Greatest weekend ever?

[whiteshoes]

It is hard to argue that this weekend's lineup of high school football games may be the greatest weekend ever.    After attending your favorite local game Friday night, stock up on cold beverages, your favorite snacks, and check out one of the great games listed below on either an ESPN outlet, Bally Sports station or grab a streaming platform somewhere.     But the following are all must see events.   My gang is headed toward the Freedom Bowl in Canton, Ohio for five great games.

TOP 100 GAMES –

#1 Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei (1-0) @ #6 Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman (1-0)

#2 Baltimore (MD) St. Francis Academy vs. #52 East St. Louis (IL) (Freedom Bowl – Ohio)

#3 Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco @ #48 Allen (TX)

#12 Miami (FL) Central @ #4 Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy

#27 Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph Prep @ #5 Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas

#7 Corona Centennial (1-0) @ San Diego Cathedral Catholic (1-0)

#9 Washington (DC) St. Johns @ #10 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (Broward County vs. The USA)

Charlotte (NC) Mallard Creek (1-0) @ #11 Buford (GA) (1-0)

The Woodlands (TX) @ #13 Houston (TX) North Shore

#15 Duncanville (TX) vs. #51 Dallas (TX) South Oak Cliff – (Kincaide Stadium) (ESPN2)

Missouri City (TX) Ridge Point @ #16 Austin (TX) Westlake

#17 Plantation (FL) American Heritage (1-0) vs. #53 Los Alamitos (CA) (1-0) (Broward County vs. The USA) (ESPN)

#18 Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic vs. Raleigh (NC) Cardinal Gibbons (0-1)

Rockwall (TX) Rockwall-Heath @ #19 Denton (TX) Guyer

#20 Tampa (FL) Jesuit @ Tampa (FL) Wharton

Pittsburgh (PA) Central Catholic vs. #21 Lakewood (NJ) St. Edward

McDonough (GA) Eagle’s Landing (0-1) @ #22 Loganville (GA) Grayson (1-0)

#23 Nashville (TN) Lipscomb Academy @ #47 Alabaster Thompson (ESPNU)

#24 Lakeland (FL) @ Clearwater (FL)

#25 Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha @ #33 Fort Lauderdale (FL) Cardinal Gibbons (Broward County vs. The USA)

#26 Hochston (GA) Mill Creek (1-0) @ Norcross (GA) (0-1)

#28 Katy (TX) @ League City (TX) Clear Springs

#29 Miami (FL) Northwestern @ #42 Venice (FL)

#30 Phenix City (AL) Central (1-0) @ Smiths (AL) Smiths Station (0-1)

El Paso (TX) Eastwood @ #31 Southlake (TX) Carroll

Anaheim (CA) Servite (0-1) @ #32 Mission Viejo (CA) (1-0)

#34 Fairburn (GA) Langston Hughes (1-0) @ Power Springs (GA) McEachern (0-1)

#36 Indianapolis (IN) Cathedral (1-0) @ Brownsburg (IN) (1-0)

Wahiawa (HI) (0-1-1) @ #37 Kahuku (HI) (2-0)

#38 Concord (CA) De LaSalle @ Elk Grove (CA) Monterey Trail (0-1)

#62 Marietta (GA) Walton (0-1) @ #40 Snellville (GA) Brookwood (1-0)

New Orleans (LA) St. Augustine vs. #41 DeSoto (TX)

#43 Denton (TX) Ryan @ New Braunfels (TX)

#73 San Mateo (CA) Serra @ #44 Folsom (CA) (1-0)

#45 Detroit (MI) M.L. King @ Indianapolis (IN) Warren Central (0-1)

Montvale (NJ) St. Joseph Regional @ #46 Olney (MD) Our Lady of Good Counsel

Madison (MS) Madison-Ridgeland Academy (2-0) @ #50 Murfreesboro (TN) Oakland (1-0)

#54 Greenwood Village (CO) Cherry Creek @ Arvada (CO) Ralston Valley

#56 St. Louis (MO) Christian Brothers vs. #66 Milton (GA) (0-1) (Freedom Bowl – Ohio)

Norco @ #57 Rancho Santa Margarita Santa Margarita (1-0)

#58 Austin (TX) Lake Travis @ #88 Arlington (TX) Martin (ESPNU)

