No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas headline top 10 biggest high school football games this week

Three of this week's top 10 games will be played at the Broward County National Showcase headlined by No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) against No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).

These two storied schools are meeting for the first time and have combined for 13 state championships over the past decade. Mater Dei has lost just five games since 2016, all of which were against Southern California foe St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). The Florida showcase will also feature the No. 2 game of the week in No. 5 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) vs. No. 7 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) and the No. 4 contest as St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.) is challenging No. 8 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.).

No. 14 Mission Viejo (Calif.) will travel to No. 16 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) in the MaxPreps Game of the Week. It will mark the coaching debut of former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer and his coaching staff consisting of former pros T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Doug Johnson, Mike Scifres, Kelly Talavou, Mike Karney, Steve Fifita and Lenny Vandermade.

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    Mater Dei
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    St. Thomas Aquinas

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Top players

Mater Dei: TE Mark Bowman (6-5, 230), OT Kodi Greene (6-6, 320), LB Shaun Scott (6-3, 235), WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (6-2, 185), CB Aaryn Washington (6-1, 170)

St. Thomas Aquinas: CB Justice Fitzpatrick (6-2, 190), EDGE Daniel Norman (6-4, 205), IOL Dylan Steen (6-5, 295), OT Mark Matthews (6-6, 280), S Zayden Gamble (6-1, 180)

These premier schools are meeting for the first time. Defending national champion Mater Dei has won all 19 of its out-of-state games since adopting a national schedule in 2017. St. Thomas Aquinas narrowly fell to Bishop Gorman in this showcase last year before finishing 12-3 and winning a state championship.


Top players

St. Frances Academy: EDGE Zion Elee (6-5, 235), S Jireh Edwards (6-2, 210), WR James Branch (6-3, 195), CB Raylaun Henry (6-2, 180), ATH Jermaine Smith Jr. (6-5, 215)

Chaminade-Madonna: ATH Derrek Cooper (6-2, 205), WR Jasen Lopez (5-11, 175), WR Denairius Gray (6-2, 183), S Angelo Smith (5-10, 170), WR Tromon Isaac Jr. (5-11, 175)

Both teams are loaded with talent as Chaminade-Madonna has plenty of speed on the outside while St. Frances Academy has a top secondary. Chaminade-Madonna won the last time these teams met in 2023 after ripping off 21-unanswered points in the fourth quarter.


Top players

Mission Viejo: WR Vance Spafford (5-11, 175), CB Jeron Jones (6-1, 175), Luke Fahey (6-2, 205), DL J.D. Hill (6-3, 271), WR Jack Junker (5-10, 182)

Santa Margarita: DL Simote Katoanga (6-5, 240), WR Trent Mosley (5-10, 170), S Logan Hirou (6-1, 185), DL Manoah Faupusa (6-2, 360), CB Jayden Crowder (5-11, 170)

The MaxPreps Game of the Week will be streamed live and free on MaxPreps. Former 15-year NFL quarterback Carson Palmer will make his head coaching debut for the Eagles, who have the toughest 2025 schedule in the entire nation. Mission Viejo returns key starters including Spafford and Jones from a team that went 10-1 in 2024.


Top players

St. Joseph's Prep: DL Alex Haskell (6-4, 265), S Simaj Hill (6-1, 180), S Brandon Lockley Jr. (6-2, 216), QB Charlie Foulke (6-2, 192), WR Jett Harrison (6-2, 178)

American Heritage: QB Dia Bell (6-3, 215), WR Brandon Bennett (6-1, 185), WR Jeffar Jean-Noel (5-11, 180), OL Aiden Hartnett (6-4, 295), LB Kymani Morales (6-2, 215)

St. Joseph's Prep has won three consecutive state championships in Pennsylvania and enters the 2025 season ranked No. 29 in our expanded top 100. A win could vault the Hawks into the MaxPreps Top 25 but they will have to stop the aerial attack of American Heritage and five-star quarterback Bell . The Texas commit has an arsenal of wide receivers in Jean-Noel and Bennett.


Top players

Orange Lutheran: IOL Sam Utu (6-5, 320), WR Markus Kier (6-2, 200), OT Lucas Rhoa (6-5, 305), WR Nico Bland (6-1, 190), DL Marcus Fakatou (6-7, 285)

Northwestern: WR Calvin Russell (6-5, 195), DL James Johnson (6-3, 285), LB Jordan Campbell (6-3, 230), S Tedarius Hughes (6-3, 175), WR Nicholas Lennear (6-1, 165)

Orange Lutheran has one of the most dominant defensive lineman in sophomore Fakatou, the No. 3 player in the Class of 2028. As a freshman he had seven sacks against top competition including three in one game against Santa Margarita. Northwestern is coming off a state championship season in which the Bulls won their five playoff games by a combined score of 262-12. Five-star senior wide receiver Russell hauled in 11 touchdowns last season.


