MaxPreps Top 10 high school football games of the week

MaxPreps' weekly preview of the top 10 high school football games across the nation begins with the first regular-season clash of two of Texas' top programs this millennium.

Southlake Carroll and Euless Trinity – located about 15 minutes apart – are finally playing in the same district. Both Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex stalwarts make almost annual deep playoff runs and own a combined eight state championships since 2002, but even in the postseason the teams met just three times.

Action involving ranked teams this week includes a pair of key Trinity League confrontations in Southern California with No. 7 St. John Bosco trying to hand JSerra Catholic its first loss of the season and No. 11 Mater Dei taking on No. 25 Servite. In Georgia, all eyes will be on No. 13 Colquitt County's visit to fellow unbeaten Valdosta. The winner will take sole possession of first place in 6A Region 1.

As we cross the midway point of the season, Jamie DeMoney has a slim lead in our season-long predictions contest. DeMoney went 6-4 last week, improving his overall record to 53-27. Stephen Spiewak and Leland Gordon, each only one game behind the leader, share second place. Mitch Stephens and Kevin Askeland are tied in fourth place, just four games off the pace. Colin Ward-Henninger continues to bring up the rear, a full 10 games out of first place.



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.


Trinity (Euless, Texas) at Carroll (Southlake, Texas)

What to watch: The outright lead in the District 7-6A standings will go to the winner of Friday night's game. Trinity (7-0) outscored its first three district opponents by a combined score of 103-3. The Trojans' physical running game looks as good as ever with junior running back Ja'ron Wilson leading the way. Wilson, rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports, ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns on only 15 carries in a 48-3 rout of Bell (Hurst) last week, according to the Star-Telegram. On the other side, an emerging star in Carroll's always-explosive offense is running back lil'jordan Humphrey. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior ran for a career-high 233 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 38-0 shutout of Richland.

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Just the facts: Trinity beat Carroll in last year's state playoffs after losing to the Dragons in 2006 and 2012. … Carroll is No. 1 and Trinity is ranked third in the CalPreps.com Texas Dynasty rankings since 2003.

Mitch Stephens: Carroll 28, Trinity 27
Kevin Askeland: Carroll 35, Trinity 14
Jamie DeMoney: Carroll 30, Trinity 24
Stephen Spiewak: Carroll 21, Trinity 20
Leland Gordon: Trinity 28, Carroll 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity 21, Carroll 20


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St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)

What to watch: JSerra Catholic, which is 6-0 for only the second time in its 11-year history, could emerge as a legitimate contender in the dog-eat-dog Trinity League with an upset Friday against No. 7 St. John Bosco. The upstart Lions captured their third-consecutive league win – dating back to last season – with a 35-28 victory against Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) last week. A key to JSerra's fast start has been junior running back Edward Vander, a transfer from Paramount. He has over 900 rushing yards with 17 touchdowns on the season. Meanwhile, defending Open Division state champ St. John Bosco is still everyone's de facto Trinity League team to beat, especially after a 28-25 win over No. 11 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) last week. Junior running back Sean Mcgrew ran for 119 yards and a touchdown as the Braves notched their 18th-straight win against a California opponent.



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Just the facts: St. John Bosco is 8-0 all-time against JSerra, winning by an average score of 47-18. … JSerra is just 6-20 in Trinity League play since becoming a member in 2009.

Mitch Stephens: St. John Bosco 35, JSerra Catholic 21
Kevin Askeland: St. John Bosco 28, JSerra Catholic 14
Jamie DeMoney: St. John Bosco 42, JSerra Catholic 20
Stephen Spiewak: St. John Bosco 35, JSerra Catholic 21
Leland Gordon: St. John Bosco 52, JSerra Catholic 32
Colin Ward-Henninger: St. John Bosco 35, JSerra Catholic 21


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Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) at Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)

What to watch: In order to keep hopes alive for its first Trinity League championship since 2008, Friday's game at Servite is virtually a must-win for Mater Dei. The No. 11 Monarchs (5-1) had three devastating fumbles that contributed to their 28-25 loss against No. 7 St. John Bosco in the league opener. On the bright side, senior quarterback Jack Lowary passed for a season-high 343 yards in the losing effort. Meanwhile, Servite (4-2) opened league play with a win against Orange Lutheran by the identical score of 28-25. The Friars' hero was senior Andrew Acosta, who booted the game-winning 31-yard field goal in the closing seconds.

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Just the facts: Mater Dei is trying for its 19th win in the last 22 games against Servite. The Friars' only wins against Mater Dei since 1993 were in 2009, '10, and '11. … Mater Dei holds a 34-17-2 edge against Servite since the rivalry began in 1961. Both ties in the series were 0-0 final scores (1967 and 1992).