#60 Tampa (FL) Bay Tech @ Tampa (FL) Plant

Louisville (KY) Trinity (1-0) @ #61 Cincinnati (OH) Archbishop Moeller (1-0)

Gardena Serra (0-1) @ #63 Long Beach Poly (1-0)

Savannah (GA) Benedictine (1-0) @ #67 Miami (FL) Columbus

#68 Bixby (OK) @ Owasso (OK)

Stockbridge (GA) (1-0 @ #69 Norman Park (GA) Colquitt County (1-0)

Chesapeake (VA) Deep Creek @ #70 Chesapeake Bay (VA) Oscar Smith

Carmel (IN) (0-1) @ #71 Greenwood (IN) Center Grove (1-0)

#72 Orlando (FL) Edgewater @ Orlando (FL) Bishop Moore

Dickinson (TX) @ #74 Humble (TX) Atascocita

#75 Belleville (MI) vs. Novi (MI)

#76 West Chester (OH) Lakota East (1-0) @ Liberty Township (OH) Lakota West (0-1)

Miami (FL) Edison @ #77 Ellenwood (GA) Cedar Grove (1-0)

#78 Madison (MS) Central @ Laurel (MS) West Jones

#79 Warren (MI) De LaSalle Collegiate @ Detroit (MI) Renaissance

Highland Springs (VA) @ #80 Charlotte (NC) Chambers (1-0)

#82 Katy (TX) Paetow @ Conroe (TX)

Louisville (KY) Ballard (1-0) @ #85 Louisville Male (1-0)

#87 Bryant (AR) vs. Benton (AR)

#84 College Station (TX) vs. Lucas (TX) Lovejoy

#90 Pinson (AL) Clay-Chalkville @ Hueytown (AL) (0-1)

Cordele (GA) Crisp County (1-0) @ #91 Atlanta (GA) Westlake (0-1)

#92 Orlando (FL) Jones @ Cocoa (FL)

#93 La Puente (CA) Bishop Amat (1-0) @ La Habra (CA) (0-1)

#94 Longview (TX) @ McKinney (TX) Boyd

Cantonment (FL) Tate @ #95 Pensacola (FL) Pine Forest

#96 Pittsburgh (PA) Mt. Lebanon @ Monroeville (PA) Gateway

Toledo (OH) St. Francis de Sales (0-1) @ #97 Columbus (OH) Upper Arlington (1-0)

[Bobref]

32 minutes ago, whiteshoes said:

Pittsburgh (PA) Central Catholic vs. #21 Lakewood (NJ) St. Edward

Lakewood St. Edward is the defending big school champ in OHIO, and pre-season #1.

[whiteshoes]

2 minutes ago, Bobref said:

Lakewood St. Edward is the defending big school champ in OHIO, and pre-season #1.

Should be an interesting matchup, as Central Catholic is ranked second in Pennsylvania.    The game follows an outstanding matchup in the first game as St. Louis Christain Brothers plays Milton (GA) in the first game.   The highlight of the weekend will be Saturday's final game which features nationally second ranked Baltimore St. Francis against East St. Louis (IL).   Will be a track meet in pads.

[Robert]

Maybe getting NFHS app this weekend.

[Bobref]

29 minutes ago, whiteshoes said:

Should be an interesting matchup, as Central Catholic is ranked second in Pennsylvania. 

The Eagles struggled in the opener, beating unheralded Toledo Central Catholic 23-20. Their lofty ranking may well be more a reflection of what they accomplished last season than a prediction of the new season.

[foxbat]

39 minutes ago, whiteshoes said:

New Orleans (LA) St. Augustine vs. #41 DeSoto (TX)

This is a cool match-up.  I'll have to see if I can catch this one.

St. Aug is my dad's and uncle's alma mater and I would have attended too if we hadn't moved to Texas back when I was in junior high.  It's an all-boys, Josephite Catholic school with strong traditions.  DeSoto's one of the perennial powerhouse teams out of the Dallas area.  It'll be a clash of city vs. suburbs, p/p vs. public, big vs. medium.  Fun fact: Around 1 out of 6 of St. Aug's students are IN THE BAND ... The Marching 100.

"Alma Mater, St. Augustine,
Alma Mater, Josephite High;"

 

[Robert]

1 hour ago, foxbat said:

This is a cool match-up.  I'll have to see if I can catch this one.