Top players

Archbishop Spalding: CB Sean Johnson (6-1, 190), IOL Kyle Lucas (6-4, 250), WR Myles McAfee (6-1, 170), OT Bryce Smalls (6-5, 290), WR Keith Miller (5-10, 160)

Brownsburg: QB Oscar Frye (6-2, 180), RB Shakovon Sumpterbey (6-0, 185), WR Branden Sharpe (5-11, 165), LB Eli Richardson (5-9, 195), WR Avin Robinson (6-1, 185)

The No. 2 team in Maryland takes on the top squad in Indiana Friday in a matchup of defending state champions ranked just outside the MaxPreps Top 25. Archbishop Spalding checks in at No. 33 and have won 16 straight games dating back to 2023. The Cavaliers return top receivers McAfee and Miller , but will have to replace four-star quarterback Malik Washington. Brownsburg brings back plenty of experience including quarterback Frye , who passed for 23 touchdowns against seven interceptions as a sophomore in 2024.


Top players

Grayson: LB Tyler Atkinson (6-3, 221), QB Travis Burgess (6-5, 210), LB Anthony Davis (6-3, 213), S Hannibal Naives (6-3, 204), EDGE T.K. Cunningham (6-5, 235)

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee: ATH Walker Bryson (6-0, 180), OT Wilson Zierer (6-6, 280), LB Zeke Marshall (6-5, 190), OT Elijah Hutcheson (6-6, 275), OT Jacob Burns (6-7, 300)

A week after thoroughly dismantling Collins Hill 51-3 on the road, No. 4 Grayson heads into its home opener with a 1-0 record. North Carolina quarterback commit Burgess tallied four touchdowns while junior defensive back Goggans had an interception on defense. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee won a state championship in North Carolina last season and begins 2025 ranked No. 95 in the country. Gavin Owens returns for his senior year at quarterback along with wide receivers Joshua Buckhalter and Bryson, who combined for 16 receiving touchdowns.


Top players

IMG Academy: OT Keenyi Pepe (6-7, 338), EDGE Jake Kreul (6-3, 226), S Zech Fort (5-11, 195), WR Eric McFarland (5-10, 175), QB Jayden Wade (6-4, 190)

Hoover: WR Jonah Winston (5-10, 155), DL Tyson Bacon (6-3, 263), RB J.R. Mosley (5-9, 205), WR Jeremiah Tabb (6-2, 200), LB Justyn Hartley (6-3, 190)

With top talent lined up at every position, IMG Academy will be led offensively by two of the top sophomores in the nation. Quarterback Wade is the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2028. At No. 7 overall in the class is McFarland, who led the Ascenders in receiving yards during the 2024 season. Hoover is ranked No. 6 in Alabama after reaching the Class 7A state semifinals last season. The Buccaneers return top wide receivers Tabb and Winston, the brother NFL quarterback Jameis Winston.


Top players

Milton: LB Billy Weivoda (6-3, 200), S Tristan Lester (5-11, 195), TE Grant Haviland (6-5, 230), QB Derrick Baker (6-2, 220), CB Keelan Wonsley (6-0, 190)

The First Academy: CB Danny Odem (6-2, 180), IOL Chancellor Barclay (6-4, 285), S Devin Jackson (6-3, 185), WR Brian Williams (6-4, 185), IOL Reed Ramsier (6-5, 305)

The Georgia vs. Florida battle features two teams ranked in the national top 100. Milton is 0-1 after falling to Buford last week 20-13. Junior dual-threat quarterback Baker threw for a touchdown and rushed for 78 yards. The First Academy will open its season this week and has players committed to Alabama, Clemson, Nebraska and Oregon among others. In 2024 the Royals initially went 9-1 before having to forfeit all nine wins.


Top players

Folsom: QB Ryder Lyons (6-3, 215), OT Vlad Dyakonov (6-7, 280), WR Jameson Powell (5-11, 170), ATH Jason Hill Jr. (6-1, 170), WR Rob Larson (6-3, 195)

Grant: OT Roger Vanderhoef (6-8, 340), LB Julian Bruno (6-1, 190), TE Rahzario Edwards (6-6, 215), DL Giovanni Hodge (6-4, 250), WR Koby Shabazz (5-9, 160)

Folsom and Grant cap the weekend on ESPN2 Saturday in a matchup of the top two teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Folsom hasn't lost to a team in the section since 2021 and Grant is coming off a 2024 state title. Grant is led by three-star wide receiver Shabazz and Edwards , the No. 3 tight end in the Class of 2027. Grant also returns a very experienced offensive line and defense that features many star-rated players. Folsom is led by five-star senior quarterback Lyons , who is committed to BYU and has tallied 122 passing and rushing touchdowns over the past two years. His top targets Powell (Ole Miss) and Larson are back while Stanford pledge Hill returns in the secondary.