Interstate battles highlight this week’s Top 10 Games of the Week including big games at the Emerald City Classic in Washington and the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge in Texas.
Skyline of Sammamish, Wash., hosts Jesuit of Portland, Ore. In the marquee game of the Emerald City Classic held at Qwest Field in Seattle. The matchup between Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks in Calif., and Texas’ own Klein Oak will climax the Herbstreit challenge on Monday at Cowboy Stadium in Dallas.
The prediction prowess of the MaxPreps senior writers took a severe hit last week as a result of a rash of upsets. MaxPreps Projections is in first place at 6-4 while Mitch Stephens, Stephen Spiewak and Kevin Askeland are all tied at 5-5.
Top 10 Games of the Week
Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.) at Shiloh Christian (Springdale, Ark.)
The Evangel Christian Academy Eagles fell one game short of a state championship last year, falling to John Curtis in the 2A state championship game. Class 2A state player of the year Dez Duron has graduated, but the Eagles might have the next best thing ready to take his place at quarterback. Duron’s younger brother David Dee is a junior and he threw for 364 yards last year in mop-up appearances. Duron will have a solid group of receivers to throw to in Eric Thomas (6-3, 195) and Thomas Bridgewater (6-0, 180). The Eagles face a tough first test in the form of the Shiloh Christian Saints. Evangel Christian defeated Shiloh 49-9 last year, but the Saints begin the season ranked No. 1 in the state thanks to 15 returning starters. Leading the way are QB Kiehl Frazier and nose guard Samuel Harvill. Both rank among the top players in the class of 2011.
Mitch Stephens: Shiloh Christian 28, Evangel Christian 17
Steve Spiewak: Evangel Christian 31, Shiloh Christian 21
Kevin Askeland: Shiloh Christian 30, Evangel Christian 28
MaxPreps Projection: Shiloh Christian 35, Evangel Christian 21
Jesuit (Portland, Ore.) at Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.)
Sporting one of the top athletic programs in the country, the Jesuit Crusaders will travel to take on one of the top football teams in the country when they take on the Skyline Spartans at the Emerald City Classic at Qwest Field in Seattle on Saturday. The Crusaders were 11-2 last year, falling to Lake Oswego in the 6A semifinals. Jesuit returns only two starters on offense, but one of them is receiver Keanon Lowe who caught 42 passes for 718 yards last year. Skyline counters with Jake Heaps, who ranks as one of the top quarterbacks in the senior class after throwing for 2,900 yards and 38 touchdowns last year in leading Skyline to a 14-0 record and the 4A state championship. The Spartans also have one of the top junior receivers in the nation in Kasen Williams (6-2, 195). Skyline is the No. 1 ranked team to start the season in Washington thanks to 15 returning starters including all of the skill positions.
Mitch Stephens: Jesuit 21, Skyline 20
Steve Spiewak: Skyline 28, Jesuit 27
Kevin Askeland: Skyline 30, Jesuit 14
MaxPreps Projection: Skyline 41, Jesuit 8
Andrew Wilson, Klein Oak
Photo by Wes Byrne
The Panthers have a leg up on the Notre Dame Knights after starting their season last week against Cypress Creek, however it wasn’t the type of start coach David Smith might have hoped for. Klein Oak, which went 10-2 last year in 5A play, lost its opener 23-17 despite an impressive performance by quarterback Andy Wilson, who completed 10 of 21 passes for 166 yards and two scores and also ran 17 times for 131 yards. The Knights will travel to Dallas for the Monday game which is the finale of the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge at Cowboy Stadium. Notre Dame is the top-ranked team in the state Div. 2 bowl rankings thanks to the return of most of the offensive line as well as Gatorade State Player of the Year Ryan Kasdorf at quarterback.
Mitch Stephens: Notre Dame 28, Klein Oak 14
Steve Spiewak: Notre Dame 21, Klein Oak 17
Kevin Askeland: Notre Dame 36, Klein Oak 21
MaxPreps Projection: Notre Dame 34, Klein Oak 12
Liberty (Bethlehem, Pa.) at North Penn (Lansdale, Pa.)
