Video: Top 10 Games of the WeekNo. 2 IMG Academy vs. No. 19 Centennial highlights weekend slate.
Labor Day weekend has become a prime occasion for top-notch high school matchups across the nation. In the latest edition of the MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week, we preview the best of the best for the upcoming three-day weekend – including contests involving eight of this week's Xcellent 25 teams.
The top out-of-state game will happen Saturday night when No. 2 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) plays No. 19 Centennial (Corona, Calif.). For IMG, it's the second game in as many weeks against a fellow nationally ranked team. It's the West Coast versus East Coast showdown at the Honor Bowl, being held in Mission Viejo (Calif.).
This week's preview also includes a look at top-ranked Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) as it prepares for Florida medium-school power Cocoa. The Tigers are looking for an even bigger upset win this Friday night after beating then-nationally ranked Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.) in overtime last week.
Photos by Dennis Carter and Louis Lopez
Saturday 7:30 p.m. (PDT)Why it's big: No. 2 IMG Academy (1-0) would strengthen its position in the national title race with a win over a nationally ranked opponent for the second straight week. The Ascenders looked as good as advertised in a 26-7 road victory against then-No. 2 Grayson last Saturday. No. 19 Centennial also beat an out-of-state power in its opener. The Huskies (1-0) rolled up 422 rushing yards and 370 yards through the air in a wild 56-49 triumph over Chandler (Ariz.).
Players to watch: Prior to last Saturday, Centennial senior
Miles Reed's career best in rushing yards was 77 yards. His new high-water mark is 302 yards, the total he gained on 32 carries against Chandler.
Manuel Allen – the No. 15 junior in California, according to 247Sports, hauled in six passes for 131 yards. … Texas A&M recruit
Kellen Mond ran for 148 yards and passed for 103 with three touchdowns in his IMG Academy debut last week.
Dylan Moses – the nation's No. 4 overall recruit – led the way on defense with a game-high 14 tackles.
Cocoa (Fla.) at No. 1 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Friday 7:00 p.m. (PDT)Why it's big: Fresh off last Sunday's overtime win over then-No. 16 Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), upset-minded Cocoa (1-0) must take it up even a notch or two higher this Friday night when it visits top-ranked Bishop Gorman. The Gaels (1-0) became No. 1 after pounding then-No. 5 Cedar Hill, 44-14, last Saturday. It was their 35th win in 45 games against non-Nevada opponents since 2004. Cocoa wants to improve on its 5-7 record against out-of-state foes since 2010.
Players to watch: Senior
Biaggio Ali Walsh wowed a national television audience with 197 rushing yards and three touchdowns on only 18 carries against Cedar Hill. The Cal commit has better than a 12 yards-per-carry average in three varsity seasons at Bishop Gorman. … South Florida recruit
Bruce Judson ran for a team-high 84 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime for Cocoa against Trinity Christian. Judson is the 16th-ranked athlete in the Class of 2017, according to 247Sports.
Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) at No. 23 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
Friday 7:00 p.m. (EDT)
Why it's big: Don Bosco Prep (0-0) wants to start the season off by earning long-time coach Greg Toal his 300th career victory and also improve an already impressive 4-1 record against Florida opponents. American Heritage is shooting for its second win in as many weeks against a national power from outside Florida. The No. 23 Patriots (1-0) were 17-14 road winners against two-time defending Georgia state champ Colquitt County last Saturday.
Players to watch: Jason Brown, American Heritage's Harvard-committed senior quarterback, accounted for both his team's touchdowns in the win against Colquitt County. … Don Bosco Prep's senior signal caller is
Tommy Devito, a Syracuse commit rated four stars and the fifth overall prospect in New Jersey by 247Sports.
Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) vs. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Friday 5:00 p.m. (PDT)
Why it's big: Another bi-coastal matchup in the Honor Bowl, featuring the explosive offense of Oaks Christian versus the power and physicality of St. Joseph's Prep. Oaks Christian (1-0) is fresh off a wild 65-55 win against state-ranked Chaminade. St. Joseph's Prep (0-0) – and its tendencies toward a more ball-control approach -- limited four of its 10 opponents last season to seven points or less.
Players to watch: Oaks Christian junior
Matt Corral threw for 407 yards and three touchdowns last week. The five-star USC commit totaled 3,283 passing yards and 36 scores as a sophomore. … St. Joseph's Prep's offense features
D'Andre Swift, rated the No. 4 running back in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports. Swift, a four-year starter, gained over 1,000 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns last season.
No. 9 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) at McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)
Friday 7:30 p.m. (EDT)
Why it's big: Grayson needs to bounce back fast after the 26-7 home loss against No. 2 IMG Academy. The Rams (0-1), rated No. 2 in the new Georgia Class 7A rankings, face the state's No. 3 team on the road this week in McEachern. The Indians (1-0) took last week off after opening with a 27-14 win against Archer on August 20.
