As the regular season continues to wind-down and playoffs in some state winding-up, there are four head-to-head Top 100 match-ups this weekend.
In the fourth out-of-state game of the season for No. 2 IMG Academy (Florida), the Ascenders travel west to Alabama to battle No. 70 Hoover.
It’s been a rough week for the Buccaneers, who dropped 40 spots in the rankings after losing to Thompson, which moved into the Top 100 at No. 84 with the victory. That defeat stripped Hoover of its chance at the Region 3 title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. While the 35-25 loss was a tough pill to swallow, the team’s greatest challenge comes this weekend against a national powerhouse in IMG. No one has been able to knock-off the Ascenders over their last 34 games. Hoover will look to use home field advantage this weekend to try and bounce back with an upset over one of the country’s best.
A team that continues to make a case for itself as one of the best in the nation is No. 8 Ben Davis (Indiana). The Giants hope to move deeper into Indiana’s 6A state playoffs Friday night against No. 96 Warren Central. Both teams came-out of the first round with some confidence as the Giants took down Lawrence Central 33-20 and the Warriors eliminated Lawrence North 41-16. When these two teams met earlier this season, Ben Davis dominated, proving once again why they are the top team in the state in a 45-16 win. Central will be hungry for a different outcome this week, as a loss here will mean an end to the season.
The nation’s capital sees Top-100 action this weekend. No. 23 St. John’s College High School goes up against No. 98 Gonzaga. St. John’s can win the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference regular season championship with a with and ensure itself a No. 1 seed in the playoffs. If Gonzaga wins, there’s a chance of a three-way for the championship, if No. 83 Good Counsel (Maryland) wins its regular season finale against Bishop McNamara (Maryland).
In the final game of the season for both squads, No. 37 St. Joseph’s Regional (Montvale, New Jersey) faces off against No. 43 DePaul Catholic (New Jersey). With only six spots separating the rankings between these two teams, they both enter Saturday’s showdown about evenly matched with St. Joe’s sitting at 5-3 overall and DePaul at 6-2.
DePaul enters this week on a high after beating former No. 99 Pope John XXIII 35-0. DePaul was led by quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson, who gave the verbal commit to Penn State the night before. It was a victory that handed DePaul the top spot in the North Jersey Super Football Conference’s United White Division. St. Joe’s won their last matchup against Paramus Catholic.
Where the Top 100 Play This Week
No. 1 Mater Dei (California) vs. Servite (California), Friday
No. 2 IMG Academy (Florida) at No. 70 Hoover (Alabama), Friday
No. 3 Allen (Texas) vs. Plano East (Texas), Friday
No. 4 Trinity (Kentucky) vs. Seneca (Kentucky), Friday
No. 5 South Pointe (South Carolina) vs. Midland Valley (South Carolina), Friday
No. 6 American Heritage (Florida) vs. Coconut Creek (Florida), Friday
No. 7 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) vs. Father Judge (Pennsylvania), Friday
No. 8 Ben Davis (Indiana) vs. No. 96 Warren Central (Indiana), Friday
No. 9 Corona Centennial (California) at King (California), Thursday
No. 10 St. Ignatius (Ohio) vs. Perry (Ohio), Friday
No. 11 St. Frances Academy (Maryland) at Silver Oak Academy (Maryland), Friday
No. 12 Brentwood Academy (Tennessee) at Brentwood (Tennessee), Friday
No. 13 Northwestern (Florida) vs. Jackson (Florida), Friday
No. 14 Miami Central – Idle
No. 15 Bishop Gorman (Nevada) vs. Palo Verde (Nevada), Friday
No. 16 De La Salle (California) vs. San Roman Valley (California), Friday
No. 17 Bingham (Utah) vs. Syracuse (Utah), Friday
No. 18 Katy (Texas) vs. Strake Jesuit (Texas), Thursday
No. 19 Union (Oklahoma) vs. Mustang (Oklahoma), Friday
No. 20 St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) vs. Miramar (Florida), Friday
No. 21 St. John Bosco (California) at JSerra (California), Friday
No. 22 Mission Viejo (California) vs. San Clemente (California), Friday
No. 23 St. John’s College High School (Washington, DC) vs. No. 98 Gonzaga (Washington, DC), Saturday
No. 24 Fort Dorchester (South Carolina) vs. Socastee (South Carolina), Friday
No. 25 St. Edward (Ohio) vs. McKinley (Ohio), Friday
No. 26. St. Xavier (Ohio) vs. Fairfield (Ohio), Friday
No. 27 Cocoa (Florida) at Rockledge (Florida), Friday
No. 28 Grayson (Georgia) vs. South Gwinnett (Georgia), Friday
No. 29 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) at Seton Hall Prep (New Jersey), Saturday
