MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Video: Top 10 Games of the Week
No. 1 Mater Dei meets No. 5 St. John Bosco in a SoCal battle royale.

Bruce Rollinson and Mater Dei are one win away from making their first appearance in a CIF state bowl game. The only thing standing in their way is one of the best high school football programs — St. John Bosco. This is the fourth meeting between the two since 2016 and Mater Dei has won two of three, but the Braves handed the Monarchs their only loss of the season in last year's CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship.

Two new teams that jumped in the Xcellent 25 rankings presented by the Army National Guard from Ohio are meeting in the Division 1 state championship on Friday night — Mentor and Pickerington Central. History will be made as neither team has won a state title.

One of the most dominant programs in New Jersey history, Bergen Catholic, is going for its 17th state championship in school history and the only thing standing in its way is a very talented St. Peter's Prep team.

The other states featured in this week's slate of games are Texas, Florida, Nevada, Oklahoma and Kentucky.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) vs. No. 5 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (All times local) @ Cerritos College (Norwalk)

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Top Players

Mater Dei: QB JT Daniels (6-2, 205), WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (5-11.5, 190), OT Tommy Brown (6-6.5, 315), LB Solomon Tuliaupupu (6-2, 220) and ATH Bru McCoy (6-3, 215)

St. John Bosco: QB DJ Uiagalelei (6-4, 240), S Jaiden Woodbey (6-2, 205), CB Chris Steele (6-1, 190), WR Josh Delgado (5-11, 170) and S Stephan Blaylock (5-10, 185)

Storyline

A spot in the CIF Open Division state championship game is on the line this Saturday night at Cerritos College. Both these teams met in the section final last year and the Braves handed Mater Dei its only loss of 2016 with a 42-28 win en route to their second state title since 2013. This game features two of the best quarterbacks in the country regardless of class. Uiagalelei, the No. 3 rated pro style quarterback from the Class of 2020, has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns in seven starts. Daniels, the No. 1 rated pro style quarterback from the Class of 2019, has thrown for 3,500-plus yards and 44 touchdowns.

No. 21 Mentor (Ohio) vs. No. 25 Pickerington Central (Ohio)
Friday, 8 p.m. @ Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton)

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Top Players

Mentor: QB Tadas Tatarunas (6-4, 210), DE Noah Potter (6-5, 250), RB Eli McDougal (5-10, 180), WR Logan Shea (5-9, 170) and LB Mike Brey (5-11, 185)

Pickerington Central: QB Demeatric Crenshaw (6-2, 195), TE Trenton Gillison (6-5, 220), ATH Xavier Henderson (6-0, 190), TE Alex Morgan (6-5, 245) and CB Jaquwan Crawford (5-10, 160)

Storyline

History will be made Friday night in the Ohio Division 1 state championship game because the winner will claim its first football state title. Mentor has knocked off some Ohio powers on its road to the state title game including wins over St. Edward and St. Ignatius. Pickerington Central is coming off a 41-28 semifinal win over Colerain and it has won 11 in a row heading into this weekend.

No. 22 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) vs. St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)
Friday, 8 p.m. @ MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)

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Top Players

Bergen Catholic: QB Johnny Langan (6-3, 220), ATH Josh McKenzie (5-9, 185), RB Rahmir Johnson (5-10, 175), WR Dylan Classi (6-0 , 190) and LB Javontae Jean-Baptiste (6-5, 215)

St. Peter's Prep: ATH Shayne Simon (6-3, 215), DT Jayson Ademilola (6-3, 290), DE Justin Ademilola (6-3, 240), QB Maasai Maynor (6-0, 180) and ATH Chase Jones (6-2, 205)

Storyline

This could very well end up being the best game of the weekend. Bergen Catholic has won eight in a row since losing to No. 1 Mater Dei. St. Peter's Prep has won seven of its last eight games and the only two losses for the Marauders have come against Top 25 teams — St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) and Bergen Catholic). Bergen Catholic is going for its 17th state championship in school and first since 2004, while St. Peter's Prep is going for its third state title since 2005.

No. 10 Katy (Texas) vs. Atascocita (Humble, Texas)
Friday, 7 p.m. @ NRG Stadium (Houston)

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Top Players

Katy: RB Deondrick Glass (5-11, 190), DE Michael Matus (6-2, 235), CB KeShon Rowe (5-10, 170), OT Connor Galvin (6-6, 260) and RB Josh Oglesby (5-7, 180)

Atascocita: OT Kenyon Green (6-5, 315), CB Travian Blaylock (5-11, 175), QB Jack Roe (6-0, 170), LB Jaylon Allen (6-3, 210) and DT Bryton Thompson (6-2, 260)

Storyline

Atascocita has been rolling since losing to Klein Collins (Spring) in September. The Eagles have won nine games in a row outscoring the opposition, 492 to 91. Since Katy's season opening 24-21 win against The Woodlands the Tigers have allowed 48 points total in its last nine games. Katy has one of the best defenses in the state and they might have the best running back duo in all of Texas with Glass and Oglesby splitting carries. Katy is going for its ninth state championship — tied with Celina and Carroll (Southlake) for most in Texas high school football history. All three teams are still alive heading into the third round of the UIL Texas playoffs.

