MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Video: Top 10 Games of the Week
Five featured games will end with a state-title winner.

The best quarterback from Pennsylvania lines up against one of the best defenses in the country with a state championship up for grabs.

The Sunshine State is down to the final week and there are some big-time games led by a Top 25 showdown between No. 19 Northwestern and No. 25 Armwood in the Class 6A state championship.

Three marquee matchups from the Lone Star State are featured this week with the winner clinching a spot in the semifinals.

The other states featured this week are California, Georgia, and North Carolina.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

No. 8 St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) vs. No. 24 Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.)
Saturday, 6 p.m. (All times local) @ Hersheypark Stadium (Hershey)

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Top Players

St. Joseph's Prep: QB Marquez McCray (6-2, 205), DT Ryan Bryce (6-4, 280), LB Philip O'Connor (6-0, 200), RB Kolbe Burrell (5-7, 180) and S Dawson Deluliis (5-11, 195)

Pine-Richland: QB Philip Jurkovec (6-5, 215), ATH Kenny White (6-0, 185), WR Jason Defrancisis (5-9, 170), WR Raymond Falcone (6-1, 190) and CB Thomas Burns (5-9, 150)

Storyline

St. Joseph's Prep, the defending Pennsylvania Class 6A state champs, is one win away from winning its fourth state title since 2013. The Hawks face a very talented Pine-Richland team which enters Saturday's showdown 15-0. Jurkovec has emerged as one of the 2017 National Player of the Year award candidates. The 2018 Notre Dame pledge has thrown for nearly 4,000 yards and rushed for 1,100+ to go with 58 total touchdowns.

No. 19 Northwestern (Miami) vs. No. 25 Armwood (Seffner, Fla.)
Friday, 8 p.m. @ Camping World Stadium (Orlando)

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Top Players

Northwestern: QB Tutu Atwell (5-8, 155), CB Divaad Wilson (6-0, 180), LB Demetreius Mayes (6-2, 235), DT Calijah Kancey (6-1, 230) and WR Nigel Bethel (5-11, 160)

Armwood: RB Brian Snead (5-11, 200), LB James Miller (6-1, 225), DE Malcolm Lamar (6-5, 250), DE Fitzroy Gardner (6-3, 205) and QB Devin Black (6-1, 170)

Storyline

Two of the best defenses in the state will be on the field on Friday night with the Florida Class 6A state championship on the line. This will be Northwestern's eighth title game appearance and first since 2008. This will be the fourth state championship appearance for Armwood over the last five years.

Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.) vs. North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.)
Saturday, 8 p.m. @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

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Top Players

Colquitt County: LB JJ Peterson (6-1.5, 210), QB Steven Krajewski (6-4, 205), RB Ty Leggett (5-10, 175), RB Daijun Edwards (5-11, 185) and LB Rashad Revels (6-0, 185)

North Gwinnett: CB Warren Burrell (5-11, 175), RB Tyler Goodson (5-10, 185), WR Josh Downs (5-10, 165), LB Jayden McDonald (6-2, 200) and QB Jimmy Urzua (6-2, 190)

Storyline

Winning the Georgia Class 7A state title is one of the hardest things to do in high school football and North Gwinnett and Colquitt County are each one win away from accomplishing that feat. Rush Propst is one win away from winning his third state title at Colquitt since 2014. North Gwinnett is trying to do something it never has — win a state championship.

No. 20 Westlake (Austin, Texas) vs. Steele (Cibolo, Texas)
Saturday, 8 p.m. @ The Alamodome (San Antonio)

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Top Players

Westlake: RB Nakia Watson (5-11, 210), DE Braden Cassity (6-2, 24), LB Jake Ehlinger (6-0, 205), QB Taylor Anderson (5-11, 170) and DE David Neil (6-2, 220)

Steele: S Caden Sterns (6-1, 190), RB Brenden Brady (5-11, 190), LB Juan Henry (6-1, 230), CB Jayveon Cardwell (5-11.5, 175) and QB Wyatt Begeal (5-9, 160)

Storyline

Austin Westlake is trying win its first title since Drew Brees (1996) was under center. Steele made it to the 6A-D2 state championship last year and has unfinished business after losing to DeSoto (Texas) in last year's title game. Sterns is one of the best all-around players in Texas and his No. 1  job will be slowing down Watson, one of the best running backs in the state.

No. 7 Katy (Texas) vs. North Shore (Houston, Texas)
Saturday, 2 p.m. @ NRG Stadium (Houston)

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Top Players

Katy: RB Deondrick Glass (5-11, 190), DE Michael Matus (6-2, 235), CB Keshon Rowe (5-10, 170), OT Connor Galvin (6-6, 260) and RB Josh Oglesby (5-7, 180)

North Shore: RB Zachary Evans (6-0, 185), QB Dematrius Davis (5-10, 175), LB Jacoby Allen (6-1, 230), WR Trevion Bandy (6-1, 190) and ATH Chance Pillar (6-0, 185)

Storyline

Katy wants revenge on North Shore after ending the Tigers season last year in the third round of the UIL Texas 6A-D1 playoffs. This game features not just two of the best running backs in Texas but in the nation. Glass checks in as the No. 6 running back on 247sports player composite rankings from the Class of 2019 and Evans is the fourth rated running back in the Class of 2020. Glass missed last year's game because of an injury, that won't be the case this time around.

