The only MaxPreps Top 25 matchup of the week features two of the premier programs in Florida as No. 15
American Heritage (Plantation) hosts No. 6
Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) on Friday. The Lions are coming off an impressive 61-21 win over previously-ranked Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.). The Patriots were off last week after their game against Glades Central (Belle Glade, Fla.) was canceled because of weather.
Chaminade-Madonna is 3-0 with all three wins coming against teams in our expanded top 100. Heritage beat St. John's (Washington, D.C.) 45-20 in its season-opener and followed that with a 27-14 win over Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.).
No. 10
St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) needed a last-second field goal to pull out a 34-33 win at Elder (Cincinnati) last week and has another big road test at
Washington (Massillon, Ohio). Both teams are 4-0 and the Tigers are the only team that has beat the back-to-back Division 1 state champs since 2022, when they rallied for a 31-28 win.
Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) was one of two teams to drop out of the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings after a 35-10 loss against Chandler (Ariz.). The Lancers get a huge opportunity to make their case to return as they host
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) on Friday. The Trailblazers are 3-0 and are looking for their second win against a Trinity League opponent.
Kahuku (Hawaii) lost 55-8 at No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) last week and now the Red Raiders get No. 3
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) on Saturday. They are one of two non-Trinity League schools that play these two national powers this season. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) is the other.
The remaining six games are all in-state matchups that include California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana and Nevada.
Davion Gause is one of the weapons for No. 6 Chaminade-Madonna as it heads into a MaxPreps Game of the Week showdown against No. 15 American Heritage. (Photo: Laura Martin)
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The last three times meetings have been a one-score game. Chaminade-Madonna won 42-34 last year, snapping a nine-game losing streak against the Patriots. Gause rushed for 268 yards and three touchdowns while Smith had three receptions for 100 yards and a score. This is the 16th meeting since 2004 with Heritage winning nine of the previous 15.
Friday, 7 p.m.
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One of the big questions heading into this showdown is the health of St. Edward's starting quarterback
Casey Bullock. He got hurt in the fourth quarter in last week's 34-33 win over Elder (Cincinnati) and
Thomas Csanyi finished the game under center. The Tigers have won every game by double-digits, outscoring the opposition 190-34 this season.
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Both teams are just outside the MaxPreps Top 25, so a win on Friday will go a long way in joining the national rankings. Sierra Canyon checks in at No. 31 in our expanded top 100, while Orange Lutheran is five spots lower at No. 36. Lateef didn't play in the second half of last week's 35-10 loss against Chandler (Ariz.) as the Lancers were outscored 21-3 in the final 24 minutes.
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Last year's MaxPreps National Champs concludes its non-league schedule with a fifth out-of-state matchup in Hawaii. The Braves are coming off a 37-14 win over St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) and are winning by an average margin of 23 points per game this season. The Red Raiders are coming off their first loss of the season against Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). The back-to-back Open Division state champs have gone 26-3 since 2021.
Thursday, 7 p.m.
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The Gaels finished their out-of-state schedule last week with an impressive 56-28 win over No. 21 Centennial (Corona, Calif.). It was their third win against a team currently ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25. Liberty was the last in-state team to beat Bishop Gorman in the 2019 4A state semifinals. The Gaels have won 20 in a row vs. Nevada opponents since, outscoring the opposition 1,146-50.
Friday, 7 p.m.
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Edna Karr has posted back-to-back shutouts to begin the season. The Cougars rolled past Landry-Walker (New Orleans) 33-0 in their season-opener and followed that with a 45-0 win over Scotlandville (Baton Rouge) last week. The Fighting Eagles took down Ruston 20-19 to open the season and beat Catholic (Baton Rouge) 49-26 last week. The Cougars have won 11 straight on the field against Warren Easton. Last year's 67-20 win was overturned to a forfeit loss.
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Both teams are off to 3-0 starts. Palmetto began the season with a 13-12 win over a very talented Homestead squad. The Explorers have gone 17-1 since the start of last season, with the only loss coming against Central (Miami) 42-35. Last year's 4M state champs erased a 21-0 deficit against Clearwater Academy International (Clearwater) and pulled out a 28-21 to open the season. They have outscored their last two opponents 80-14.
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
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Do not let Cedar Grove's 2-2 record fool you. The Saints nearly beat an undefeated Westlake (Atlanta) squad but lost 46-41 after the Lions scored the game-winning touchdown in the final minute. They bounced back and beat Collins Hill (Suwanee) 37-26 last week. The Hawks lost last year's MaxPreps National Player of the Year
Caleb Downs but that hasn't slowed down the defending AAAAAAA state champs. They are 3-0 and have outscored the opposition 118-34.
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The Spartans started the year with consecutive losses to Orange Lutheran (Orange) and No. 24 Serra (San Mateo) but got their first win last week beating Saint Francis (Mountain View) 35-17. They rushed for 267 yards, led by Kelley who finished with 135 yards and a score. Faavae added three rushing touchdowns. Since 2010, the Rams had lost seven consecutive times against De La Salle but snapped that streak with a 45-35 win last season.
Friday, 7 p.m.
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These two teams have combined to start the year 7-1 and the only loss was a 35-34 overtime defeat when Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) beat Fishers last week. This one features two of the best running backs in the state. Martin has rushed for 715 yards and 11 scores. Sherrell hjas racked up 774 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns to go with 144 yards receiving and two more scores.
