Video: MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the WeekNine of the 10 games this week are win-or-go-home playoff matchups.
The playoffs are there in every state except Texas and nine of our Top 10 Games of the Week are win-or-go-home contests.
Our Game of the Week features No. 19 Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) taking on JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) in a huge CIF Southern Section Division I quarterfinal. The other CIF SS D-I contest to crack the list is No. 4 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) taking on Mission Viejo (Calif.)
Sticking in the Golden State, No. 12 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) takes on Pittsburg (Calif.) in the CIF North Coast Section Open Division semifinal and Upland (Calif.) takes on Norco (Calif.) in a huge Southern Section Division II quarterfinal meeting.
The Ohio Division I field is loaded and one of the weekend's biggest contests features Mentor and Canton McKinley.
The WCAC Final Four gets cracking Friday with a showdown between No. 25 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)) and Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.). The two met three weeks ago and the Stags rolled to a 32-2 win. In the other WCAC semi, No. 3 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) hosts fellow District resident Gonzaga. The game is a rematch of last week and the Cadets extended their win streak to 16 with a 34-17 victory.
Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) is two wins from its third straight state title in the Beehive State's largest classification. The Miners have to get past a very good American Fork (Utah) team in order to keep the three-peat dreams alive.
Chandler (Ariz.), the No. 20 team, also is on a quest for a third straight state title and are favorites to win the 6A bracket but must get past Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) on Friday with a spot in the semifinals awaiting the winner.
The only non-playoff game featured this week is a Texas-sized rivalry with the district title on the line as DeSoto (Texas) meets Cedar Hill (Texas.).
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week and
Follow LiveTop PlayersOaks Christian: DE
Kayvon Thibodeaux (6-4.5, 240), RB
Zach Charbonnet (6-2, 215), ATH
Josh Calvert (6-3, 220), WR
Bryce Farrell (5-11, 170), LB
Ryan Franke (6-4, 210)
JSerra Catholic: WR
Tarik Luckett (6-2.5, 185), WR
Munir McClain (6-4, 210), RB
Chris Street (5-8, 190), LB
Jaden Genova (6-0, 200), DE
Shawn Nielsen (6-2, 255)
There's a very good chance the Battle of the Lions will be the best game of the weekend. Oaks Christian has rolled to an 11-0 record, while JSerra Catholic's only two losses are against two Top 5 teams — St. John Bosco and Mater Dei. This will be Oaks Christian's biggest
test of the season and things don't get any easier for the winner
as they'll likely face the No. 1 team in the country in
the semifinals, St. John Bosco.
Cedar Hill (Texas) @ DeSoto (Texas)Thursday, 7 p.m.Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersCedar Hill: CB
Donovann Collins (5-11, 170), WR
Zakhari Franklin (5-10, 165), DT
Xavier Ross (6-3, 285), QB
Shayne Lawrence (6-2.5, 190), S
Kirk Lockhart (5-10, 180)
DeSoto: WR
La'Vontae Shenault (6-1, 185), QB
Shun'Darion Ward (5-11, 170), WR
Bryon Hanspard (5-11, 180), DT
Viramontes Pippens (6-1, 290), DE
Devere Levelston (6-4, 255)
You
can throw away the records anytime these two lock horns but that won't
be the case this Thursday because the winner clinches at least a
share of the 6A Region-I District 7 title. Both teams come in with
identical 8-1 records. This will be the 15th meeting between the two
Texas powers since 2004 and DeSoto has won eight of the previous 14,
including three in a row.
