MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Video: Top 10 Games of the Week
See Zack Poff tackle this week's top games, including a Vegas showdown between Bingham and Kahuku.

While there isn't a 1 vs. 2 showdown this week, there still are plenty of big games going down. Las Vegas hosts the inaugural Polynesian Football Classic that features two Top 25 teams in Saturday's main event — No. 23 Kahuku taking on No. 16 Bingham.

There's another big-time showdown going down in Vegas, too. On Friday night, No. 6 Bishop Gorman looks to bounce back after suffering its first loss since 2013 last week against No. 1 Mater Dei. The Gaels host Miami Central, a team just outside of the Top 25.

The other Top 25 matchup this weekend is between New Jersey and Pennsylvania as No. 19 St. Peter's Prep makes the two-hour trip to take on No. 15 St. Joseph's Prep in one of the biggest games of the week.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

No. 23 Kahuku (Hawaii) vs. No. 16 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah)
Saturday, 8 p.m. PST @ Sam Boyd Stadium (Las Vegas)

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Top Players

Kahuku: QB Sol-Jay Maiava (6-0.5, 170), OT Enokk Vimahi (6-5, 270), LB Miki Ah You (6-1, 170), CB Kaonohi Kaniho (5-10, 160) and DE Samson Reed (6-3, 250)

Bingham: RB Braedon Wissler (5-7, 165), WR Dax Milne (6-0, 180), WR Brayden Cosper (6-3, 195), LB Lolani Langi (6-2, 195) and DT Simote Pepa (6-2, 295)

Storyline

This is a matchup of two of the best defenses in high school football. Kahuku is 4-0 and has only allowed 13 points so far in 2017. The Red Raiders are also holding opposing offenses to less than 100 total yards a game. They face its toughest test this weekend though in Bingham, which averages over 40 points per contest.

No. 19 St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) @ No. 15 St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Saturday, 4 p.m. PST @ Widener University (PA)

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Top Players

St. Peter's Prep: LB Shayne Simon (6-3, 215), DT Jayson Ademilola (6-3, 290), DE Justin Ademilola (6-3, 240), QB Maasai Maynor (6-0, 180) and DE RJ Oben (6-4, 230)

St. Joseph's Prep: QB Marquez McCray (6-2, 205), WR Darryle Simmons (6-2, 210), DT Ryan Bryce (6-4, 280), LB Philip O'Connor (6-0, 210) and RB Kolbe Burrell (5-8, 185)

Storyline

This is one of two Top 25 matchups going down this weekend. St. Peter's Prep dominated last weekend when it shutout Union City (N.J.) 48-0. This is probably the most talented St. Peter's team since Minkah Fitzpatrick and Brandon Wimbush led the Marauders to the Non-Public Group 4 title back in 2014. St. Joseph's Prep won its third state title since 2013 last year and will have to depend on McCray under center a lot more this season with D'Andre Swift now at Georgia.

Central (Miami) @ No. 6 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Friday, 7 p.m. PST

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Top Players

Miami Central: RB James Cook (5-11.5, 180), LB Robert Hicks (6-0, 240), WR Terrell Perriman (5-10, 175), CB Chandler Jones (5-10, 175) and RB Lexington Joseph (5-10, 170)

Bishop Gorman: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (6-1.5, 195), LB Palaie Gaoteote (6-2, 235), TE Brevin Jordan (6-3, 250), WR Jalen Nailor (5-11, 170) and DE Adam Plant (6-3, 225)

Storyline

This will be the first time since 2013 that Bishop Gorman will be playing a game coming off a loss. The Gaels had their 55-game winning streak snapped last week against No. 1 Mater Dei. When it comes to talent Miami Central is right up there with anyone in the country. The Rockets have one of the best, and deepest, backfields in high school football with Cook, Joseph, star freshman Amari Daniels and Kijon Owens. When it comes to D1 talent, this game will have plenty of future college stars on the field.

Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.) @ No. 8 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. PST

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Top Players

Chaminade: RB Andrew VanBuren (6-0.5, 215), WR Michael Wilson (6-2, 180), LB Blake Antzoulatos (6-2, 215), QB Ryan Stevens (6-1, 170) and DT Alex Gubner (6-3, 290)

St. John Bosco: S Jaiden Woodbey (6-2, 205), QB Re-al Mitchell (5-11.5, 195), S Stephan Blaylock (5-10, 175), CB Chris Steele (6-1, 175) and RB Demetrious Flowers (5-11, 200)

Storyline

St. John Bosco took out its frustration from a season-opening loss to No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) on Garces Memorial (Bakersfield, Calif.) last weekend, winning 63-0. Chaminade has looked great so far in 2017. Just like Miami Central, they are two of the five teams among the "Next Five," so if either wins this week they could earn a spot in the Top 25. Chaminade has one of the best offensive lines and running backs in the country so we will find out on Friday if they are ready to battle against the top-tier teams in the state.

No. 4 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) vs. John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.)
Saturday, 1 p.m. PST @ Shreveport Independence Stadium (La.)

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Top Players

Grayson: LB Owen Pappoe (6-0, 205), RB Ronald Thompkins Jr. (5-11, 190), OT Wanya Morris (6-5, 270), CB Kenyatta Watson (6-2, 175) and WR Kenyon Jackson (6-5, 200)

John Curtis: LB Jay Curtis (6-1, 215), QB Collin Guggenheim (5-11, 185), TE Glenn Beal (6-5, 250), WR Tyrone Legette (5-10, 155) and RB Marquese Albert (5-8, 185)

Storyline

Grayson has posted back-to-back quality wins and is going for its third straight against John Curtis Christian. This game features the best team from Georgia and one of the top teams in Louisiana. The Rams are one of the most talented squads in the country led by 5-star linebacker Owen Pappoe, the No. 5 recruit overall in the Class of 2019. The Patriots got a nice win to start the 2017 season last week against the defending 5A state champs, Landry-Walker.