Mitch Stephens: Mater Dei 22, Servite 21
Kevin Askeland: Mater Dei 28, Servite 21
Jamie DeMoney: Servite 27, Mater Dei 21
Stephen Spiewak: Mater Dei 17, Servite 14
Leland Gordon: Mater Dei 27, Servite 18
Colin Ward-Henninger: Mater Dei 24, Servite 20




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Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.) at Valdosta (Ga.)

What to watch: Only two unbeaten teams remain in Georgia's power-packed 6A Region 1, and they will butt heads Friday night in Valdosta. No. 13 Colquitt County (7-0) was dominant in a 58-14 win over previously undefeated Lee County (Leesburg) last week. Junior quarterback Chase Parrish had his most efficient game of the season, completing 14 of 17 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Meanwhile, Valdosta achieved its first 7-0 start in 14 seasons with a 27-24 road win against Tift County (Tifton). Sophomore tight end Khalil Mcclain came up big for the Wildcats, catching eight passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

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Just the facts: According to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association website, Colquitt County has only one win in Valdosta's Bazemore-Hyder Stadium since the 2000 season. Overall, Valdosta has a 28-14 all-time record against the Packers including wins in 11 of the last 14 games in the series. … Valdosta's stadium is named after former coaches Wright Bazemore and Nick Hyder. The two combined for 517 of the Wildcats' national-record 889 all-time wins

Mitch Stephens: Colquitt County 42, Valdosta 35
Kevin Askeland: Colquitt County 40, Valdosta 35
Jamie DeMoney: Colquitt County 34, Valdosta 24
Stephen Spiewak: Colquitt County 30, Valdosta 27
Leland Gordon: Colquitt County 31, Valdosta 22
Colin Ward-Henninger: Colquitt County 28, Valdosta 17


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Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) at IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

What to watch: No fewer than 31 players who have received FBS scholarship offers are expected to suit up for this nationally televised Thursday night game. Trinity Christian Academy has won its last four games after being shut out, 17-0, by No. 14 Buford (Ga.) to open the year. The Conquerors avenged their only loss from 2013 by defeating Godby (Tallahassee) last week, 28-13, according to Jacksonville.com. Kevin Toliver, an LSU recruit and five-star prospect according to 247Sports, ran for 183 yards and two touchdowns on only seven carries. On the other side, after being humbled by St. John's (Washington) 35-2 in August, IMG (7-1) has won six in a row. The most notable result was a 36-20 upset of then-nationally ranked St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) on Sept. 26. Four-star prospect and Florida State-committed quarterback Deondre Francois has thrown for 952 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.

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Just the facts: The game will feature five players ranked among the Top 250 of 247Sports' Class of 2015 prospect rankings and 16 players who are committed to colleges in "power five" conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12). … IMG Academy, which is in only its second season playing a varsity schedule, also faced Trinity Christian last season. Trinity Christian won the game, 27-24.



Mitch Stephens: IMG 31, Trinity Christian 24
Kevin Askeland: IMG 35, Trinity Christian 14
Jamie DeMoney: IMG 30, Trinity Christian 20
Stephen Spiewak: IMG 20, Trinity Christian 14
Leland Gordon: IMG 21, Trinity Christian 19
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity Christian 21, IMG 17



{PAGEBREAK} Owasso (Okla.) at Union (Tulsa, Okla.)

What to watch: It's a battle of the top two teams in the latest MaxPreps Oklahoma state computer rankings. Second-ranked Owasso is the last unbeaten team in Class 6A/Division-I. The Rams (6-0) showed they are for real when they ended a 23-game losing streak to two-time defending state champion Jenks on Sept. 19. They can now secure an inside track to the 6A-I District 2 championship with a win Thursday against Union. The top-ranked Redskins have been rolling along since a season-opening 42-41 overtime loss against Texas power Southlake Carroll at AT&T Stadium. Quarterback Mason Farquhar is having an outstanding senior season, throwing for 1,181 yards and accounting for 21 touchdowns in six games.

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Just the facts: Owasso has taken two of its last three games against Union, but the Redskins still have a 6-2 edge in games played since 2004. … Owasso crushed winless Moore last week, 66-9. It's the first time the Rams have scored more than 60 points in a game since 2008.

Mitch Stephens: Union 42, Owasso 40
Kevin Askeland: Owasso 40, Union 28
Jamie DeMoney: Union 34, Owasso 21
Stephen Spiewak: Union 35, Owasso 28
Leland Gordon: Union 32, Owasso 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Union 44, Owasso 35


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Miramar (Fla.) at Flanagan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.)

What to watch: Miramar's senior class includes at least 10 players holding FBS scholarship offers, but still the Patriots will have their work cut out for them against a red-hot Flanagan squad on Friday night. Flanagan (6-0) has outscored its opponents by a combined 232-29 and hasn't allowed more than 10 points in any game this season. Senior quarterback Ryan Stanley, rated three stars by 247Sports, threw for 304 yards and accounted for four touchdowns as the Falcons bombed Cooper City last week, 42-2. Miramar also stayed unbeaten in Class 8A District 12 play with a 49-7 rout of crosstown rival Everglades. The Patriots are 5-2, with their only losses coming against current No. 18 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) and former Top 5-ranked American Heritage (Plantation) by a combined total of 14 points.



