Twelve teams look to make a case for themselves and advance in our rankings with a win in one of this week’s six head-to-head Top 100 match-ups.
There’s a highly-anticipated showdown Friday night in Texas where No. 5 DeSoto takes on No. 77 Duncanville. The district title is on the line here as both teams enter with 7-0 overall records and are 4-0 in district play. Duncanville will be looking to avenge the 41-17 loss it suffered to Desoto the last time these two teams met and are also hoping to snap a 23-game win streak by the Eagles that dates back to the beginning of last season that includes a 6A Division II state championship. The Panthers will have the help of star running back Keilon Elder, who has already racked up 16 touchdowns thus far and will be hungry for more against a Desoto team that has plenty of Division 1 talent of its own on the roster.
The Indiana Class 6A first round gets underway Friday with two of the top teams in the state going going to head-to-head. Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference champ Ben Davis, No. 9 in the Top 100, faces No. 97 Lawrence Central. Ben Davis is the clear favorite to advance in its sectiom after ending the regular season with an unbeaten record and winning each of its games by at least 18 points, including a 42-7 victory over Lawrence Central just three weeks ago.
The Giants have found success in large part because of senior quarterback Reese Taylor who boasts some impressive numbers heading into the postseason, having completed 74-percent of his passes, and thrown for 2,171 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. The Bears have their own offensive weapon to try to lift them over the Giants in quarterback Donyell Meredith (1,886 yards, 23 Touchdowns), but they are on a two-game losing streak to end the season and will have to figure out a way to turn things around if they hope to knock out the district’s best and continue the 2017 season.
It was a disappointing week for No. 12 Miami Central, which dropped four spots in the latest rankings after getting upset by Miami-rival and then No. 38 Northwestern 21-7. The Bulls climb 26 spots and win their second consecutive district 16-6A championship.
Central will try to bounce back this Friday, as they take on another one of the areas top teams in No. 71 Carol City. The Chiefs are coming off a week that ended much better than the Rockets did, taking home the win in their 49-7 rout of former Top 100 team Booker T. Washington (Miami). Carol City’s defense was the star of the show, recording six sacks on the night and keeping the Tornadoes scoreless into the third quarter before they started subbing in their reserves. The win for the Chiefs comes just a week after suffering its own loss to Northwestern.
Thursday night, Northwestern takes takes-on Norland.
Also entering this weekend with their fires aflame are No. 18 St. Edward (Ohio) and No. 25 St. Ignatius (Ohio), who will go head to head in yet another chapter of the two teams’ heated rivalry. St. Edward currently sits as the top team in the state of Ohio thanks to a 9-0 start to the season. The Eagles face a St. Ignatius team that is scratching at their heels for the No. 1 spot after an upset win over former No. 5 St. Xavier last Friday, which dealt the Bombers their first loss of the season and dropped them to No. 26. St. Edward has been skating by opponents all year long, outscoring opponents 336-91. St. Ignatius has had to face its share of adversity over the last two weeks after being upset by Archbishop Moeller, which knocked the Wildcats from No. 9 in the nation to No. 38.
After starting the season 5-0, No. 99 Pope John XXIII (New Jersey) has lost two tough back-to-back matchups against Top 100 teams. The Lions lost lost week to No. 31 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) 20-19 and two weeks ago dropped a 20-14 decision to No. 39 St. Joseph’s Regional (Montvale, New Jersey).
Pope John will try to get back to its winning ways this Friday when they take on No. 47 DePaul Catholic (New Jersey). The Spartans are hoping to build on their two-game win streak and to remain undefeated in league play with the postseason nearing. It is the third week in a row Pope John will be vying for the upset, but with the Northern New Jersey United Super White Division on the line this time, the win this week is crucial for the Lions.
No. 86 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) will be looking to take another step toward a top seed in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference playoffs. The Eagles are undefeated (3-0) in conference play and 7-1 overall. This week Gonzaga will be tested by No. 88 Good Counsel (6-2, 2-1 WCAC), which finished last Friday night with a comfortable 42-7 win over Archbishop Carroll. In a game where the offense took over, five different Falcons players scored a touchdown.