Union (Tulsa, Okla.) vs. Jenks (Jenks, Okla.)
Thursday, 5:30 p.m. PST @ University of Tulsa's Skelley Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium

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Top Players

Jenks: QB Ian Corwin (5-11, 165), LB Mitchell Kulkin (6-0, 210), LB Treyvon Miller (6-1, 230), RB/LB Noah Hernandez (5-10, 205) and OL/DL Hunter Spankowski (6-2, 255)

Union: WR CJ Moore (6-5, 175), DT Jordan Kelley (6-3, 295), S Patrick Fields (6-0, 190), QB Peyton Thompson (6-2, 190) and WR A.K. Wilson (5-9.5, 170)

Storyline

You can throw the records out when these two teams lock horns. This is one of the biggest rivalries in high school football. This Thursday's contest will be the 54th matchup between the two schools since 1977. Jenks has won 33 of the 54 games, but Union won the most recent one in last year's 6A-I state semifinals. Union won the state title and kept the streak alive of either Jenks or Union winning the state's largest classification title since 1996.

No. 17 Steele (Cibolo, Texas) @ Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Friday, 5:30 p.m. PST

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Top Players

Steele: S Caden Sterns (6-1, 190), CB Jayveon Cardwell (5-11.5, 175), S JT Woods (6-2, 175), RB De'Quavion Thomas (5-9, 185) and RB Brenden Brady (5-11, 190)

Lake Travis: WR Garrett Wilson (6-0, 180), QB Matthew Baldwin (6-2.5, 195), ATH Hudson Card (6-2, 170), DE Kade Langston (6-1, 235) and S Nathan Parodi

Storyline

Both teams finished 2016 playing at AT&T Stadium in the state championships last year. Steele lost to DeSoto in the 6A-D2 final, while Lake Travis beat The Woodlands in the 6A-D1 title game. The Cavaliers only returned six starters from last year's team and it showed in their 65-45 season opening loss to Judson (Converse). Steele has one of the best secondaries in the country led by 2018 Texas commit Sterns.

Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.) @ No. 12 Allen (Texas)
Friday, 5:30 p.m. PST

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Top Players

Evangel Christian Academy: DT Davin Cotton (6-1, 260), LB Micah Baskerville (6-2, 215), S Ardarius Washington (5-8, 175), DT Elijah Chatman (6-0, 245) and S Jarrick Bernard (6-1, 195)

Allen: QB Grant Tisdale (6-1, 205), WR Theo Wease (6-3, 190), RB Brock Sturges (5-10, 200), WR Carson Schleker (5-9, 180) and DT Jayden Jernigan (6-1, 270)

Storyline

Both teams opened 2017 with impressive wins. Evangel Christian Academy beat a very good East St. Louis (Illinois) team on the road and Allen won by two scores against Cedar Hill (Texas). The thing that made Evangel's win even more impressive is 4-star LSU commit Cotton was battling an injury and had to come out of the game. The defense didn't drop a beat and Class of 2019 standout Chatman stepped up big-time. Allen rode a strong running game against Cedar Hill as 2018 Arizona State commit Sturges rushed for over 100 yards and a score. This will be the second consecutive year these two face off. Allen handed Evangel Christian Academy one of its two losses last season with a 45-10 victory.

Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) @ No. 22 Chandler (Ariz.)
Friday, 7 p.m. PST

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Top Players

Mountain Pointe: RB Gary Bragg (5-9, 165), DT Shomari Hayes (6-2, 280), CB/RB Delano Salgado (5-11, 185), RB Jakim McKinney (5-7, 160) and QB Nick Wallerstedt (6-3, 180)

Chandler: RB Drake Anderson (5-11, 170), DT Chris Manoa (6-0, 300), WR Jarick Caldwell (6-3, 200), QB Billy Bolger (6-4, 220) and RB DeCarlos Brooks (5-10, 185)

Storyline

The top two teams in the state face off this Friday, and there are some big-time names left off the top players list because of injuries. Mountain Pointe lost 4-star defensive tackle Matthew Pola-Mao before the season started, and last week against Chaminade (Calif.) lost its second best defensive player, Kenny Churchwell with a shoulder injury. There is still no official word if the 3-star safety will be able to suit up for the Pride. Chandler lost starting quarterback Jacob Conover in the opener against IMG Academy (Fla.) and he will be out another couple weeks with a sprained AC joint. Last week, 2018 BYU commit Gunner Romney, 4-star linebacker Zach Bowers and sophomore defensive back Gunner Maldanado all suffered injuries in Chandler's 35-28 overtime win against Pinnacle (Phoenix).

St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.) @ St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Saturday, 11 a.m. PST

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Top Players

St. Joseph Regional: DE Howard Cross (6-2, 240), QB Nick Patti (6-3, 200), TE Matt Alaimo (6-4, 225), S Evan Stewart (6-1, 205) and QB/WR Michael Alaimo (6-2, 175)

St. John's: QB Kevin Doyle (6-4, 210), RB Keilan Robinson (5-9, 175), DT Cam Goode (5-11, 315), LB Mekhail Sherman (6-3, 235) and WR Quinten Johnson (5-10.5, 190)

Storyline

St. John's was a quarter away from knocking off No. 13 De La Salle, but couldn't hold on to a 31-14 lead midway through the third quarter. Things don't get easier this week against a very good St. Joseph Regional team. The Green Knights are one of five teams on the "Next Five" so with a win against St. John's there is a good chance they get into the rankings next week. These two faced off last year and St. John's won 21-10, outscoring St. Joseph Regional 14-0 in the fourth quarter.