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Just the facts: Miramar has owned Flanagan in head-to-head matchups during the last decade, winning all eight meetings since 2004 by an average margin of 15 points. … Flanagan is coached by Devin Bush, a former Florida State defensive back and NFL first-round draft pick. Bush's son, Devin Jr., is a junior outside linebacker for Flanagan and is rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports.

Mitch Stephens: Flanagan 21, Miramar 17
Kevin Askeland: Miramar 28, Flanagan 20
Jamie DeMoney: Flanagan 20, Miramar 19
Stephen Spiewak: Miramar 17, Flanagan 14
Leland Gordon: Miramar 26, Flanagan 24
Colin Ward-Henninger: Miramar 27, Flanagan 24


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Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.) at Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

What to watch: The final two unbeaten squads in Class 4A District 7 will face off Friday night at Highmark Stadium in downtown Pittsburgh. Central Catholic (7-0) is coming off a 45-0 rout of Seneca Valley (Harmony). It was the Vikings' fourth shutout this season and 11th since 2013. Pine-Richland has begun a season 7-0 for the first time since 2006. The Rams have gotten strong play at the quarterback position from Ben Dinucci all year. The 6-3, 200-pound senior has completed over 75 percent of his passes for 1,915 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.

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Just the facts: Central Catholic won all three of its previous meetings against Pine-Richland, including a 49-14 blowout last season. … Central Catholic has been crowed the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Quad A champion four times since 2003. Pine-Richland has only one WPIAL title. It occurred in 2003 when the Rams still competed in Class 3A.

Mitch Stephens: Central Catholic 28, Pine-Richland 24
Kevin Askeland: Pine-Richland 28, Central Catholic 27
Jamie DeMoney: Central Catholic 20, Pine-Richland 14
Stephen Spiewak: Central Catholic 21, Pine-Richland 14
Leland Gordon: Central Catholic 25, Pine-Richland 14
Colin Ward-Henninger: Central Catholic 14, Pine-Richland 10




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Warren Central (Indianapolis) at St. Xavier (Cincinnati)

What to watch: After a tough conference loss against No. 23 Carmel last week, Warren Central (7-1) must bounce back in a hurry in order to get back into the win column against St. Xavier. Senior leadership will be counted on from Warren Central quarterback Jordan Leach. The Warriors' field general accounted for 171 of his team's 213 total yards and their only touchdown in the 17-10 loss to Carmel. Conversely, last week St. Xavier (5-2) earned at least a share of the Greater Catholic League South championship with a 24-21 win over then-No. 25 La Salle (Cincinnati). Senior kicker Myles Homan converted a chip shot field goal as time expired to earn the Bombers a fifth-straight win over La Salle.

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Just the facts: Warren Central is shooting for its second win in as many seasons against St. Xavier. The Warriors beat St. X last year, 34-28. … Friday will be the third game of the year against an out-of-state team for St. Xavier and its 37th since 2004. The Bombers are 1-1 versus non-Ohio teams this year and 26-10 during the past 11 seasons.

Mitch Stephens: St. Xavier 21, Warren Central 17
Kevin Askeland: Warren Central 14, St. Xavier 13
Jamie DeMoney: St. Xavier 27, Warren Central 17
Stephen Spiewak: St. Xavier 17, Warren Central 10
Leland Gordon: St. Xavier 22, Warren Central 17
Colin Ward-Henninger: Warren Central 21, St. Xavier 20


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Male (Louisville, Ky.) at Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)

What to watch: Unbeaten Male would all but lock up the Class 6A District 4 championship if it beats perennial power Trinity on Friday night. Male (7-0) nearly tripled St. Xavier (Louisville) in total yardage during a 30-13 win last week. Senior quarterback Davis Mattingly completed 25 of 36 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. It was the Bulldogs' largest margin of victory against St. Xavier in nine years. Meanwhile, Trinity is on an up-and-down ride this season, posting a 5-3 record so far against a tough schedule. The Shamrocks lost to archrival St. Xavier on Oct. 3, but rebounded with a 14-3 win over DuPont Manual (Louisville) last week.

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Just the facts: Male had lost five straight games against Trinity before beating the Shamrocks twice last season. … According to the NFHS Record Book, Male ranks third all-time nationally with 840 wins. The Bulldogs' first season was in 1893.

Mitch Stephens: Trinity 21, Male 17
Kevin Askeland: Trinity 35, Male 20
Jamie DeMoney: Male 28, Trinity 27
Stephen Spiewak: Male 20, Trinity 17
Leland Gordon: Male 29, Trinity 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Trinity 30, Male 27

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.