No. 30 Denton Ryan (Texas) at Denison (Texas), Friday
No. 31 John Curtis (Louisiana) at Archbishop Shaw (Louisiana), Saturday
No. 32 St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) at Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey), Friday
No. 33 Pine-Richland (Pennsylvania) vs. Norwin (Pennsylvania), Friday
No. 34 Judson (Texas) vs. Smithson Valley (Texas), Friday
No. 35 Chaminade (California) vs. Bishop Amat (California), Friday
No. 36 East (Utah) vs. American Fork (Utah), TBD
No. 37 St. Joseph’s Regional (New Jersey) vs. No. 44 DePaul Catholic (New Jersey), Saturday
No. 38 Aledo (Texas) vs. Northwest (Texas), Friday
No. 39 Erie Cathedral Prep (Pennsylvania) – Idle
No. 40 Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania) – Idle
No. 41 Archer (Georgia) at Shiloh (Georgia), Friday
No. 42 Armwood (Florida) vs. Durant (Florida), Friday
No. 43 DePaul Catholic (New Jersey) at No. 37 St. Joseph’s Regional (New Jersey), Saturday
No. 44 Duncanville (Texas) vs. Irving MacArthur (Texas), Friday
No. 45 Mountain Pointe (Arizona) vs. Cibola (Arizona), Friday
No. 46 Chandler (Arizona) vs. Mountain View (Arizona), Friday
No. 47 DeSoto (Texas) at Nimitz (Texas), Thursday
No. 48 Cartersville (Georgia) at Troup County (Georgia), Friday
No. 49 Westlake (Texas) vs. Leander (Texas), Friday
No. 50 Lake Travis (Texas) vs. Vista Ridge (Texas), Friday
No. 51 Dutch Fork (South Carolina) vs. Stratford (South Carolina), Friday
No. 52 The Woodlands (Texas) at Montgomery (Texas), Friday
No. 53 Hewitt-Trussville (Alabama) vs. Florence (Alabama), Friday
No. 54 Long beach Poly (California) at Serra (California), Friday
No. 55 Evangel Christian (Louisiana) at Captain Shreve (Louisiana), Thursday
No. 56 Wake Forest (North Carolina) vs. Heritage (North Carolina), Friday
No. 57 Owasso (Oklahoma) vs. Edmond North (Oklahoma), Friday
No. 58 East St. Louis (Illinois) vs. Buffalo Grove (Illinois), TBD
No. 59 West Point (Mississippi) vs. Lewisburg (Mississippi), Friday
No. 60 Buford (Georgia) at Flowery Branch (Georgia), Friday
No. 61 Lowndes (Georgia) – Idle
No. 62 Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) vs. Elida (Ohio), Friday
No. 63 Central (Phenix City, Alabama) – Idle
No. 64 Manvel (Texas) vs. Santa Fe (Texas), Friday
No. 65 Valor Christian (Colorado) at Fountain-Fort Carson (Colorado), Friday
No. 66 Klein Collins (Texas) at Klein (Texas), Friday
No. 67 Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) at Miles University Studies (Arkansas), Thursday
No. 68 Pearl (Mississippi) at Brandon (Mississippi), Friday
No. 69 Deerfield Beach (Florida) – Idle
No. 70 Hoover (Alabama) vs. No. 2 IMG Academy (Florida), Friday
No. 71 Carol City (Florida) vs. American (Florida), Thursday
No. 72 Pickerington Central (Ohio) vs. Northmont (Ohio), Friday
No. 73 Prairie Ridge (Illinois) vs. Cary-Grove (Illinois), TBD
No. 74 Liberty (Nevada) vs. Eldorado (Nevada), Friday
No. 75 Lincoln-Way East (Illinois) vs. St. Charles East (Illinois), TBD
No. 76 Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) vs. Cumberland Valley (Pennsylvania), Saturday
No. 77 Kahuku (Hawaii) vs. Mililani (Hawaii), Saturday
No. 78 Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) vs. Mayfield (Ohio), Friday
No. 79 Midway (Texas) at Shoemaker (Texas), Friday
No. 80 Saint Louis (Hawaii) – Idle
No. 81 Maine South (Illinois) vs. Warren (Illinois), TBD
No. 82 Oakland (Tennessee) vs. Lebanon (Tennessee), Friday
No. 83 Good Counsel (Maryland) at Bishop McNamara (Maryland), Saturday
No. 84 Thompson (Alabama) at Hillcrest (Alabama), Thursday
No. 85 Centennial (Arizona) vs. Sunnyslope (Arizona), Friday
No. 86 Venice (Florida) at Manatee (Florida), Friday
No. 87 Viera (Florida) vs. Heritage (Florida), Friday
No. 88 Lamar (Houston, Texas) at Bellaire (Texas), Saturday
No. 89 Saguaro (Arizona) vs. Mingus (Arizona), Friday
No. 90 Plant (Florida) vs. Newsome (Florida), Friday
No. 91 Narbonne (California) at Gardena (California), Friday
No. 92 Cardinal Gibbons (Florida) vs. Hollywood Hills (Florida), Friday
No. 93 Columbus (Florida) – Idle
No. 94 Folsom (California) at Oak Ridge (California), Friday
No. 95 North Little Rock (Arkansas) at Cabot (Arkansas), Thursday
No. 96 Warren Central (Indiana) vs. No. 8 Ben Davis (Indiana), Friday
No. 97 Mallard Creek (North Carolina) at Mooresville (North Carolina), Friday
No. 98 Gonzaga (Washington, DC) at No. 23 St. John’s College HS (Washington, DC), Saturday
No. 99 Phillips Academy (Illinois) vs. Solorio (Illinois), Saturday
No. 100 Utica Eisenhower (Michigan) vs. Adams (Michigan), Friday
by Kathryn Gallo
High School Football America Writer
Follow @KathrynTGallo
