While the Oklahoma battle between Jenks and Broken Arrow figured to be one of the top matchups in the country this week, the contest developed new intrigue with the suspension of Jenks head coach Allan Trimble.
Trimble stepped down as head coach for the remainder of the season last week after it was revealed that he had helped a player transfer from Virginia. MaxPreps writer Dave Krider has more on the controversy.
A couple of long winning streaks are also on the line this week as Smith Center, owner of a 72-game win streak, faces its toughest test in Colby. Meanwhile, Plymouth (N.H.) is hoping to win its 50th straight game when it faces 4-1 Laconia this week.
MaxPreps Projections went 7-3 last week to up its record to 39-21. Stephen Spiewak is in second place at 38-22 while Mitch Stephens is 37-23 and Kevin Askeland is 33-27.
Top 10 Games of the Week
Jenks (Okla.) at Broken Arrow (Okla.)
Although there is plenty of controversy swirling around Jenks this week, the Trojans are still the No. 1-ranked team in the state and are playing one of the state’s best teams in Broken Arrow. Jenks played last week without Trimble and still blasted Sapulpa 62-27. Zack Langer had three touchdowns and Cory Jones had two in last week’s win while Sawyer Kollmorgen threw for 192 yards.
Broken Arrow is 4-1 with the only loss coming in the season opener against Union. The Tigers have rebounded nicely with four straight wins, including a 38-21 victory over Booker T. Washington and a 28-0 shutout of Owasso. The Tigers topped Muskogee 37-6 last week with former Muskogee quarterback Archie Bradley throwing three touchdown passes against his old team.
Mitch Stephens: Jenks 24, Broken Arrow 21
Steve Spiewak: Jenks 24, Broken Arrow 21
Kevin Askeland: Jenks 40, Broken Arrow 32
MaxPreps Projection: Jenks 28, Broken Arrow 20
Emory Miller, Horn
Photo by Kyle Dantzler
Tyler (Texas) at Horn (Mesquite, Texas)
The Tyler Lions have worked their way up to the No. 3 ranking in the state of Texas and a No. 17 national ranking according to the MaxPreps Freeman Rankings. The Lions (5-0) are coming off big wins over Rider, 53-13, and Lewisville, 70-6, with Jeremy Johnson leading the way on offense. He has accounted for 1,486 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns.
Horn is also undefeated at 5-0, although it has had to work a little harder on offense. The Jaguars average just over 30 points per game thanks to the talents of Emory Miller, who has thrown for 1,204 yards and 13 touchdowns and has rushed for a team-best 328 yards and five scores. Horn is ranked No. 9 in the state by MaxPreps.
Mitch Stephens: Tyler 28, Horn 21
Steve Spiewak: Tyler 28, Horn 27
Kevin Askeland: Tyler 35, Horn 30
MaxPreps Projection: Tyler 28, Horn 24
Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) at Mauldin (S.C.)
With the play of Byrnes through the first month of the season, it would be easy to overlook other teams in the Palmetto State, but Dorman has had a heck of a season in its own right. Ranked No. 2 in the state behind Byrnes, the Cavaliers have scored at least 35 points in each of their last five games and are 6-0 on the season. Dorman is also the team that defeated Byrnes in the regular season last year before falling in the state championship game to the Rebels. Dorman has one of the state’s best passers in Johnny Foster, who has thrown for 1,193 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Cavaliers play a Mauldin team that is also undefeated and has put up some impressive numbers of its own. In building a 6-0 record, the Mavericks are averaging 52 points a game, including a 63-34 win over Mann and a 63-21 victory over Westside. The Cavaliers are off to their best start in nearly 30 years.
Mitch Stephens: Dorman 34, Mauldin 28
Steve Spiewak: Dorman 30, Mauldin 20
Kevin Askeland: Dorman 42, Mauldin 28
MaxPreps Projection: Dorman 42, Mauldin 22
Northwestern (Miami, Fla.) at Central (Miami, Fla.)
