passing (861) with 27 total touchdowns last season. Brother Taren Morrison, also 5-10, 180, is looking for a breakout year after being sidelined on and off last season due to injuries. On defense, the leader is senior linebacker Amonai Itaaehau. He led the team with 95 tackles in 2012.

Mitch Stephens: Serra 42. Desert Ridge 28
Kevin Askeland: Serra 34, Desert Ridge 28
Jamie DeMoney: Serra 49, Desert Ridge 21
Stephen Spiewak: Serra 28, Desert Ridge 14
Leland Gordon: Serra 42, Desert Ridge 21
Colin Ward-Henninger: Serra 42, Desert Ridge 28




{PAGEBREAK}
Butler (Matthews, N.C.) at Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)

Butler steamrolled West Charlotte, 80-20, in its season opener, serving notice that despite heavy losses to graduation, the defending 4AA champion may still be the team to beat in 2013. Sophomore running back Benny LeMay – brother of former Butler and now University of Georgia quarterback Christian LeMay – had a spectacular starting debut with four rushing and two receiving touchdowns. Butler went 15-0 last season and beat Mallard Creek twice last season by a combined margin of 54-6.

See the MaxPreps Top 25 Non-Public School Rankings

While Butler was at home blowing out its opponent last Friday, Mallard Creek was in a dog fight on the road against defending South Carolina 2A/I champion Dillon. Tied at 21 late in the fourth quarter, the Mavericks eventually pulled out a 27-21 victory after piecing together a six-play drive totaling more than 60 yards that was punctuated with a 15-yard game-winning touchdown.

Mitch Stephens: Mallard Creek 24, Butler 21
Kevin Askeland: Butler 52, Mallard Creek 51
Jamie DeMoney: Mallard Creek 27, Butler 24
Stephen Spiewak: Mallard Creek 28, Butler 20
Leland Gordon: Butler 40, Mallard Creek 35
Colin Ward-Henninger: Butler 35, Mallard Creek 34
 
{PAGEBREAK}
St. Ignatius (Cleveland) vs. Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)

Mark this Saturday game down for the history books. It's first meeting between two of the most successful prep football coaches ever to roam the sidelines in the Midwest. St. Ignatius' Chuck Kyle has won 301 games and 11 state championships in 30 years with the Wildcats while Brother Rice coach Al Fracassa has 372 wins and eight titles in 44 seasons at Brother Rice -- and 416 wins and a total of nine state championships in 53 years overall. It's a good thing the game is taking place this year because Fracassa, 80, has announced he will retire at the end of the 2013 campaign.

St. Ignatius has won 18 of its last 19 games against out-of-state opponents since 2006, which includes three consecutive wins against Michigan teams during that span. The Wildcats are almost always considered a top contender in Ohio's Division I but this year's hopes have taken a serious hit because of preseason injuries to Ohio State-bound linebacker and Kyle Berger and senior quarterback Peter Mahoney, as reported by Cleveland.com.

See the winningest high school football coaches of the last 10 years



After winning back-to-back state titles for the first time in its illustrious football history, Brother Rice has aspirations of winning a third consecutive Division 2 championship and sending its retiring legendary coach out on top of the heap. Engineering the offense will be quarterback Alex Malzone, a 6-2, 185-pounder who shared snaps his sophomore season but shined in the state championship game with 8-for-11 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Senior safety and kicker Jason Alessi, who is committed to Michigan to play lacrosse, is a key performer on the Warriors' defense and special teams units.

Mitch Stephens: St. Ignatius 17, Brother Rice 14
Kevin Askeland: St. Ignatius 14, Brother Rice 12
Jamie DeMoney: Brother Rice 28, St. Ignatius 27
Stephen Spiewak: St. Ignatius 17, Brother Rice 14
Leland Gordon: Brother Rice 14, St. Ignatius 13
Colin Ward-Henninger: St. Ignatius 21, Brother Rice 17


{PAGEBREAK}
Ben Davis (Indianapolis) at St. Xavier (Cincinnati)

A sophomore sensation may have emerged last week for Ben Davis in the form of 5-10, 170-pound running back Chris Evans. In a come-from-behind 26-20 win over Cathedral, Evans totaled 145 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns -- including a 9-yard dart with a less than a minute to play that proved to be the game-winner for the Giants.

See the brand-new MaxPreps Greater Cincinnati site

Despite just a 6-5 record against a brutal schedule last season, St. Xavier is among a handful of favorites to claim Ohio's Division I state championship in 2013. There's good reason for that. The Bombers have several key players back on both sides of the ball including senior quarterback Nicholas Tensing (2,041 passing yards and 19 touchdowns last season) and Iowa-committed running back C.J. Hilliard. Leading what should be a typically stout St. X defense this fall will be junior linebacker Justin Hilliard (a four-star prospect according to 247Sports and C.J.'s brother) along with Indiana-bound end Nick Carovillano (6-4, 250).

