Video: Top 5 California Games of the Week Norco hopes to upend Centennial in the top game of the week.
It could be a week of redemption for several teams playing in the MaxPreps California Top 5 Games of the Week.
Norco was in the California Top 25 most of the season before losing 63-35 to Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley) on Sept. 27. The Cougars, led by Oklahoma State-bound quarterback Shane Illingworth, have responded with two straight lopsided wins to move back to No. 25, and earn total redemption with a win at fourth-ranked Centennial (Corona).
A pair of Trinity League and state-ranked squads, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) and Servite (Anaheim), were humbled last week by the country's top two teams, Mater Dei (Santa Ana) and St. John Bosco (Bellflower), losing by a combined 83 points.
The two teams can take those losses out on each other as the face each other at Servite on Friday.
Unranked, but 6-1, Pittsburg seeks redemption after losing the Bay Valley Athletic League championship last season with a 17-14 loss to Liberty (Brentwood). The two teams square off in Brentwood on Friday with the BVAL title hanging in the balance again.
Pittsburg quarterback Jerry Johnson has thrown for a school-record 23 touchdowns and just one interception.
File photo by Ernie Abreu
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Top Players
If
you like offense, this game is for you. Centennial (5-2) scored at
least 60 points in three of the last four games and is averaging 51
points per game. Norco (6-1) has eclipsed the 60-point mark twice this season
and is averaging over 52 points per game. This is the 17th meeting
between the two since 2004 and the Huskies have dominated, winning 14 of
the previous 16, including nine straight. Oklahoma State-bound Illingworth has completed 113-of-116 passes for 2,315 yards, 31 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Top Players
Servite: WR
Tetairoa McMillan (6-3, 185), QB
Noah Fifita (5-10, 170), WR
Zedakiah Centers (5-10, 160), DE
Tristen Wilson (6-2, 190), CB
Karrington Dennis (5-8, 170)
Both
look to bounce back after humbling lopsided losses last week to the top two
teams in the country. JSerra Catholic (5-2) had its four-game winning streak
snapped against St. John Bosco and Servite lost its second straight.
Both losses have come against the Braves and Mater Dei. All five
combined losses by both schools have come against Top 25 teams. This is
the 14th meeting between the two since 2006 and the Friars (4-3) have won nine
of the previous 13, but the Lions have won the previous two.
7 p.m. Friday
Top Players
After starting 3-0, Serra (4-3) has fallen on hard times, losing three of four, while scoring 26 points total over its last three games. Amat (6-1) has won four straight, and two games this season by a single point. The teams have faced off each of the last five years, with Amat winning three, including 35-14 last season.
7 p.m. Friday
Top Players
One of the best San Diego Section rivalries, the teams have met a whopping 17 times since 2003, with Cathedral Catholic winning 10, including 34-14 last season a year after St. Augustine drubbed the Dons 45-6. Cathedral Catholic enters 7-1 and St. Augustine 6-1. Both teams lost to Helix.
Pittsburg at No. 20 Liberty (Brentwood)7 p.m. Friday
Top Players
Pittsburg: QB
Jerry Johnson (6-3, 190), RB-CB
Avant Muldrow (5-7, 175), WR-CB
Johnny Blackmon, III (5-9, 160), WR-FS
Brian Andre Pierce, Jr. (5-9, 170), LB
Damuarya Harts (5-11, 170).
This was a series owned by Pittsburg (6-1), before the defending CIF State D1-A champions broke a 12-game drought to the Pirates last year, winning 17-14. Pittsburg committed five turnovers in that game and Pirates' coach Vic Galli thinks if his team can win the turnover battle, they should come out victorious. Johnson, a first-year starter, has actually outperformed Oregon-bound quarterback Butterfield, throwing a school-record 23 touchdown passes to just 12 touchdowns for the Liberty senior. The Lions (7-0) have won four games by less than a touchdown. This will decide the Bay Valley Athletic League title once again.
