Top high school football games for each week of the 2012 season

The 2012 season is only a week old and already one of the top games of the season will take place when Mallard Creek plays at Butler tonight.

Football begins in earnest in several states this week with more scheduled to begin play next week and just about every state in action by the end of the month. There are plenty of outstanding games on the docket this year, including interstate matchups, in-state rivalries and battles between No. 1 and No. 2.

Here's a season-long look at the top game in the nation for each week of the season:

Aug. 17 – Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.) at
Butler (Matthews, N.C.)
Butler is coming off an 11-2 season, but it won state championships in 2010 and 2009. The Bulldogs also have several of the state's top players in the lineup, including Tennessee-bound Riley Ferguson at quarterback, Georgia prospect Uriah LeMay at receiver and Stanford recruit Peter Kalambayi at linebacker. Mallard Creek nearly won the North Carolina 4A state championship last year, falling to Page after winning 13 straight games. Mallard Creek won last year's outing 28-20 and returns 15 starters, including Marquez North at wide receiver; Brian Walker at cornerback and Tevin Lawshe on the offensive line.



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Aug. 24 – Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
The Falcons will travel to the bright lights of Las Vegas to take on Bishop Gorman in one of the best interstate battles of the season. Our Lady of Good Counsel has won 18 in a row after going 12-0 last year. Although a number of Division 1 players are gone, a number remain for the Falcons, including Virginia Tech recruit Kendall Fuller at cornerback, Clemson prospect Dorian O'Daniel at linebacker and junior offensive lineman Sam Mustipher. The Gaels return 12 starters, including Arizona-bound quarterback Anu Solomon, from a team that went 15-1.

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Aug. 31 – Hoover (Ala.) at
South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)
The top-ranked team in Alabama has a tough one right out of the gate as Hoover travels to play Mississippi powerhouse South Panola. Hoover defeated the Tigers 24-13 last season and finished the year 13-2, but missed out on winning a state title. The return of Division 1 prospects Devon Earl at cornerback and Jamal Lucas at middle linebacker could change Hoover's fortunes. South Panola, which went 9-4 last year, figures to be in a better shape to defeat Hoover this season thanks to the return of 16 starters, including Antonio Conner at defensive back.

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Sept. 7 – American Heritage (Delray Beach, Fla.) at
Armwood (Seffner, Fla.)
It would be unwise for Armwood to overlook the small-school talents of the Stallions, who compete in Class 3A in Florida. Coach Doug Socha returns some of the state's best players, including running back Greg Bryant, from a team that went 12-1 last season. Armwood, a Class 6A school, went 15-0 on the field last season and returns eight starters. They include a number of Division 1 prospects led by quarterback Alvin Bailey.

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Sept. 14 – Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) at
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Assuming the Ironmen survive their test with Gilman in Week 1, they will receive a big threat to their long winning streak when they travel to play Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. Don Bosco Prep enters the season with 46 straight wins and six straight Non-Public section championships in New Jersey. The losses are heavy for the Ironmen, as eight Division I prospects have graduated and another potential Division 1 prospect, Jabril Peppers, has transferred. Aquinas lost three times last year (10-3), but it returns 12 starters including Division 1 prospects John O'Korn at quarterback and Fred Coppet at running back. Joey Bosa, a 6-5, 270-pound defensive end, is the top Raider prospect.

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Sept. 21 – Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) at
St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)
If Don Bosco Prep falters this season, these two teams will likely be there to pick up the pieces. Bergen Catholic starts out the season with the nod for the No. 1 spot thanks to the return of players like Kyle Queiro (headed to Northwestern), receiver John Tsimis and offensive lineman Rich Queen. Bergen Catholic went 8-3 last year, losing twice to Don Bosco Prep and knocking off St. Joseph Regional 30-17. The Green Knights begin the season ranked No. 2 in the state in the Freeman ratings. They lost just twice (10-2), once each to Don Bosco Prep and Bergen Catholic.