St. Aug is my dad's and uncle's alma mater and I would have attended too if we hadn't moved to Texas back when I was in junior high.  It's an all-boys, Josephite Catholic school with strong traditions.  DeSoto's one of the perennial powerhouse teams out of the Dallas area.  It'll be a clash of city vs. suburbs, p/p vs. public, big vs. medium.  Fun fact: Around 1 out of 6 of St. Aug's students are IN THE BAND ... The Marching 100.

"Alma Mater, St. Augustine,
Alma Mater, Josephite High;"

 

This pumps me up.  Jumpin' Jehosephat...er Josephite...er...

[PHJIrish]

I'll be at #36 tonight.

[Bobref]

23 hours ago, Bobref said:

The Eagles struggled in the opener, beating unheralded Toledo Central Catholic 23-20. Their lofty ranking may well be more a reflection of what they accomplished last season than a prediction of the new season.

Or, perhaps not. Eagles crush Pennsylvania #2 ranked Pittsburgh Central Catholic 42-10.

[WCGrad92]

On 8/26/2022 at 8:36 AM, foxbat said:

This is a cool match-up.  I'll have to see if I can catch this one.

St. Aug is my dad's and uncle's alma mater and I would have attended too if we hadn't moved to Texas back when I was in junior high.  It's an all-boys, Josephite Catholic school with strong traditions.  DeSoto's one of the perennial powerhouse teams out of the Dallas area.  It'll be a clash of city vs. suburbs, p/p vs. public, big vs. medium.  Fun fact: Around 1 out of 6 of St. Aug's students are IN THE BAND ... The Marching 100.

"Alma Mater, St. Augustine,
Alma Mater, Josephite High;"

 

Back in my high school days, i spent one year in New Orleans at John Ehret High School in Marrero LA, We played St Aug,  team was pretty decent, but the St Aug 100 was worth the admission just in itself. Normally its the football team that comes out to fireworks and smoke and such,  nah, that was the halftime show.

 

[Grover]

I'm reminded of the interview from 50 years ago:

Reporter:  Coach, in your wildest dreams did you ever think you'd win this game?

Coach:  Son, my wildest dreams have nothing to do with football.

 

Similarly my greatest weekend ever has nothing to do with football.  😁

[foxbat]

1 hour ago, WCGrad92 said:

Back in my high school days, i spent one year in New Orleans at John Ehret High School in Marrero LA, We played St Aug,  team was pretty decent, but the St Aug 100 was worth the admission just in itself. Normally its the football team that comes out to fireworks and smoke and such,  nah, that was the halftime show.

 

Nowadays St. Aug kind of goes back and forth on football.  Last year I think they made it to the semis before being bounced. 

Back in the 60s/70s when I would watch them play, and run the sidelines as a ball/water boy, back in the Coach Otis Washington days, St. Aug was a powerhouse team often vying down to the last game of the season with Brother Martin or Archbishop Rummel to figure out the conference winner.  Even back then, about half the folks in the stands were there to see the game and the other half was there to see the halftime show.  One thing was sure, you always got your money's worth from the halftime show.  The game was just gravy. 

[whiteshoes]

On 8/27/2022 at 7:36 AM, Bobref said:

Or, perhaps not. Eagles crush Pennsylvania #2 ranked Pittsburgh Central Catholic 42-10.

St. Edward was really solid in the game.   Every aspect of their game was outstanding.    Don't really think Central Catholic is the second-best team in Pennsylvanian.    Also, came away impressed with Chardon (OH).

[Justasportsfan]

South oak vs Duncanville lived up to the hype..24 D1 players between the 2..

[foxbat]

37 minutes ago, Justasportsfan said:

South oak vs Duncanville lived up to the hype..24 D1 players between the 2..

Particularly impressive when you realize that SOC is only about 1,200 students ... Duncanville's about a shade under 3,800.

[Bobref]

19 hours ago, whiteshoes said:

St. Edward was really solid in the game.   Every aspect of their game was outstanding.    Don't really think Central Catholic is the second-best team in Pennsylvanian.    Also, came away impressed with Chardon (OH).

The Eagles have a real test this week. They host 3 time defending Colorado big school champ Cherry Creek, a school of 3,800 students.

[whiteshoes]

4 hours ago, Bobref said:

The Eagles have a real test this week. They host 3 time defending Colorado big school champ Cherry Creek, a school of 3,800 students.

