MaxPreps Top 10 football games of the week

Huge out-of-state games for New Jersey's top three teams and a matchup between last year's Class 4A champions in Texas are on tap in this week's MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week.

Defending national champion (according to the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard) Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) opens the season Friday at No. 23 Gilman (Baltimore) while St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.), the Garden State's preseason No. 1 team according to the Newark Star-Ledger, will be in travel Saturday to play St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) and No. 3 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) hosts defending Pennsylvania 4A champion La Salle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.).

Down in Texas, reigning 4A/I champion Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) puts its 48-game winning streak on the line when it hosts last year's 4A/II winner Aledo (Texas).

Top 10 Games of the Week author Jamie DeMoney and MaxPreps National Football Editor Stephen Spiewak are tied for first place through three weeks of the predictions contest with 22-8 records. Steve Montoya and the MaxPreps Projections (compiled by Ned Freeman) are right behind at 21-9. Track the season-long standings and all the weekly results here.

Without further ado, here's a look at this week's Top 10 games of the week along with predictions from MaxPreps staff writers Mitch Stephens, Steve Montoya, Stephen Spiewak, Kevin Askeland, contributor Jamie DeMoney and projections for the games by the MaxPreps computer rankings:

Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) vs. Gilman (Baltimore) Score: Don Bosco Prep 33, Gilman 6
The defending national champion in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 rankings will be tested sternly in its first outing of the season. Don Bosco graduated several key players — including eight who signed with FBS or FCS schools. Coach Greg Toal is also breaking in a new offensive coordinator to replace Nunzio Campanile, now head coach at rival Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.). There are inexperienced players throughout the lineup but not at quarterback, where University of Pittsburgh recruit Gary Nova returns to duty after throwing for more than 1,600 yards and 23 touchdowns with only three interceptions in 12 games. This trip down I-95 represents the Ironmen's 13th out-of-state game since the 2005 season. They are 11-1 in those matchups.

Gilman playmaker Darius Jennings made his presence felt early and often in the Greyhounds' 28-7 win over then-nationally ranked Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) last week. Jennings, a senior quarterback, ran for a touchdown to give his team the lead less than three minutes into the game and also threw for a score and finished the contest with 142 yards rushing. Gilman, ranked No. 23 in this week's MaxPreps Xcellent Top 25 rankings, also boasts two of the top juniors in the country in running back Kenneth Goins and receiver Cyrus Jones. Each scored a touchdown against Good Counsel.

Mitch Stephens: Gilman 21, Don Bosco 20
Steve Montoya: Gilman 24, Don Bosco 10
Stephen Spiewak: Don Bosco 17, Gilman 14
Kevin Askeland: Gilman 28, Don Bosco 27
Jamie DeMoney: Gilman 24, Don Bosco 14
MaxPreps Projection: Gilman 41, Don Bosco 21

St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) at St. Xavier (Cincinnati), Score: St. Xavier (Ohio) 32, St. Xavier (Kent.) 13
Louisville's St. Xavier looks to avenge its only loss from last season. The Tigers outscored opponents by an average of nearly 30 points per game but fell flat in a home 24-7 loss to the Bombers. Their offense has averaged 36 points in two games this season despite having nine new starters on that side of the ball. But the strength of this team was expected to be its defense, which is athletic and strong up front and features Kentucky commit Daylen Hall in the secondary.

Up in Ohio, the Bombers have feasted on teams from outside their state in recent years, winning 12 of their last 16 since 2006 against some very good out-of-state competition. Their defense — expected to be the strength of the team — played well, allowing Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) only one offensive score in a 21-6 season-opening loss. But it was not stellar last week in a 28-24 defeat of Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.). Senior running back Conor Hundley was the star for St. Xavier, rushing for 184 yards and a touchdown.