No. 4 Allen (Texas) vs. Trinity (Euless, Texas)
Saturday, 1 p.m. @ Apogee Stadium (Denton)

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Top Players

Allen: QB Grant Tisdale (6-1, 205), WR Theo Wease (6-3, 195), RB Brock Sturges (5-10, 200), DT Jayden Jernigan (6-1, 270) and CB Taj Bickham (5-11, 150)

Trinity: RB Courage Keihn (5-8, 180), WR Keanu Hill (6-3, 190), DE Travis Chatman (6-2, 215), S Sebastian Tauaalo (5-10, 170) and QB Laki Ellis (6-2, 200)

Storyline

The Allen Eagles are one win away from clinching their sixth straight semifinals appearance. This will be the sixth playoff meeting between the two since 2008 and Allen has won three of the previous five. This is the most talented team Allen has had since Kyler Murray led them to three consecutive state titles from 2012-14, but they have to get by a very tough Trinity team which has been playing its best football during the playoffs.

Central (Fresno, Calif.) @ Folsom (Calif.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.

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Top Players

Central: QB Trent Tompkins (5-11, 190), RB Jevon Bigelow (6-2, 195), WR Jacob Torrez (5-9, 160), LB Jacob Hollins (6-2, 200) and LB Tre Walker (6-2, 225)

Folsom: WR Joe Ngata (6-3, 180), QB Kaiden Bennett (6-0, 175), RB Daniyel Ngata (5-9, 180), WR Elijhah Badger (6-1, 185) and S Tanner Ward (5-9, 180)

Storyline

Two of the best teams in the state square off on Friday night with a spot in the CIF Division 1-AA state championship on the line. Folsom is a perfect 14-0 and is averaging nearly 50 points per game. Central's only loss came back in September against No. 15 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.). They have won eight in a row heading into its showdown against Folsom.

Helix (La Mesa, Calif.) @ Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.

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Top Players

Helix: CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart (6-2, 190), QB Carson Baker (6-3, 190), RB Elelyon Noa (5-8, 175), ATH Rashad Scott (6-1, 180) and WR Isaiah Wooden (5-8, 165)

Oaks Christian: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (6-5, 235), ATH Josh Calvert (6-3, 180), RB Zach Charbonnet (6-1, 190), WR Bryce Farrell (5-10, 155) and ATH Robert Fletcher (6-1, 200)

Storyline

Oaks Christian rolls into the CIF Division 1-AA Southern California championship game riding a ton of momentum. They rallied for two fourth-quarter wins against two very good teams in Upland (Calif.) and Valencia (Calif.). Helix handed Jack Tuttle and Mission Hills (San Marcos, Calif.) its first loss of the season last weekend. This game features two of the best players in the state in Thibodeaux, the No. 1 recruit overall in the Class of 2019 and Taylor-Stuart, a Top-30 recruit overall from the Class of 2018.

Wake Forest (N.C.) vs. Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)
Saturday, 12 p.m. @ Wake Forest University

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Top Players

Wake Forest: RB Devon Lawrence (5-11, 195), QB Chris James (6-1, 185), DT Jaden Mckenzie (6-3.5, 275), LB Seth Williams (6-2, 220) and S Javon Terry (6-2, 185)

Mallard Creek: DT Jordan Davis (6-6, 330), QB Jadyn Washington (6-1, 165), WR Knowledge Gainey (6-1, 190), DE Parker Moorer (6-5, 265) and OT Jawan Tate (6-7, 265)

Storyline

Wake Forest puts its 30-game win streak on the line against Mallard Creek as it goes for its second consecutive state championship. Mallard Creek is playing in its fourth state title game since 2013. The Mavericks won three in a row from 2013-15 with two of those championships coming against Wake Forest. Both teams enter Saturday's game 14-0.

Venice (Fla.) vs. Bartram Trail (St. Johns, Fla.)
Saturday, 3 p.m. @ Camping World Stadium (Orlando)

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Top Players

Venice: WR Jaivon Heiligh (6-2, 185), QB Bryce Carpenter (6-1, 195), DT Tyrone Barber (6-3, 275), S Noah Carr (5-11, 180) and DE Riley Prachar (6-4, 235)

Bartram Trail: QB Joey Gatewood (6-4, 230), RB Devin Ellison (5-9, 180), WR Xavier Hutchinson (6-2, 190), LB Johnny Amell (6-3, 215) and QB Riley Smith (6-5, 210)

Storyline

Venice rolls into the Florida Class 7A state championship game with a ton of momentum after dethroning the back-to-back-to-back state champs — St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Heiligh has been one of the most underrated players in the country this year. The senior wide receiver has 2,000 yards receiving and 32 touchdowns in 2017. Bartram Trail has one of the best players in the state with 2018 Auburn pledge Joey Gatewood under center. This is the first time in school history the Bears are playing in a state title game and Venice is going for its second-ever state championship.