By Stephen Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
Though the winter is usually reserved for high school basketball, football teams across the country are still hard at work. In some places around the country, programs are gearing up for spring football. Elsewhere, weightlifting and speed training are the emphasis.
For many of the nation’s top programs, January is a time to solidify their 2009 schedule, which increasingly includes match-ups against teams from other states.
One recently announced game that made waves in the high school football community is a potential West Coast shootout between Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) and Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.).
Both teams were undefeated state champions, and both feature high-profile quarterbacks.
For Oaks Christian, Nick Montana will run the show under center. The 6-foot-2 son of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana is being courted by several Division I programs.
Providing a huge lift for the Lions offense is Malcolm Jones. Jones, who will be a four-year starter, is one of Southern California’s most electrifying athletes and should see a bulk of the carries for Oaks Christian next fall.
Skyline features rising senior Jake Heaps, a heavily recruited quarterback getting attention from the likes of Washington, Brigham Young and Notre Dame.
Heaps has the luxury of throwing to a star in the making at wide receiver. Kasen Williams, only a sophomore in 2008, earned MaxPreps Sophomore All-American honors after putting up big playoff numbers of the second-straight season. He is also one of the state’s best safeties.
The game will be especially meaningful for Oaks Christian. The team was on the outside looking in for the CIF state bowl games and was unable to reach an agreement to play St. Bonaventure, who has represented Southern California in the Division III bowl game each of the last two seasons.
Instead, St. Bonaventure will play non-league games against Long Beach Poly and Bishop Amat.
Bosco Headed South
In 2008, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) traveled to De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) and defeated high school football’s most storied program.
In 2009, the Ironmen will once again test their mettle against a team from a different part of the country with a date at Prattville (Ala.) to take on the three-time Alabama 6A champion Lions, MaxPreps.com has learned.
The Ironmen, who were rumored to be discussing games with Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) and possibly a rematch with De La Salle, have won three straight Non-Public Group IV titles. The team graduates star quarterback Brett Knief and running back Dillon Romaine, but return a loaded defense that should carry the team early on.
Prattville opens its season against North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.) and expect to host Don Bosco in week five. The Ironmen will play a tougher in-state schedule this season, including state semifinalist St. Peter’s Prep.
Carolina Battle
Two of the top teams from the Carolinas will square off next season.
Defending South Carolina 4A-II state champ South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.) will host one of North Carolina’s most storied programs, Independence, on Sept. 4 according to Barry Byers of the Rock Hill Herald.
The two teams recently agreed to a home and home; South Pointe will travel to Charlotte in 2010.
South Pointe should be ready for an early-season showdown with the Patriots. The Stallions will scrimmage defending 4A-I champion Byrnes on Aug. 18.
Showdown in Utah
The game that fans in the Beehive State have been clamoring for will finally arrive in 2009 when the Alta Hawks take on the Timpview Thunderbirds in a huge early-season match-up, according to Alta head coach Les Hamilton.
Hamilton said that the two teams will rent Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, which has a capacity of 20,000. With Alta’s back-to-back 5A crowns and Timpview’s three-peat at the 4A level, Hamilton expects the game to sell out.
Bingham, another 5A power, will also reportedly be taking on Euless Trinity (Texas) as part of the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series. The Miners feature star 2011 runningback Harvey Langi, a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American, who has already received several Division I offers.