Pennsylvania football fans didn’t have to wait long for one of the best matchups of the season. The Liberty Hurricanes, ranked No. 1 in the state in the MaxPreps national computer rankings, take on the North Penn Knights, who are ranked No. 3. Liberty was 15-1 last year and won the Class AAAA championship. However the lone loss was a 23-15 defeat at the hands of North Penn. The Knights were 14-1 overall last year with the only loss coming against, you guessed it, Liberty, 21-14. North Penn should be very sturdy on defense this year with Andre Poe back at defensive end and Mike Culbreath picking up tackles at linebacker. Liberty, meanwhile, returns one of the state’s top quarterbacks in Anthony Gonzalez. His favorite target, Jarrod West, is also a Division I talent, according to coach Tim Moncman.
Mitch Stephens: North Penn 17, Liberty 14
Steve Spiewak: Liberty 28, North Penn 21
Kevin Askeland: Liberty 21, North Penn 18
MaxPreps Projection: Liberty 21, North Penn 20
Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.) at Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.)
The Peachtree Ridge Lions have emerged as one of the growing powers in the AAAAA division in Georgia, posting a 12-3 record last year with a region championship. The Lions hope to eventually have the same reputation as their opponent this week, the Lowndes Vikings. Sporting a 70-10 record over the past six seasons with three state championships, Lowndes has been a perennial powerhouse in the AAAAA class. The Vikings finished 12-1 last year, losing to Grayson in the playoffs and defeating Peachtree Ridge 22-7 early in the season. Lowndes could be in for another strong season thanks to 13 returning starters including quarterback Kharry Franklin, linebacker Telvin Smith and lineman Ed Christian (6-4, 300). Peachtree Ridge, however, starts the season ranked higher than Lowndes in the preseason MaxPreps computer rankings. Ranked No. 1 in the AAAAA class, the Lions return some talented skill players in receiver Brad Roby and running back Brandon Stanley. Coach Bill Ballard also notes that his linebacking crew is also one of the team’s strengths.
Mitch Stephens: Peachtree Ridge 28, Lowndes 27
Steve Spiewak: Lowndes 21, Peachtree Ridge 20
Kevin Askeland: Lowndes 30, Peachtree Ridge 28
MaxPreps Projection: Peachtree Ridge 28, Lowndes 22
Broken Arrow (Okla.) at Union (Tulsa, Okla.)
Picking the top team in Oklahoma hasn’t been too much of a chore the past decade. Take Jenks and Union and flip a coin and you are bound to come up right most of the time. The two teams have combined to win the last 13 6A state championships. However Broken Arrow is looking to work its way into the mix. Coached by Ron Lancaster, who was winning national titles with Cordova in California back in the 1970s, the Tigers went 9-3 last year including a 24-9 win over Union. Broken Arrow is 47-24 over the past six seasons and is the largest school in Oklahoma. The Tigers have six starters back on offense and were supposed to be inexperienced at quarterback. However Muskogee transfer Archie Bradley moved in over the summer and has settled right into the starting spot for Broken Arrow. One of the top athletes in the country, Bradley is a two-time all-state pitcher. Despite the loss to Broken Arrow last year, Union still enters the game as the favorite. The Redskins went 13-1 last year and won the 6A state title. A total of 13 starters return from that squad including QB Chase Boyce, WR Thomas Roberson and offensive lineman Alec Henry.
Mitch Stephens: Union 28, Broken Arrow 21
Steve Spiewak: Union 31, Broken Arrow 14
Kevin Askeland: Broken Arrow 36, Union 30
MaxPreps Projection: Union 31, Broken Arrow 14
Anthony Carrothers, Independence
Photo by Ron McCann
Independence has been the top football program in the state of North Carolina for the past decade and that doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon. The Patriots are 88-4 over the past six seasons, including 40-1 in league play. Independence was 13-1 last year and failed to win a state title for the second straight season, but it starts the season ranked No. 1 in the state by the MaxPreps computer rankings. The Patriots’ opponent, the South Pointe Stallions, haven’t even been around for much of the decade, opening only a few seasons ago. Coach Bobby Carroll has quickly established his team as one of South Carolina’s best, racking up a 15-0 record last year with a Class AAAA Region IV state championship. The Stallions are ranked No. 2 in the state and have 10 starters back from last year including RB Quinton Darby and the athletic Raphael Ratliff. Independence counters with one of the East Coast’s top quarterbacks in returning all-state pick Anthony Carrothers.