Mitch Stephens: St. Xavier 21, Ben Davis 20
Kevin Askeland: St. Xavier 32, Ben Davis 30
Jamie DeMoney: St. Xavier 27, Ben Davis 20
Stephen Spiewak: St. Xavier 17, Ben Davis 14
Leland Gordon: St. Xavier 24, Ben Davis 10
Colin Ward-Henninger: St. Xavier 24, Ben Davis 21




{PAGEBREAK}
Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.) vs. Gilman (Baltimore)

Manatee has eight returning offensive starters but only two are back on defense from a team that started last season No. 1 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 and ended up 13-1 after losing in the 7A state semifinals. The Hurricanes' offensive experience figures to equate to a very strong rushing attack -- especially with the presence of Missouri-committed running back Trevon Walters and an experienced offensive line. On defense, Demarcus Christmas, a 6-4, 285-pound Florida State recruit, is the top returning player. In a preseason game last week, Manatee posted a 38-7 win against East Lake (Tarpon Springs, Fla.), a team that won 11 games last season.

See the MaxPreps Medium Schools Rankings

Gilman fell behind by two touchdowns in the first quarter of its regular-season opener against Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) last week but rallied to win the game, 20-14. In his first varsity start at quarterback, talented junior Kai Locksley ran and passed for more than 100 yards with one touchdown. It was a much-needed taste of success for a talented but young team that is kicking off the season with three straight games against highly regarded opponents. Next week, the Greyhounds will take on nationally ranked Paramus Catholic (N.J.). But for now, they must face a tough task in this Sunday contest that is part of the Brothers in Arms Classic.

Mitch Stephens: Manatee 34, Gilman 28
Kevin Askeland: Manatee 30, Gilman 14
Jamie DeMoney: Manatee 28, Gilman 20
Stephen Spiewak: Manatee 28, Gilman 21
Leland Gordon: Manatee 38, Gilman 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Gilman 14, Manatee 13

{PAGEBREAK}
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at Carmel (Ind.)

After its 17-game home winning streak was broken last week, Trinity is now trying to avoid an 0-2 start to a season for the first since 2003. The 27-26 loss to nationally ranked Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.) last Friday was the result of 26-14 fourth-quarter lead slipping through Trinity's fingers. In his first start at quarterback, senior Reggie Bonnafon (a Louisville commit) looked impressive, posting more than 250 combined passing and rushing yards with one touchdown. Running back Donald Brooks, a junior, ran for three touchdowns to account for the rest of the Shamrocks' scoring output.



See video of one of the most impressive runs we've seen in years, courtesy of Jabrill Peppers

It wasn't pretty, but Carmel is off to a 1-0 start after prevailing in a 6-2 defensive struggle against Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis) last week. The Greyhounds' senior quarterback John Lampe scored on a 5-yard keeper to account for the only offensive points in the game. If it can work out some of the kinks on offense, Carmel will be considered among a cluster of teams – including Lawrence Central, Ben Davis, Center Grove, Pike and Warren Central – as co-favorites to win the first 6A championship in Indiana history.

Mitch Stephens: Trinity 42, Carmel 28
Kevin Askeland: Trinity 48, Carmel 28
Jamie DeMoney: Trinity 27, Carmel 18
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity 41, Carmel 24
Leland Gordon: Trinity 36, Carmel 17
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity 28, Carmel 7


{PAGEBREAK}
Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.) at Homestead (Mequon, Wis.)

This early season showdown between the Nos. 1 and 4 teams in the season's first statewide large-school football rankings marks the first meeting between these schools since Homestead edged Arrowhead, 13-11, in the 2008 Division I state championship game.

See our feature on the North Dakota oil boom and how it's affecting high school football

Arrowhead, which won the Division I title last season and starts this year top-ranked, blew out Bradford (Kenosha), 42-7, in last week's opener. The Warhawks likely could have named their score against the outmanned Red Devils, rolling to a 42-0 advantage early in the third quarter before calling off the dogs. Iowa State-committed linebacker Sam Seonbuchner provided a big play on defense for Arrowhead with an interception. Meanwhile, senior running back Anton Ragozin ran for 154 yards on only six carries as Homestead won its opener 42-10 against Hartford, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.



Mitch Stephens: Homestead 21, Arrowhead 20
Kevin Askeland: Arrowhead 28, Homestead 21
Jamie DeMoney: Arrowhead 35, Homestead 13
Stephen Spiewak: Arrowhead 42, Homestead 20
Leland Gordon: Arrowhead 31, Homestead 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: Homestead 21, Arrowhead 20



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.