Players to watch: Bailey Hockman, McEachern's senior quarterback and a Florida State commit, connected on two touchdowns passes to three-star receiver
Tyler Smith (North Carolina) against Archer. … Grayson's highest-rated prospects hooked up for the team's only touchdown against IMG when four-star Clemson commit
Chase Brice hit recent South Carolina commit
Jamyest Williams on a 53-yard pass play in the first half.
Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.) at No. 22 Allen (Texas)
Friday 7:00 p.m. (CDT)Why it's big: No. 22 Allen is hosting a perennial power from outside Texas for the second consecutive week. The Eagles (1-0) opened with a 25-7 triumph over Hoover (Ala.) to notch their 36th consecutive regular-season win last weekend. Evangel Christian (0-0) wants to improve on a 4-7 record against Texas opponents since the 2004 season.
Players to watch: Three-star senior quarterback
Connor Curry is back for his senior year after throwing for 1,709 yards and 19 touchdowns and leading Evangel Christian to the state semifinals last season. … Allen also has experience at the quarterback position with the return of senior
Mitchell Jonke. The three-star prospect had more than 2,600 combined passing and rushing yards and 32 total touchdowns last year.
Clinton (Miss.) at Brandon (Miss.)
Friday 7:00 p.m. (CDT)
Why it's big: It's No. 1-versus-No. 2 in the Mississippi state rankings when top-ranked Brandon hosts Clinton on Friday night. The teams have split their last 12 get-togethers. Brandon has won the last six matchups after Clinton won the previous six in a row between 2004-09.
Players to watch: Clinton's
Cam Akers – the top-rated Class of 2017 overall prospect in Mississippi by 247Sports – has 562 passing yards and 204 rushing yards with six total touchdowns this season. … Brandon's notoriously tough pass defense is led by
Rodney Hawkins Jr. The senior cornerback has three interceptions in two games this season.
Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) at No. 11 Steele (Cibolo, Texas)
Friday 7:30 p.m. (CDT)
Why it's big: Lake Travis needs to win at No. 11 Steele on Friday night to avoid its first 0-2 start in more than a decade. The Cavaliers (0-1) fell out of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 after losing to Converse Judson, 35-28. Meanwhile, Steele (1-0) crushed Madison (San Antonio), 37-7, on opening night. This will be the first-ever regular-season meeting between these two teams. They've met twice in the postseason, with Lake Travis beating Steele in the 2008 and 2009 playoffs.
Players to watch: Steele quarterback
Xavier Martin had 91 of his team's 264 rushing yards in the win over Madison. Martin, a three-star prospect, has committed to Texas Tech. … SMU recruit
Charlie Brewer passed for 221 yards and ran for 74 yards last week. The senior also had one touchdown pass, extending his streak of games with at least one scoring strike to 17 games.
Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) at No. 14 Westlake (Austin, Texas)
Friday 7:30 p.m. (CDT)
Why it's big: Liberty wants to be the second Nevada team in as many weeks to win a game in Texas over a nationally ranked opponent. Top-ranked Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) accomplished the feat first, beating then-No. 5 Cedar Hill by 30 points. Liberty, which is ranked second to Bishop Gorman in the Nevada state rankings, opened with a hard-fought 27-23 win over state-No. 4 Arbor View. Likewise, No. 14 Westlake is fresh off a tough 32-29 victory against defending national champion Katy.
Players to watch: Despite injuring both knees in the game, Texas-bound senior quarterback
Sam Ehlinger accounted for 332 of his team's 428 yards against Katy. Ehlinger reportedly underwent surgery earlier this week for a torn meniscus in one of his knees, leaving his status for Friday's very much in doubt. … Liberty quarterback
Kenyon Oblad began his junior season with 292 passing yards and four touchdowns against Arbor View. The three-star prospect threw for 3,106 yards and 34 touchdowns a year ago.
Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) at Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)
Friday 7:00 p.m. (MDT)Why it's big: Bingham travels to Lone Peak on Friday night in an early season No. 1-versus-No. 2 showdown in the Beehive State. Top-ranked Bingham opened its season by throttling defending 5A state champion Herriman, 45-0, last week. The Miners scored on their first seven drives of the game. Lone Peak (2-0) picked up its second win of the year with a 47-21 win over Dixie. The Knights have 14 consecutive regular-season victories.
Players to watch: Lone Peak senior quarterback
Dakota Hansen has over 400 passing yards and more than 150 yards on the ground so far this season. … Oregon-bound defensive end
Langi Tuifua and uncommitted tackle Jay Tufele – both rated four stars by 247Sports – are the headliners of a talented and tough Bingham defensive line.
MaxPreps contributor Jamie DeMoney has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than two decades. He is a Regional Content Manager and Product Specialist for XOS Digital and has compiled the National Prep Poll (PrepNation.com) since 1999.