Mitch Stephens: Independence 28, South Pointe 27
Steve Spiewak: Independence 38, South Pointe 27
Kevin Askeland: South Pointe 28, Independence 14
MaxPreps Projection: South Pointe 35, Independence 31
Memphis University (Memphis, Tenn.) vs. South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)
The South Panola Tigers went nearly six years between losses before finally falling in the Mississippi state championship game to Meridian last year. However with Memphis University coming to town this week, South Panola’s latest winning streak might last only two games. South Panola won its first two games of the season, beating Petal 38-0 and Northwest Rankin 34-13. Meanwhile Memphis University has a 15-game win streak including a 13-0 mark last year and two wins this year over Millington Central, 38-0, and Kingsbury, 47-8. The Owls are ranked No. 1 in Tennessee after winning the Division II-AA state championship last year. Coach Bobby Alston has seven starters back on offense including senior QB Barry Brunetti and running backs Keith McBride and Stephon Almond. South Panola will miss quarterback Dave Renfro, who was selected in the Major League Baseball draft, but the Tigers return veterans at many other positions, including Nick Parker at RB, Devin Clark at DL and Martez Wallace at OL.
Mitch Stephens: Memphis University 35, South Panola 31
Steve Spiewak: South Panola 28, Memphis University 20
Kevin Askeland: Memphis University 40, South Panola 28
MaxPreps Projection: Memphis University 22, South Panola 21
Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) vs. Hamilton (Ohio)
Cincinnati is rife with outstanding football teams and the Archbishop Moeller Fighting Crusaders are definitely part of that list. Ranked No. 4 in the state to start the season by the MaxPreps computer rankings, Moeller went 6-5 last year but returns 13 starters on offense and defense. Andrew Hendrix (6-3, 220) leads the team at quarterback while Marcus Rush (6-3, 230) anchors a front seven that coach John Rodenberg expects to be one of the strengths of the team. The Crusaders face a Hamilton team that’s just a step behind Moeller in the state rankings. Coming in at No. 6, Hamilton has 12 returning starters from last year’s 7-3 team. Big Blue also has leading rusher Devin Jarrett and leading passer Drew Townsend back from last year. Hamilton has gotten off to a bit of a rough start, however, losing to Springfield in its opener 35-28. Moeller opened last week with a thrilling 45-34 win over Winton Woods.
Mitch Stephens: Moeller 21, Hamilton 17
Steve Spiewak: Moeller 35, Hamilton 20
Kevin Askeland: Moeller 36, Hamilton 14
MaxPreps Projection: Archbishop Moeller 28, Hamilton 21
Central (Miami, Fla.) at. Mainland (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
The Central Rockets have enough returning talent this year to emerge as the favorite in the Class 6A division. The Miami-based school has talent galore in the backfield with Jeffrey Godfrey returning at quarterback and Brandon Gainer back as the team’s top rusher. Godfrey’s favorite receiver, Joshua Reese, also returns. Central went 8-4 overall last year but was undefeated in district play. The Rockets take on a Mainland team that was 11-1 overall last year before falling in the second round of the playoffs. Coach Jon Maronto’s Bucs return nine starters on defense this year including stellar defensive linemen Mike Kilgore (6-4, 285) and Kenneth Kirksey (6-1, 280).
Mitch Stephens: Mainland 31, Central 24
Steve Spiewak: Central 31, Mainland 28
Kevin Askeland: Central 38, Mainland 24
MaxPreps Projection: Central 26, Mainland 24