Good Counsel will have some work to do this week against an Eagles team led by starting freshman quarterback, Caleb Williams, who has been making a name for himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the DC area at just 15 years old.
Where the Top 100 Play This Week
No. 1 Mater Dei (California) vs. Orange Lutheran (California), Friday
No. 2 IMG Academy (Florida) – Idle
No. 3 Allen (Texas) vs. McKinney (Texas), Friday
No. 4 Trinity (Kentucky) – Idle
No. 5 DeSoto (Texas) vs. No. 77 Duncanville (Texas), Friday
No. 6 South Pointe (South Carolina) vs. York (South Carolina), Friday
No. 7 American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) vs. Hallandale (Florida), Friday
No. 8 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) at Archbishop Ryan (Pennsylvania), Saturday
No. 9 Ben Davis (Indiana) vs. No. 97 Lawrence Central (Indiana), Friday
No. 10 Corona Centennial (California) vs. Norco (California), Friday
No. 11 Northwestern (Florida) – Norland (Florida), Thursday
No. 12 Miami Central (Florida) vs. No. 71 Carol City (Florida), Friday
No. 13 Bishop Gorman (Nevada) vs. Sierra Vista (Nevada), Thursday
No. 14 De La Salle (California) – Idle
No. 15 Brentwood Academy (Tennessee) vs. Ensworth (Tennessee), Friday
No. 16 Bingham (Utah) vs. Cyprus (Utah), Friday
No. 17 St. Frances Academy (Maryland) vs. Mount St. Joseph (Maryland), Friday
No. 18 St. Edward (Ohio) vs. No. 25 St. Ignatius (Ohio), Saturday
No. 19 Katy (Texas) at Tompkins (Texas), Friday
No. 20 Union (Oklahoma) at Putnam City North (Oklahoma), Friday
No. 21 St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) at Blanche Ely (Florida), Friday
No. 22 St. John Bosco (California) vs. Servite (California), Friday
No. 23 Mission Viejo (California) – Idle
No. 24 St. John’s College HS (Washington, DC) at Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC), Saturday
No. 25 St. Ignatius (Ohio) at No.18 St. Edward (Ohio), Saturday
No. 26 St. Xavier (Ohio) at St. Xavier (Kentucky), Friday
No. 27 Fort Dorchester (South Carolina) at Summerville (South Carolina), Friday
No. 28 Cocoa (Florida) vs. Pahokee (Florida), Friday
No. 29 Grayson (Georgia) vs. Rockdale County (Georgia), Friday
No. 30 Hoover (Alabama) vs. Thompson (Alabama), Friday
No. 31 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) at Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey), Friday
No. 32 Denton Ryan (Texas) vs. Wichita Falls (Texas), Thursday
No. 33 John Curtis (Louisiana) vs. Archbishop Rummel (Louisiana), Friday
No. 34 St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) vs. Lincoln (New Jersey), Saturday
No. 35 Pine-Richland (Pennsylvania) at North Allegheny (Pennsylvania), Friday
No. 36 Judson (Texas) at Clemens (Texas), Friday
No. 37 Chaminade (California) at Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, California), Friday
No. 38 East (Utah) vs. Northridge (Utah), Friday
No. 39 St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey) at Paramus Catholic (New Jersey), Friday
No. 40 Aledo (Texas) at Brewer (Texas), Friday
No. 41 Erie Cathedral Prep (Pennsylvania) at Canisius (New York), Saturday
No. 42 Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania) vs. La Salle (Pennsylvania), Friday
No. 43 Archer (Georgia) at South Gwinnett (Georgia), Friday
No. 44 Armwood (Florida) vs. Hillsborough (Florida), Friday
No. 45 Mountain Pointe (Arizona) vs. Gilbert (Arizona), Friday
No.46 Chandler (Arizona) vs. Hamilton (Arizona), Friday