Mitch Stephens: St. Xavier (Ohio) 24, St. Xavier (Ky.) 21
Steve Montoya: St. Xavier (Ohio) 33, St. Xavier (Ky.) 17
Stephen Spiewak: St. Xavier (Ohio) 21, St. Xavier (Ky.) 14
Kevin Askeland: St. Xavier (Ky.) 35, St. Xavier (Ohio) 14
Jamie DeMoney: St. Xavier (Ohio) 17, St. Xavier (Ky.) 10
MaxPreps Projection: St. Xavier (Ky.) 24, St. Xavier (Ohio) 17

Jenks (Okla.) at Union (Tulsa, Okla.), Score: Jenks 33, Union 7
Not many high school football rivalries can lay a glove on this one. Not only do these teams operate in neighboring school districts — hence the nickname “Backyard Bowl” — they are unquestionably the top two large-school teams in Oklahoma for the last decade and a half. Jenks has won the 6A state title nine times since 1996 and Union has been champion the other five seasons, including the last two. Jenks won its opener last week in impressive fashion blasting former 5A power Bixby, 65-7. Running back Zach Langer, a Tulsa commit, ran for 101 yards and four touchdowns while three-year starting quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen completed 15 of 19 passes for 222 yards and two scores. Coach Allan Trimble, who has only 16 losses in nearly 14 seasons at Jenks, is back on the sidelines after being suspended for the final 10 games of 2009.

Union played at defending Louisiana 2A champion Evangel Christian (Shreveport) in its opener and came away with a 44-32 victory. Converted receiver Kale Pearson was sharp in his first start under center, completing 13 of 23 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns but the Redskins' defense allowed nearly 400 yards of offense and the team committed 14 penalties in the game. For several years, the Backyard Bowl has been played at the University of Tulsa's Chapman Stadium, where crowds approaching 30,000 were not uncommon. However, this year's game will be played at Union's Tuttle Stadium.

Mitch Stephens: Jenks 34, Union 33
Steve Montoya: Union 45, Jenks 41
Stephen Spiewak: Jenks 35, Union 34
Kevin Askeland: Jenks 40, Union 38
Jamie DeMoney: Jenks 37, Union 24
MaxPreps Projection: Jenks 35, Union 31

Cocoa (Fla.) vs. Abilene (Texas) Score: Cocoa 24, Abilene 21
Quietly and away from the glare of most national polls, Cocoa is playing about as good as any team in America. The Tigers, who own a 26-game winning streak, already have two wins against tough out-of-state opponents. They defeated Olive Branch (Mississippi), 14-7, in their opener and blew out Thomas Jefferson (Pittsburgh), 43-7, in Pennsylvania last week. Senior defensive backs Rick Rivers and Datarius Allen are leaders of a relentless unit that has allowed only three teams to score more than 20 points the last three seasons. Cocoa's offense doesn't have much experience and relies on Rutgers-bound scatback Chevelle Buie. The 5-foot-9 165-pounder had only 21 rushing yards against Thomas Jefferson but still found the end zone three times.

Some eyebrows were raised when Abilene won 15 consecutive games and captured its first state championship in more than 50 years last season, but the Eagles aren't sneaking up on anyone this year. Wearing the bulls-eye that comes with being a top-five team in the MaxPreps Xcellent Top 25 rankings, they have been in dog fights the first two games of the season. Only eight starters returned from last year's team but included are the top two players on the team: cousins Herschel Sims and Ronnell Sims. Herschel, an Oklahoma State commit and the 18th-ranked recruit in the country by MaxPreps, ran for 186 yards and a touchdown in the opener versus Belton (Texas). Ronnell led the team with 240 passing yards and three touchdowns in a win last week against Franklinton (La.). This is the first of two consecutive games against defending Florida state champions for the Eagles. They'll host Plant (Tampa) on national television next week.

Mitch Stephens: Abilene 28, Cocoa 27
Stephen Montoya: Cocoa 27, Abilene 21
Stephen Spiewak: Abilene 28, Cocoa 20
Kevin Askeland: Cocoa 31, Abilene 24
Jamie DeMoney: Abilene 24, Cocoa 7
MaxPreps Projection: Abilene 28, Cocoa 13

Aledo (Texas) at Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), Score: Aledo 14, Lake Travis 10
Aledo comes to this showdown of last year's 4A champions in Texas armed with one of the top junior running backs in the country. Johnathan Gray ran for more than 2,600 yards and was named MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year last season. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder totaled 214 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a win last week over Weatherford.

