Video: MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the WeekIn addition to St. John Bosco-Mater Dei, three state titles are on the line in Hawaii, New Jersey and Indiana.
As
we get closer to December more and more state titles are on the line.
This week three are featured, but the biggest game going down is in
Southern California with the CIF Southern Section Division I
championship on the line between No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) and No. 3 Mater
Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.).
This is the third straight year these two schools meet in the section title, splitting the previous two.
One
of two new teams in the Top 25 this week — Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) — looks to
win its second consecutive New Jersey Non-Public Group IV championship
against St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.) at MetLife Stadium.
Hawaii
power St. Louis (Honolulu) is going for its third consecutive Division I Open
state title and the No. 8 team in the country has won 26 games in a row
dating back to 2016. They have to get by a very good Mililani (Hawaii) team who
has the state's all-time leading passer — Dillon Gabriel.
Warren
Central (Indianapolis) is going for its ninth state title on Friday night and first
since 2013 against Carmel (Ind.). This game features the best offense against
the best defense in Indiana for the 6A state championship.
The other six games feature teams from Georgia, Florida, Texas, Ohio, Alabama and Washington.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week
Friday, 7:30 p.m. (All time local) @ Cerritos College (Norwalk)
Top Players
The first time these two met this year St. John Bosco rolled to a 41-18 win. The Braves want to prove it wasn't a fluke and the Monarchs are hungry for another crack at the No. 1 team in the country. Uiagalelei threw for five touchdowns in the first meeting and the junior has emerged as the favorite to be named the MaxPreps National Player of the Year. He threw for nearly 400 yards and six touchdowns in last week's 56-10 win over a previously unbeaten Oaks Christian (Westlake Village). Mater Dei had one of the most impressive wins last weekend handing No. 15 Centennial (Corona) its only loss of the year with a 48-14 victory. The No. 1 cornerback in the Class of 2020 — Elias Ricks — had a night to remember taking back three interceptions to the house in the first half.
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Top Players
The last time these two squared off it was the for last year's 7A Georgia state championship. North Gwinnett's
Cameron Clark nailed a 38-yard field goal as time expired for a 19-17 win to give the Bulldogs their first state title in school history. The defending state champs face an even better Colquitt County team this time around. The Packers are 12-0 and have won every game by double digits. Rush Propst's squad is one of the most well-balanced teams in high school football. North Gwinnett has reeled off 10 straight wins since dropping its first two games of the season.
Saturday, 7 p.m. @ MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)
Top Players
The two top teams in New Jersey face off in the Non-Public Group
IV championship. The first meeting earlier in the season saw Bergen Catholic
outscored St. Joseph Regional 14-0 in the second half to win 24-20.
Expect another close game at MetLife Stadium on Saturday night. The
Crusaders are trying to repeat as state champs for the first time since
they went back-to-back in 1998 and 1999.
Friday, 7 p.m. @ Piqua Alexander Stadium
Colerain has looked like the favorite to win the Ohio Division I state championship this year but they have to get past the defending state champs first. The Cardinals are 13-0 and have put a running clock on 11 straight opponents. Pickerington Central is clicking at the right time and the Tigers knocked off the top three seeds in Region 3 to earn a spot in the Division I semifinals. The winner faces the winner of the St. Edward (Lakewood) vs. Olentangy Liberty (Powell) game on Nov. 30 in the championship game in Canton.
Friday, 7 p.m. @ Lucas Oil Stadium
Top Players
Get your popcorn ready for the 6A Indiana state championship game on Friday night. The Warriors bring in one of the most explosive offenses in the country led by the trio of George, Bell and Elliott. The Greyhounds have a big-time defense led by Robbins, Schmidt, Brevard and Wise. Getting Downing back and healthy has been huge for the offense. too. Expect fireworks at Lucas Oil Stadium as George tries to join his father, Jeff George, and older brother, Jeff George Jr., as state championship winning quarterbacks for Warren Central.
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Top Players
Cardinal Gibbons finally got through the American Heritage road block earlier this season and now the Chiefs have to do it again with a spot in the Florida 5A semifinals on the line. The Patriots were 11-0 against the Chiefs since 2009 but Cardinal Gibbons won the regular season meeting 24-14 in October. Unfortunately this time around Cardinal Gibbons won't have one of the top quarterbacks in the country,
Nik Scalzo, because he
tore his ACL in last week's win over Jones (Orlando) but they have a legit rushing attack and a big-time defense so American Heritage will still have its hands full on Friday.
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. @ Aloha Stadium
Top Players
St. Louis is trying to three peat as Division I Open champs and the only thing in its way is the state's all-time leading passer. Gabriel broke
Tua Tagovailoa's state record earlier this season and the 2019 Army commit is trying to end his high school career beating the current Alabama star's alma mater in the state championship game. It will be a tough task as the Crusaders have one of the best defenses in the country led by Tuitele and Botelho. DeLaura has been huge under center for St. Louis during his junior year and has shown he belongs in the same echelon with some of the former great Crusader quarterbacks.
Saturday, 2 p.m. @ Vernon Newsom Stadium (Mansfield)
Top Players
The next five weeks are going to be big-time football in the state of Texas. The 64-team field is beginning the second round this week and one of the biggest games features DeSoto and Southlake Carroll. This will be the third postseason meeting between the two Texas powers since 2013. The Eagles have won two of the previous three, but the Dragons won last year's meeting.
Friday, 7 p.m.
Top Players
The Alabama 7A field is one of the toughest playoff brackets in the country. Hoover is trying to three-peat as state champs and look to bounce Thompson out of the postseason for the second straight year. These two played earlier this season and despite Tagovailoa throwing for nearly 500 yards and four scores the Bucs rolled to a 45-26 win. Hoover is 22-1 lifetime against Thompson but none of that will matter on Friday night with a spot in the 7A championship game on the line.
Saturday, 1 p.m. @ Pop Keeney Stadium (Bothell)
Top Players
Bellevue is 12-0 this season but faces its biggest test of the season on Saturday. Eastside Catholic is one of the most talented teams on the West Coast and its lone loss this year came against Oaks Christian (West Village, Calif.). Adams has emerged as one of the top recruits from the Class of 2020 and has taken it to a new level in the playoffs. Eastside Catholic also has the top prospect from the Class of 2021 in Tuimoloau, who is one of the top defensive players in the country regardless of class.
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