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Sept. 28 – Carmel (Ind.) at
Warren Central (Indianapolis)
The Greyhounds lost just once last season, and it was in this mid-season matchup with Warren Central. Carmel avenged that loss later in the season, defeating Warren Central 34-30 in the playoffs before going on to win the Class 4A championship. Coach Kevin Wright's team starts the season ranked No. 1 in Indiana thanks to the return of players like outside linebacker John Kenny and lineman Matt Sinclair. The Warriors begin the season ranked No. 2 in the state and have nine starters back from last year's 11-1 squad. They return top running back Shaq Breeding along with a number of other Division 1 prospects. However, coach Steve Tutsie also lost 13 players to Division 1 schools.

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Oct. 5 – Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) vs.
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Santa Margarita has 15 returning starters, but it also has one of the toughest schedules in the state of California. The team with the toughest schedule? That would be Servite, which has the fourth-toughest schedule in the country, according to the Freeman ratings. The Friars, who reached the state finals two years ago, return 10 starters. Santa Margarita boasts the state's top returning quarterback in Johnny Stanton, who led the Eagles to a Division I Bowl Game championship last year.

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Oct. 12 – Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) at Gaffney (S.C.)
The two-time defending Class AAAA I champion Byrnes Rebels lost just twice last year in posting a 13-2 mark, but one of those defeats came at the hands of Gaffney during the regular season. Byrnes went on to win 11 straight games, including a 35-13 rematch win over Gaffney in the state finals. Coach Chris Miller and his team begin the season ranked No. 2 in the state and will be led by junior quarterback Shuler Bentley. Gaffney is right behind in the initial Freeman ratings at No. 3 thanks to the return of 11 starters. The Indians have one of the state's top defenders in defensive end Jaylen Miller.

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Oct. 19 – Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) at
Eden Prairie (Minn.)
Take a look at the top two teams in Minnesota and you will find Eden Prairie and Wayzata. The rest really aren't even close. While those two squads rank in the Top 100, no other Minnesota team is in the Top 500. Both Eden Prairie and Wayzata went 12-1 in 2011 with each team beating the other. Wayzata won the regular season matchup 9-0 and Eden Prairie won the state championship game 13-3. Both teams are blessed with outstanding linebackers. The Eagles have Jack Cottrell and the Trojans counter with Chris Wipson.



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Oct. 26 – Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) at
Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)
No team in the nation plays a tougher overall schedule than Archbishop Moeller, as the strength of schedule rankings in the Freeman ratings bear that out. Besides the tough teams in the Greater Catholic League, which ranks as possibly the toughest league in the nation, Moeller will take on some of the top teams in Kentucky, Michigan and Indiana. If it can survive that rugged slate, it will meet Trinity (Louisville, Ky.), which begins the year ranked No. 1 in the Freeman national ratings. Trinity won easily last year, 49-14, and it returns 10 starters from a team that has won 25 straight games.

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Nov. 2 – Fayetteville (Ark.) at Bentonville (Ark.)
Fayetteville and Bentonville are the teams to beat in Arkansas once again and last year they each defeated each other, although Fayetteville won the state title with a 41-6 triumph in the championship game. The Bulldogs return 14 starters from last year's 12-2 squad, including quarterback Austin Allen, who ranks as one of the best in the nation. The Tigers are not quite as loaded, although they do return eight starters on defense including linebacker Garrett Kaufman.

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Nov. 9 – Camden County (Kingsland, Ga.) at
Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.)
The showdown for supremacy in AAAAAA Region 1 takes place in this game. Colquitt County finished 11-3 last year, including a 32-31 barnburner against Camden County last year. With 10 starters back, the Packers rank No. 2 in the state in the preseason Freeman ratings and will operate behind quarterback Cole Segraves. Camden County's only loss last season was to Colquitt County. Like the Packers, the Wildcats return one of the state's top quarterbacks in Brice Ramsey.