No. 14 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) vs. Reed (Sparks, Nev.)
Saturday, 12 p.m. @ Mackay Stadium (Reno)

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Top Players

Bishop Gorman: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (6-1.5, 195), TE Brevin Jordan (6-3, 250), LB Palaie Gaoteote (6-2, 235), DE Adam Plant (6-5, 245) and WR Jalen Nailor (5-11, 170)

Reed: QB Cameron Emerson (6-0, 185), LB Jake Olson (5-10, 190), DE Eric Schmitz-Moran (6-1, 220), LB Matt Johnson (5-10, 195) and CB Chase Merrill (5-8, 160)

Storyline

Bishop Gorman's quest for a ninth consecutive state championship runs through Reed, a team they have dominated over the last decade. The average margin of victory for the Gaels against the Raiders is 35.6 points/game and the closest Reed has come was a 25-point loss in the 2013 Nevada Division 1 state championship. Bishop Gorman hasn't lost a game to a Nevada opponent since 2008 against Palo Verde. The Gaels have won 96 straight games against in-state opponents.

No. 4 Allen (Texas) vs. Martin (Arlington, Texas)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. @ Southlake's Dragon Stadium

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Top Players

Allen: QB Grant Tisdale (6-1, 205), WR Theo Wease (6-3, 195), RB Brock Sturges (5-10, 200), DT Jayden Jernigan (6-1, 270) and CB Taj Bickham (5-11, 150)

Martin: RB Montrell Smith (5-10, 175), TE Brayden Willis (6-4, 215), ATH Juma Otoviano (5-10, 180), WR Sorrell Brown (6-2, 180) and LB Kelvin Spencer (6-1, 215)

Storyline

The Allen Eagles have made it to the semifinals five consecutive years and if they want to make is six straight they have to get by an 11-1 Arlington Martin first. The winner of this game plays the winner of Midland Lee and Euless Trinity with a spot in the UIL Texas 6A-D1 semifinal on the line.

Union (Tulsa, Okla.) vs. Owasso (Okla.)
Friday, 7 p.m. @ Chapman Stadium (Tulsa)

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Top Players

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)

Owasso: S Joshua Proctor (6-2, 190), QB Will Kuehne (6-1, 170), S Wayne Jones (6-0, 195), DE Courtre Alexander (6-4, 225) and RB Bryce Cabrera (5-9, 195)

Storyline

These two faced off earlier this year and it was one of the best games of 2017. Union outlasted Owasso 44-41 in overtime. This game features two of the best player in the state in 2018 Oklahoma State commit Moore and 2018 Ohio State commit Proctor. Union or Jenks has won Oklahoma's Class 6A (large schools) state title every year since 1996. This Owasso team presents the biggest threat to that streak over the last 31 years.

No. 11 Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) vs. St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.)
Sunday, 2 p.m. @ University of Kentucky

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Top Players

Trinity: WR Rondale Moore (5-8.5, 175), DE Stephen Herron Jr. (6-3.5, 235), QB Nick Bohn (6-0, 180), DE Arak McDuffie (6-5, 240) and RB Luke McGuire (5-10, 175)

St. Xavier: QB Jack Albers (6-1, 180), OG Wyatt Smock (6-4, 290), WR Cameron Garrett (6-2, 185), RB Anthony Moretti (5-10, 185) and OG Chase Farris (6-5, 315)

Storyline

Trinity rolls into the Kentucky Class 6A state championship game winners of 29 straight. The Shamrocks have won 12 state titles under current head coach Bob Beatty since 2001 and have a state record 24 titles overall in school history. Trinity vs. St. Xavier is one of the best rivalries in the country and it makes it even juicier when they square off in the state championship. This will be the sixth meeting between the two with the state title on the line and Trinity has won three of five.

Folsom (Calif.) vs. St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)
Saturday, 1:45 p.m. @ Sacramento State

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Top Players

Folsom: WR Joe Ngata (6-3, 180), QB Kaiden Bennett (6-0, 175), RB Daniyel Ngata (5-9, 180), WR Elijhah Badger (6-1, 185) and S Tanner Ward (5-9, 180)

St. Mary's: RB Dusty Frampton (5-11, 215), LB Harrison Heath (6-1, 195), WR Jamar Marshall (6-0, 180),  and QB Hunter Low (5-10, 160) and S Aaron Jenkins (6-1, 215)

Storyline

The Folsom Bulldogs earned a spot in their eighth consecutive section championship game knocking off Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.) 27-14 last week. Up next is St. Mary's in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 section championship. The last time these two faced each other was in last year's section championship game and the boys from Stockton cruised to a 56-25 win. St. Mary's is hoping they can get Marcus Aponte back for this game, if not they will have to rely on its third string quarterback, Low, for the third straight week.

St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) @ Venice (Fla.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.

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Top Players

St. Thomas Aquinas: CB Al Blades Jr. (6-0, 170), CB Asante Samuel (5-9.5, 165), WR Elijah Moore (5-11, 180), LB Nikolas Bonitto (6-2.5, 205) and S Jordan Battle (6-1, 170)

Venice: WR Jaivon Heiligh (6-2, 185), QB Bryce Carpenter (6-1, 195), DT Tyrone Barber (6-3, 275), S Noah Carr (5-11, 180) and DE Riley Prachar (6-4, 235)

Storyline

Venice has been one of the more underrated teams this year and the Indians showed they can hang with the big boys, trailing No. 2 IMG Academy 17-12 through three quarters. With a spot in the state championship game on the line, Venice get another chance to show they belong among the state's best against Florida power and the three-time defending 7A state champs, St. Thomas Aquinas. These two met in the semifinals last year and the Raiders cruised to a 46-8 victory.