No. 47 DePaul Catholic (New Jersey) vs. No. 99 Pope John XXIII (New Jersey), Friday
No. 48 Cartersville (Georgia) – Idle
No. 49 Westlake (Texas) at Lehman (Texas), Friday
No. 50 Lake Travis (Texas) at Leander (Texas), Friday
No. 51 Long Beach Poly (California) vs. Lakewood (California), Friday
No. 52 Dutch Fork (South Carolina) at Irmo (South Carolina), Friday
No. 53 The Woodlands (Texas) vs. Conroe (Texas), Friday
No. 54 Hewitt-Trussville (Alabama) at James Clemens (Alabama), Friday
No. 55 Evangel Christian (Louisiana) – Idle
No. 56 Wake Forest (North Carolina) at Wakefield (North Carolina), Friday
No. 57 Owasso (Oklahoma) vs. Moore (Oklahoma), Friday
No. 58 East St. Louis (Illinois) vs. Libertyville (Illinois), Saturday
No. 59 West Point (Mississippi) at Saltillo (Mississippi), Friday
No. 60 Buford (Georgia) at Loganville (Georgia), Friday
No. 61 Central (Phenix City, Alabama) vs. Prattville (Alabama), Friday
No. 62 Lowndes (Georgia) vs. Colquitt County (Georgia), Friday
No. 63 Manvel (Texas) at Texas City (Texas), Friday
No. 64 Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) vs. Wayne (Ohio), Thursday
No. 65 Centennial (Arizona) vs. Liberty (Arizona), Friday
No. 66 Valor Christian (Colorado) vs. Poudre (Colorado), Friday
No. 67 Klein Collins (Texas) at Stratford (Texas), Friday
No. 68 Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) vs. McClellan (Arkansas), Friday
No. 69 Pearl (Mississippi) vs. Oak Grove (Mississippi), Friday
No. 70 Deerfield Beach (Florida) vs. Piper (Florida), Saturday
No. 71 Carol City (Florida) vs. No. 12 Miami Central (Florida), Friday
No. 72 Pickerington Central (Ohio) at Grove City (Ohio), Friday
No. 73 Starkville (Mississippi) at Warren Central (Mississippi), Friday
No. 74 Prairie Ridge (Illinois) vs. Crystal Lake Central (Illinois), Saturday
No. 75 Liberty (Nevada) vs. Basic (Nevada), Thursday
No. 76 Lincoln-Way East (Illinois) vs. Joliet West (Illinois), Friday
No. 77 Duncanville (Texas) at No. 5 DeSoto (Texas), Friday
No. 78 Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) at Carlisle (Pennsylvania), Friday
No. 79 Kahuku (Hawaii) vs. Mililani (Hawaii), Friday
No. 80 Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) at Benedictine (Ohio), Saturday
No. 81 Midway (Texas) – Idle
No. 82 Saint Louis (Hawaii) – Idle
No. 83 Maine South (Illinois) vs. Evanston (Illinois), Friday
No. 84 Oakland (Tennessee) vs. Warren County (Tennessee), Friday
No. 85 Viera (Florida) vs. South Fork (Florida), Friday
No. 86 Gonzaga (Washington, DC) at No. 88 Good Counsel (Maryland), Friday
No. 87 Venice (Florida) vs. Palmetto (Florida), Friday
No. 88 Good Counsel (Maryland) vs. No. 86 Gonzaga (Washington, DC), Friday
No. 89 Lamar (Houston, Texas) vs. Houston Math Science & Tech (Texas), Friday
No. 90 Saguaro (Arizona) vs. Cactus Shadows (Arizona), Friday
No. 91 Plant (Florida) at Wiregrass Ranch (Florida), Friday
No. 92 Bryant (Arkansas) vs. North Little Rock (Arkansas), Friday
No. 93 Narbonne (California) vs. George Washington Prep (California), Friday
No. 94 Cardinal Gibbons (Florida) vs. Stranahan (Florida), Friday
No. 95 Columbus (Florida) vs. Coral Gables (Florida), Friday
No. 96 Folsom (California) vs. Rocklin (California), Friday
No. 97 Lawrence Central (Indiana) vs. No. 9 Ben Davis (Indiana), Friday
No. 98 Warren Central (Indiana) vs. Lawrence North (Indiana), Friday
No. 99 Pope John XXIII (New Jersey) at No. 47 DePaul Catholic (New Jersey), Friday
No. 100 Phillips Academy (Illinois) vs. Morgan Park (Illinois), Saturday