Lake Travis owns the nation's third-longest current win streak (48 games) and is ranked No. 25 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 this week. But the Cavaliers' high-powered offense has looked less prodigious than usual, due in part to injuries to their top two receivers. Even worse, Texas Tech-bound quarterback Michael Brewer is nursing a shoulder injury sustained in last week's 34-24 defeat of Hendrickson. So far this season, Brewer has passed for 596 yards and three touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Aledo 24, Lake Travis 23
Steve Montoya: Lake Travis 42, Aledo 31
Stephen Spiewak: Aledo 30, Lake Travis 24
Kevin Askeland: Aledo 35, Lake Travis 30
Jamie DeMoney: Lake Travis 49, Aledo 42
MaxPreps Projection: Lake Travis 27, Aledo 24

St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.) at Long Beach Poly (Calif.), Score: St. Bonaventure 32, Poly 7
Two of the "name-brand" programs in Southern California meet for the third consecutive season. Poly won the 2008 meeting 12-7 while St. Bonaventure was the victor on the field last year, 27-7. This is the first game of the year for the Seraphs, who are ranked No. 7 by the Los Angeles Times. They have two All-CIF linebackers returning in Cody Kurz (6-3, 245) and Jalen Jefferson (6-3, 215).

By Long Beach Poly standards, last year's 7-5 record was about as bad as it gets. The Jackrabbits won their opener last week but still didn't resemble great Poly teams from the past. They allowed Bakersfield (Calif.) to score 28 points — the second-highest total Poly has allowed since 2006. The Jackrabbits offense looked equally out-of-character, relying on the passing game to carry the mail. The good news is another future Long Beach Poly star may have emerged in junior quarterback Chaiyse Hales, who completed 15 of 24 passes for 312 yards and five touchdowns.

Mitch Stephens: Long Beach Poly 14, St. Bonaventure 13
Steve Montoya: Long Beach Poly 27, St. Bonaventure 17
Stephen Spiewak: Long Beach Poly, 17, St. Bonaventure 7
Kevin Askeland: Long Beach Poly 40, St. Bonaventure 28
Jamie DeMoney: Long Beach Poly 17, St. Bonaventure 10
MaxPreps Projection: Long Beach Poly 26, St. Bonaventure 17

LaSalle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.) at Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), Score: Bergen Catholic 22, LaSalle College 21
Defending 4A champ La Salle served notice last week it was still the team to beat in Pennsylvania. The Explorers handed preseason state-No. 1 North Penn (Lansdale) its first regular-season loss since 2007 with a 27-14 triumph on the Knights' home field. Perhaps most impressive was the fact that they did it with standout running back Jamal Abdur-Rahman being held to only 18 yards on nine carries. In his first start, junior quarterback Matt Magarity completed 13 of 22 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns.

Former Don Bosco (Ramsey, N.J.) offensive coordinator and athletic director Nunzio Campanile is Bergen Catholic's new head coach, replacing Fred Stengel, who went 192-49 with nine state titles in 22 years at the helm. The Crusaders have talent galore at the offensive skill positions and a veteran group of linemen to pave the way. Receiver Cameron Dickerson has committed to Stanford and running back Karell Bostick is headed to Akron. Perhaps the team's top overall player is senior Tanner McEvoy (6-5, 200), who was moved to quarterback during the offseason after starting two years at receiver and defensive back.

Mitch Stephens: Bergen Catholic 24, La Salle 14
Steve Montoya: Bergen Catholic 31, La Salle 24
Stephen Spiewak: Bergen Catholic 24, La Salle 21
Kevin Askeland: La Salle 21, Bergen Catholic 20
Jamie DeMoney: Bergen Catholic 23, La Salle 20
MaxPreps Projection: La Salle 28, Bergen Catholic 22

St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) at St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia), Score St. Peter's Prep 35, St. Joseph's Prep 7
This is the season-opener for St. Peter's, which went 9-3 last season with two losses coming at the hands of national champion Don Bosco (Ramsey) and the other to St. Joseph's Prep. The Marauders have a strong offensive line ready to open holes for the top running back in the state, Savon Huggins. MaxPreps' No. 48 recruit ran for nearly 1,500 yards with 18 touchdowns last year. With a new starting quarterback and very little experience back at receiver, this team could struggle in the passing game.