No. 4 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) @ Mission Viejo (Calif.)Friday, 7 p.m.Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersMater Dei: ATH
Bru McCoy (6-2.5, 210), CB
Elias Ricks (6-2, 180), QB
Bryce Young (6-0, 175), DT
Keyon Ware-Hudson (6-2, 305), CB
Darion Green-Warren (6-0, 165)
Mission Viejo: ATH
Akili Arnold (5-11, 170), QB
Joey Yellen (6-2.5, 210), WR
JoJo Forest (5-11, 175), RB
Jamari Ferrell (5-8, 175), ATH
Deavyn Woullard (5-11, 175)
This is the seventh meeting since 2004 between the two SoCal powers with the previous six games split. The Monarchs have won
the last two and both came in the playoffs, including a 49-21 win in 2017 en route to finishing the year as the No. 1 team in high school football. This
winner advances to the CIF Southern Section Division I semifinals and
awaits the winner of No. 8 Corona Centennial vs. Rancho Cucamonga.
Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) vs. American Fork (Utah)Thursday, 11 a.m. @ Rice-Eccles Stadium Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersBingham: LB
Lolani Langi (6-2, 220), DT
Simote Pepa (6-3, 320), LB
Junior Tafuna (6-3, 220), ATH
JJ Greenfield (6-0, 180), LB
Saleka Ata'ata (6-0, 220)
American Fork: WR
Chase Roberts (6-4, 185), QB
Boone Abbott (6-2, 175), LB
Bodie Schoonover (6-4, 210), WR
Devin Downing (6-2, 175), CB
Stockton Bramwell (6-0, 150)
This will be the second meeting between the two in 2018 and Bingham nearly blew a 21-10 fourth quarter lead but a late
Peyton Jones
touchdown in the final 30 seconds gave the Miners a 28-24 win. The Miners have won all eight matchups against American Fork since 2006. The Utah
power is two wins away from winning their third consecutive state title
in the state's largest classification.
Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) @ No. 20 Chandler (Ariz.)Friday, 7 p.m.Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersMountain Pointe: CB
Lacarea Pleasant-Johnson (6-0, 170), DE
Anthony Dedrick (6-4, 235), QB
Nick Wallerstedt (6-3, 180), RB
Jakim McKinney (5-8, 170), LB
Rashion Hodge (6-2, 225)
Chandler: QB
Jacob Conover (6-1, 205), DT
Matthew Pola-Mao (6-2, 295), TE
Brayden Liebrock (6-5, 220), RB
DeCarlos Brooks (5-9, 190), S
Avery Carrington (6-3, 190)
Chandler
has been the kings of Arizona for the past three years. The Wolves are
going for their third straight 6A state title and Conover is a perfect
9-0 as the starting quarterback in the playoffs. He has thrown for
2,500-plus yards and 33 touchdowns in his postseason career. This will be
the 10th meeting between the Wolves and Pride since 2004. Mountain Pointe has won
five of the previous nine, but Chandler has won both playoff matchups
including a 36-17 win in the 2016 6A state championship game.
Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) @ No. 3 St. John's (Washington, D.C.)Saturday, 1 p.m. Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersGonzaga: DE
Joseph Weté (6-4, 220), QB
Caleb Williams (6-0, 190), CB
Dean Engram (5-9.5, 165), LB
Hunter Stewart (6-3, 225), TE
Justin Ball (6-6, 230)
St. John's: WR
Rakim Jarrett (6-0, 180), DT
Tre’ Williams (6-1.5, 310), RB
Keilan Robinson (5-9, 185), QB
Sol-Jay Maiava (6-0.5, 185), ATH
Quinten Johnson (5-11, 190)
The
WCAC postseason is one of the toughest brackets to win as it features
the four best teams in the DMV area. No. 3 St. John's is one of the few
teams who has a legit shot at finishing the year as the No. 1 team in
the nation, but Cadets have to get by a good Gonzaga team first.
These two played last week and St. John's rolled to a 34-17 win, but it's always tough to beat a team in back-to-back weeks. St. John's won its
first conference championship since 1989 last year and is two
wins away from repeating.
Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) @ No. 25 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)Friday, 7 p.m. Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersGood Counsel: ATH
Cam Hart (6-3, 190), LB
Julio Ayamel (6-1, 215), LB
Jalen Green (6-2, 220), RB
Latrele Palmer (5-11, 210), OT
Mason Lunsford (6-5, 305)
DeMatha: S
Nick Cross (6-0.5, 205), S
DeMarcco Hellams (6-1, 205), DE
Coziah Izzard (6-3, 265), WR
Jermaine Johnson Jr. (5-10, 165), OT
Andrew Allmond (6-6, 320)
Expect
the second meeting between these two to be a lot closer. DeMatha forced five turnovers and scored two defensive
touchdowns as they cruised to a 30-point victory three weeks ago. The winner of this one takes on the winner of St.
John's/Gonzaga for the WCAC championship next weekend. This will be the
22nd meeting between the two Maryland powers and DeMatha has won 12 of
the previous 21 including six of the last seven matchups.
Pittsburg (Calif.) @ No. 12 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)Friday, 7 p.m.
Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersPittsburg: DT
Jacob Bandes (6-3, 305), ATH
Willie Harts (6-0, 160), DT
Dejon Benton (6-2.5, 260), LB
Jack Lacy (5-11, 210), WR
Justin Boyd (5-10, 155)
De La Salle: LB/FB
Henry To'oto'o (6-2, 230), DE/TE
Isaiah Foskey (6-5, 230), RB/S
Shamar Garrett (5-7, 165), LB
Jhasi Wilson (6-1, 215), CB
Taveis Marshall (6-2, 170)
Saying
De La Salle has dominated football in Northern California would be an
understatement. The Spartans haven't lost a game against a NorCal opponent since
1991. That loss came against the same school they face Friday in the
North Coast Section Open Division semifinal. The Spartans enter this
weekend as huge favorites and would represent Northern California in the CIF Open Division state
championship on Dec. 8 with two more wins.
Mentor (Ohio) vs. McKinley (Canton, Ohio)Friday, 7 p.m. @ Brunswick Auto Mark StadiumGame Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersMentor: OT
Ryan Jacoby (6-5, 270), DE
Noah Potter (6-5.5, 250), OG
Nick Samac (6-4, 260), RB
Brian Trobel (5-7, 170), QB
Ian Kipp (6-3, 190)
McKinley: QB
Alijah Curtis (5-10, 180), WR
Khyree Woody (5-9, 160), RB
Lameir Garrett (5-10, 185), LB/DE
Andrew McClellan (6-1, 210), LB
Joseph Saipaia (5-11, 225)
Canton
McKinley got its first playoff victory since 2012 in the first round and looks
to ride that momentum against the top seed in its region. Mentor's lone
loss this year came against the team McKinley just beat — Solon.
The Cardinals have been one of the top teams in Ohio all year and have a
good chance to make it back to the Ohio Division-I state championship
game for the second consecutive season.
Norco (Calif.) @ Upland (Calif.)Friday, 7 p.m. Game Preview and
Follow LiveTop PlayersNorco: ATH
Jaden Navarrette (6-3, 235), QB
Shane Illingworth (6-6, 225), LB
Blake Beecher (5-10, 205), RB
Jaydn Ott (5-11, 170), WR
Marquis Ashley (5-10, 160)
Upland: LB
Justin Flowe (6-2, 225), RB
Cameron Davis (6-0, 185), WR
Taj Davis (6-2, 185), CB
Zahran Manley (6-2, 175), LB
Kyle Floyd (6-0, 175)
The
CIF Southern Section Division II bracket is one of the most competitive
in high school football. All eight teams left have a legit chance to
win it all. Upland's Justin Flowe is the top-rated prospect in California from the
Class of 2020 and is the No. 4 recruit overall. Cameron and Taj Davis
are both 2019 Washington commits and are two of the best playmakers in
Southern California. Norco's combination of Illingworth and Navarrette
is one of the most dynamic duos in SoCal. They are both rated in the Top
200 overall from the Class of 2020.