At the beginning of the season, many football pundits predicted that a Miami high school team would be near the top of the national rankings. However, few predicted that Central, and not Northwestern, would be that team. The Rockets have rocketed to the top of the national charts, placing No. 2 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 after last week’s 36-0 victory over Carol City. Central has allowed just three touchdowns on the season and has posted three shutouts. Meanwhile, quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey has been thrust into the National Player of the Year argument with 251 yards and four touchdowns in the Carol City win.
Northwestern was the team expected to be near the top of the rankings and that was the case for the first three weeks of the season; however, a 35-28 loss to Washington last week dropped the Bulls from Xcellent 25. Still, the Bulls are a dangerous team with Teddy Bridgewater, a National Player of the Year candidate in his own right, leading the way at quarterback.
Mitch Stephens: Central 35, Northwestern 34
Steve Spiewak: Central 35, Northwestern 21
Kevin Askeland: Central 40, Northwestern 30
MaxPreps Projection: Central 42, Northwestern 22
Rockford (Mich.) at Muskegon (Mich.)
The rubber game of the three-year series between Michigan powerhouses Rockford and Muskegon will take place on the home field of the Big Reds this week. Rockford was 13-1 last year with the only loss being a 34-6 defeat at the hands of Muskegon in Week 8. On the flip side, Muskegon had lost just one regular-season game between 2006 and 2008, and that was a 28-21 loss to Rockford in 2007.
Big Reds is in the midst of one of its toughest seasons in nearly five years. Muskegon has already lost twice, falling to Grand Haven 13-12 and East Kentwood 22-19. Rockford, meanwhile, shut out Grand Haven 14-0 two weeks ago. Rockford, which won state titles in 2004, 2005 and 2008, is led by quarterback Tim Masiewicz with 533 yards passing. Four Rockford running backs have at least 180 yards rushing on the season. Muskegon has won 17 state championships in school history, including three in the past six seasons.
Mitch Stephens: Muskegon 21, Rockford 20
Steve Spiewak: Rockford 28, Muskegon 7
Kevin Askeland: Rockford 21, Muskegon 20
MaxPreps Projection: Rockford 21, Muskegon 17
Central Catholic (Modesto, Calif.) at St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.)
The Sac-Joaquin Section battle between Central Catholic and St. Mary’s could have an impact on a pair of NorCal bowl berth bids. The Rams, who played in the Division II bowl last year, are currently ranked as the favorite to receive the bid for the Open Division by CalPreps. Meanwhile, Central Catholic is the favorite to play in the Division III bowl game. Both teams qualify for the Division III bowl game, but the Open Division can pull a team from any of the other divisions. Both teams also play in the Sac-Joaquin Section, but in different divisions. St. Mary’s was the Division I section champ last year while Central Catholic, a perennial Division V section champion, lost to Hilmar in last year’s playoffs.
Both teams are undefeated at 4-0. St. Mary’s has some big wins over Bellarmine, 34-10, Jesuit of Carmichael, 48-3, and Lincoln of Stockton, 48-18. Meanwhile, Central Catholic has dusted top NorCal Division III contenders Cardinal Newman, 36-12, and Sutter, 27-0. The Raiders have a solid passing game with Dylan Swartz throwing for 708 yards on the year. The Rams’ passing attack is even better with Marcus McDade throwing for 807 yards and nine scores.
Mitch Stephens: St. Mary's 42, Central Catholic 31
Steve Spiewak: St. Mary's 28, Central Catholic 17
Kevin Askeland: St. Mary's 35, Central Catholic 21
MaxPreps Projection: St. Mary’s 35, Central Catholic 14
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) at Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
The Stags are the top team in Maryland according to the MaxPreps Freeman Rankings and have risen to No. 6 in the nation according to the MaxPreps Xcellent 25. DeMatha has yet to be truly challenged this year in building a 5-0 record. The closest game was a 56-35 victory over Gilman. That win featured a 391-yard rushing performance by Marcus Coker, who also scored five touchdowns in the win. The 6-1 senior has rushed for 1,066 yards and 14 touchdowns in five games this season.