St. Joseph's Prep's first game under coach Gabe Infante was a 36-25 defeat of Public League power George Washington (Philadelphia). Infante took over the job from Gil Brooks, who was let go last spring after 18 years despite winning nearly 75 percent of his games and five Catholic League titles. The Hawks looked potent on offense in their opener, led by junior quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg. The early Stanford commit threw three touchdown passes and ran for another two in the game. Mornhinweg is the son of Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

Mitch Stephens: St. Peter's 28, St. Joseph's Prep 24
Steve Montoya: St. Joseph's Prep 36, St. Peter's 25
Stephen Spiewak: St. Peter’s 42, St. Joseph’s Prep 28
Kevin Askeland: St. Peter's 35, St. Joseph's Prep 21
Jamie DeMoney: St. Joseph’s Prep 27, St. Peter’s 21
MaxPreps Projection: St. Peter's 35, St. Joseph's Prep 27

Richmond (Rockingham, N.C.) at Butler (Matthews, N.C.), Score: Butler 21, Richmond 7
Only four teams have won the Class 4AA championship in North Carolina since 1999 and this matchup has two of them. Richmond, the 2007 champion, is off to a 3-0 start but hasn't looked sharp on offense. That unit – which returned only three starters from last year's 12-2 team – struggled last week in a 14-2 defeat of Anson (Wadesboro, N.C.). To have any hope of knocking off Butler, the Raiders will probably need a big performance from running back Walter Ellerbe, a talented senior who was limited last week due to a leg injury.

Butler, the defending 4AA titlist, won its first two games by comfortable margins but is still finding its footing on offense. The Bulldogs leaned heavily on running backs Deion Walker and Jahwan Edwards in last week's 35-14 win against Vance (Charlotte, N.C.). The quarterback position remains under the control of talented sophomore Riley Ferguson. He assumed the role after Georgia-bound senior Christian LeMay opted to skip his senior season rather than accept a 30-day suspension for violating school rules.

Mitch Stephens: Butler 28, Richmond 21
Steve Montoya: Butler 28, Richmond 21
Stephen Spiewak: Butler 35, Richmond 24
Kevin Askeland: Butler 28, Richmond 21
Jamie DeMoney: Butler 39, Richmond 16
MaxPreps Projection: Butler 42, Richmond 17

Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.) at Bellevue (Wash.), Score: Skyline 28, Bellevue 21
Without question, the top two programs in the Evergreen State over the last decade will do battle for the first time since the 2007 season opener. Skyline is in definite rebuilding mode after graduating state player of the year Jake Heaps and three more FBS/FCS signees from last year's team, which won the school's fifth championship since 2000. Sophomore quarterback Max Browne excelled in his first varsity start, throwing for 418 yards and five touchdowns, but they lost last week's season-opener to Liberty (Renton, Wash.), 39-34. Washington commit Kasen Williams, No. 36 in the MaxPreps Top 100 Recruits list, nabbed an interception on defense against Liberty but was overshadowed by teammate Jordan Simone, who caught six balls for 207 yards and four touchdowns.

Bellevue has won more than 90 percent of its games under coach Butch Goncharoff and has seven Class 3A championships since 2001. Like Skyline, the Wolverines have a new starter at nearly every position. Nevertheless, their always-potent Wing-T offense wore down state-ranked Union (Vancouver, Wash.) last week for a 20-6 victory at Qwest Field. Joey Mangialardi ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries against the Titans and Latrelle Dukes gained 79 yards on 14 attempts.

Mitch Stephens: Skyline 35, Bellevue 34
Steve Montoya: Bellevue 35, Skyline 13
Stephen Spiewak: Bellevue 35, Skyline 28
Kevin Askeland: Bellevue 38, Skyline 21
Jamie DeMoney: Bellevue 31, Skyline 28
MaxPreps Projection: Bellevue 27, Skyline 20

MaxPreps contributor Jamie DeMoney has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years. He is editor and founder of PrepNation.com. You can reach him at PrepNation@aol.com.