Cherry Creek has a solid program, finally displacing Valor Christian as the team to beat in Colorado.   They were a two-touchdown winner over a good Ralston Valley team in their opener.  If the game is Saturday and streamed, I will most likely watch it.   Going to the Carmel-Cass Tech game Friday night with a stop at Junipers on Main.

[Bobref]

39 minutes ago, whiteshoes said:

Cherry Creek has a solid program, finally displacing Valor Christian as the team to beat in Colorado.   They were a two-touchdown winner over a good Ralston Valley team in their opener.  If the game is Saturday and streamed, I will most likely watch it.   Going to the Carmel-Cass Tech game Friday night with a stop at Junipers on Main.

Saturday at 3 pm Central.

[LC_Bears_04]

The most notable result over the weekend to me was Miami Central beating IMG Academy 20-14.  I know Miami Central is a powerhouse but I was shocked by that score.  IMG hadn't lost to an in-state opponent for a long time.

I really hope the starting QB for Duncanville is OK.  He went down late in the 4th quarter and was holding his knee and then couldn't put any weight on it.  Best wishes for him on a speedy recovery.

Cincinnati Moeller put up an impressive performance against a Louisville Trinity team that beat Carmel the week before.  Moeller could be on a collision course with St. Edward for the Division I state title game in Ohio.

Edited August 30, 2022 by LC_Bears_04

[Bobref]

5 hours ago, LC_Bears_04 said:

Cincinnati Moeller put up an impressive performance against a Louisville Trinity team that beat Carmel the week before.  Moeller could be on a collision course with St. Edward for the Division I state title game in Ohio

The OT loss to Moeller was the only blemish on the Eagles’ record on their way to the state championship. This year is payback. The Eagles journey to Cincinnati on Oct. 15. That date is already circled.

[Footballking16]

2 minutes ago, Bobref said:

The OT loss to Moeller was the only blemish on the Eagles’ record on their way to the state championship. This year is payback. The Eagles journey to Cincinnati on Oct. 15. That date is already circled.

How the tides have changed in the GCL. Moeller seemed like a program left for dead just a few years ago after several consecutive losing seasons and a carousel of coaching changes. Big Moe appears to be the heavy frontrunner in the GCL South and a legitimate state title contender. St. X who has dominated the GCL South for years and won a state title two years ago is 0-2 and coming off an absolute drubbing to Loyola up in Chicago. Bombers may only be a 2-3 win team this year. Just goes to show you how cyclical things are in high school football and how quick things can change for better or for worse. 

[Bobref]

40 minutes ago, Footballking16 said:

How the tides have changed in the GCL. Moeller seemed like a program left for dead just a few years ago after several consecutive losing seasons and a carousel of coaching changes. Big Moe appears to be the heavy frontrunner in the GCL South and a legitimate state title contender. St. X who has dominated the GCL South for years and won a state title two years ago is 0-2 and coming off an absolute drubbing to Loyola up in Chicago. Bombers may only be a 2-3 win team this year. Just goes to show you how cyclical things are in high school football and how quick things can change for better or for worse. 

I watched some of the Loyola - St. X game. Shocking the way X was physically manhandled.

[FastpacedO]

14 minutes ago, Bobref said:

I watched some of the Loyola - St. X game. Shocking the way X was physically manhandled.

Is that shocking at how good Loyola is or shocking at how bad St. X is? Honest question.

[Footballking16]

1 hour ago, FastpacedO said:

Is that shocking at how good Loyola is or shocking at how bad St. X is? Honest question.

Loyola has some serious talent but to dismantle an X team like that is saying something. General feel on the Ohio boards is that this X team is extremely inexperience and lacks significant playmakers. Doesn't excuse the fact that X has a mammoth offensive line that was physically dominated. It's definitely a down year for the Bombers and have seen some of their posters already advocate for playing time from their Freshman QB who is apparently a stud athlete. I think that alone tells you the rest of the outlook in regards to the remainder of the season. 

[Bobref]

2 hours ago, FastpacedO said:

Is that shocking at how good Loyola is or shocking at how bad St. X is? Honest question.

I don’t know much about Loyola. But I don’t ever recall seeing a St. X team pushed around like that. They lost to a very good Lakota West team (now ranked #2 in Ohio by Maxpreps) 16-13 in week 1, so I would guess they’re not terrible. Loyola must be pretty good.