The Falcons of Our Lady of Good Counsel are also 5-0 and ranked just behind DeMatha in the Washington D.C. area by the Washington Post. Along with a 49-37 win over Gilman, the Falcons also routed Mount St. Joseph 42-0 and O’Connell 35-8. Wes Brown has been the most consistent ball-carrier for Good Counsel, rushing for 542 yards in five games. He has gone over 100 yards in each of the last three games, including 148 in the O’Connell victory.
Mitch Stephens: DeMatha 28, Our Lady of Good Counsel 21
Steve Spiewak: DeMatha 42, Our Lady of Good Counsel 28
Kevin Askeland: DeMatha 36, Our Lady of Good Counsel 14
MaxPreps Projection: DeMatha 34, Our Lady of Good Counsel 31
Palo Verde (Las Vegas, Nev.) at Legacy (North Las Vegas, Nev.)
The No. 2 and No. 3 teams in Nevada meet in North Las Vegas when Legacy hosts Palo Verde. Both teams are 6-0 on the season and 4-0 in Sunset Northwest play. The two teams have amazingly similar resumes. Legacy has scored 246 points on the season while Palo Verde has 260. Legacy has allowed 58, Palo Verde 48.
The Longhorns have one of the top running backs in the state of Nevada in Deshae Edwards. The senior averages just over nine yards per carry with 954 yards on 103 attempts. His best outing of the season came in a 63-7 win over Virgin Valley when he rushed for 227 yards and scored five touchdowns. He is the third-leading rusher in the state according to statistics compiled by MaxPreps. Palo Verde, meanwhile, uses a multiple-back set with Tyron Blake (608 yards), Brandon Wright (532) and Chappell Thomas (512) alternating carries. The trio has combined for 26 touchdowns on the season. MaxPreps correspondent David Schoen has more on the matchup.
Mitch Stephens: Palo Verde 21, Legacy 20
Steve Spiewak: Palo Verde 30, Legacy 20
Kevin Askeland: Palo Verde 36, Legacy 25
MaxPreps Projection: Palo Verde 35, Legacy 31
Colby (Kan.) at Smith Center (Kan.)
Coach Roger Barta and the Smith Center Redmen have had some close calls of late, but they still own the nation’s longest active win streak at 72 games in a row. The Redmen are 5-0 and won their first two games of the season by identical 59-0 scores. However, Smith Center has won the last three outings by a combined total of 14 points, beating Norton 20-14, Phillipsburg 14-12 and Ellis 16-10. That’s a far cry from two years ago when Smith Center’s average margin of victory was 62 points.
Nevertheless, Smith Center is perfect on the season and may be facing its toughest test of the regular season when Colby comes to town. The Eagles are 4-1 on the season with four straight wins. Colby has a 50-0 win over Plainville, a team Smith Center defeated 59-0. The Eagles have a strong fleet of running backs, led by Ethan Stickel with 576 yards and backed by Adam Weber with 304 and Kale Arnberger with 265. Smith Center, meanwhile, averages 300 yards on the ground with Colt Rogers rushing for 560 yards and eight touchdowns and Matt Atwood adding 315 yards. The Redmen have attempted just nine passes on the season with two completions, but both receptions have gone for touchdowns.
Mitch Stephens: Smith Center 28, Colby 21
Steve Spiewak: Smith Center 31, Colby 10
Kevin Askeland: Smith Center 38, Colby 14
MaxPreps Projection: Smith Center 28, Colby 7
Laconia (N.H.) at Plymouth (N.H.)
The Laconia Sachems will get the chance to end the second-longest active 11-man win streak in the nation this weekend when they travel to take on Plymouth, owners of a 49-game win streak. Laconia is 4-1 on the season and is coming off a 39-7 win over Sanborn. Brian Bozek came up big in the victory for the Sachems, rushing 16 times for 176 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Plymouth defeated Laconia 14-7 in last year’s New Hampshire Division IV state championship game. The Bobcats had a close call earlier this season in a 21-14 win over Kennett. Kyle McAuliffe was the hero for Plymouth, as he rushed for 238 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries.
Mitch Stephens: Plymouth 28, Laconia 14
Steve Spiewak: Plymouth 44, Laconia 21
Kevin Askeland: Plymouth 14, Laconia 12
MaxPreps Projection: Plymouth 34, Laconia 19
