Football: Highly anticipated Chaminade at Central game headlines Week 5

Regardless of loyalty, allegiance or fandom, one high school football game has loomed larger on the schedule that any other this season.

That game is here.

Chaminade-Madonna (4-0, No. 1 Class 1M) travels to Miami to play Central (1-1, No. 1 Class 2M) on Thursday night in a game that will have national championship implications.

In addition to being defending state champions and two of the top 10 teams in the country, this game also is a fascinating matchup of a team with outstanding skill position players and another with one of the most talented front sevens in the state.

Chaminade’s offense is led by five-star senior wide receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State commit) and Joshisa Trader (Miami commit). The rest of the group includes senior quarterback Cedrick Bailey Jr. (NC State commit), senior running back Davion Gause (North Carolina commit) and junior wide receiver Kyle Washington.

Central comes into the game with five-star junior edge rusher Armondo Blount (Miami commit), junior edge rusher Randy Adirika, senior linebackers Vincent Shavers (Miami commit) and Lamar Smith and junior linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin.

This game has everything football fans could want – elite programs who have tested themselves against elite competition and some of the top recruits in the nation.

A Chaminade win puts the Lions firmly in the conversation for the national title. A Central win could put the Rockets back into the discussion despite their season-opening loss at Bishop Gorman.

Here’s a look at the top games in Week 5.

Treasure Coast (4-0, No. 1 Class 4S) at St. Thomas Aquinas (3-1, No. 1 Class 3M)

Friday’s game marks the second consecutive night where two No. 1 teams face off. This time it’s the Titans traveling to Fort Lauderdale to take on the Raiders. All four of Treasure Coast’s wins have come against 2022 playoff teams, including two state semifinalists. Aquinas has scored at least 37 points in each of its past three games.

Edgewater (4-0, No. 3 Class 3M) at Apopka (3-0, No. 3 Class 4M)

Edgewater and Apopka are two Central Florida powers who are expected to be in the mix for the state championship in their respective classes. Edgewater is coming off a convincing 31-14 win over rival Jones. All three of Apopka’s games have been decided by seven points or less.

Bartram Trail (2-1, No. 6 Class 4S) at St. Augustine (3-0, No. 2 Class 3S)

Bartram Trail has had two weeks to prepare for the Yellow Jackets. Bears quarterback Riley Trujillo did not play in the 28-24 loss to Mainland on Sept. 8 but is expected to play Friday. St. Augustine is averaging 44 points per game and has scored at least 43 points in every game.

Seminole (3-1, No. 4 Class 4M) at Vero Beach (3-0, No. 2 Class 4S)

Seminole is making its second trip to the Treasure Coast in the past three weeks. The Seminoles lone loss came at Treasure Coast on Sept. 8, but they pounded Evans 35-14 last week. Vero Beach is coming off a convincing 35-0 win against previously undefeated Fort Pierce Westwood.

Eau Gallie (4-0, No. 5 Class 3S) at Cocoa (2-1, No. 1 Class 2S)

Two of the premier Space Coast teams square off on Friday. Eau Gallie has won its past two games by a combined score of 70-7 and has not allowed more than one touchdown in any game this season. Cocoa is playing its first game since a controversial 37-36 loss at St. Thomas Aquinas on Sept. 8.

Key games in Week 5

Vanguard at Buchholz

Vanguard is 4-0 and No. 4 in Class 3S; Buchholz is 4-0 and ranked No. 4 in Class 4S

Florida High at Madison County

Florida High is 2-1 and No. 4 in Class 2S; Madison County is 2-0 and No. 4 in Class 1R

Trinity Catholic at Raines

Trinity Catholic is 1-2 and No. 1 in Class 1S; Raines is 2-1 and No. 9 in Class 2M

Atlantic at Cardinal Newman

Atlantic is 4-0 and No. 7 in Class 3M; Cardinal Newman is 3-0 and No. 4 in Class 1M

Coconut Creek at Blanche Ely

Coconut Creek is 3-1 and No. 6 in Class 3M; Blanche Ely is 3-0 and No. 8 in Class 3M

Choctawhatchee at Niceville

Choctawhatchee is 3-1 and No. 7 in Class 3S; Niceville is 3-1 and No. 9 in Class 4S

Tampa Catholic at Berkeley Prep

Tampa Catholic is 2-1 and No. 10 in Class 2M; Berkeley Prep is 2-1 and No. 5 in Class 2M

Clearwater Central Catholic at Sebring

Clearwater Central Catholic is 3-0 and No. 2 in Class 1M; Sebring is 2-1 and is receiving votes in Class 3S

Manatee at Port Charlotte

Manatee is 4-0 and No. 7 in Class 4S; Port Charlotte is 3-1 and No. 10 in Class 3S

Williston at Fort White

Williston is 4-0 and No. 2 in Class 1R; Fort White is 4-0 and is receiving votes in Class 1R

Orlando Christian Prep at Union County

Orlando Christian Prep is 4-0 and is receiving votes in Class 1M; Union County is 2-1 and No. 3 in Class 1R

True North Classical at First Baptist Academy

True North Classical is 4-0 and is receiving votes in Class 1M; First Baptist Academy is 2-1 and No. 2 in Class 1S

Clearwater Academy International at Miami Palmetto

Clearwater Academy International is 0-3; Palmetto is 3-1 and No. 5 in Class 4M

Prince Avenue Christian (Georgia) at Pensacola Catholic

Prince Avenue Christian is 5-0 and No. 1 in Division A D1; Pensacola Catholic is 3-0 and No. 5 in Class 2S

Individual matchups featuring top recruits

Chaminade-Madonna 2024 WR Jeremiah Smith vs. Central 2025 DB Sekou Smith Jr.

Smith is committed to Ohio State; Smith’s offers include Louisville, Maryland, Miami and Ole Miss

Palm Beach Gardens 2024 S Michael Wright vs. Pahokee 2024 WR Hardley Gilmore IV

Wright is committed to FAU; Gilmore is committed to Kentucky

Benjamin 2026 LB Adam Balogoun-Ali vs. Jensen Beach 2024 RB Dennis Palmer Jr.

Balogoun-Ali’s offers include Florida, Kentucky and Miami; Palmer’s offers include FAU, FIU and Indiana

Trinity Catholic 2026 EDGE Jeremiah Kinsler vs. Raines 2025 OL Solomon Thomas

Kinsler has an offer from Miami; Thomas’ offers include Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State and Miami

Atlantic 2024 LB Jayden Parrish vs. Cardinal Newman 2025 RB Jaylin Brown

Parrish is committed to Florida State; Brown’s offers include Kentucky, NC State and West Virginia

Mandarin 2024 CB Antoine Belgrave-Shorter at Creekside 2025 QB Sean Ashenfelder

Belgrave-Shorter is committed to Penn State; Ashenfelder is committed to Rutgers

Clearwater Academy International 2024 C Jason Zandamela vs. Palmetto 2025 DT Davion Dixon

Zandamela is committed to USC; Dixon is committed to Notre Dame

Seminole 2024 CB Chasen Johnson vs. Vero Beach 2026 ATH Efrem White

Johnson is committed to UCF; White’s offers include Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State and Tennessee 

Jones 2024 QB Trever Jackson vs. West Orange 2025 S Ivan Taylor

Jackson is committed to Ole Miss; Taylor’s offers include Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame

Treasure Coast 2024 DL Jahari Grant vs. St. Thomas Aquinas 2024 RB Jordan Lyle

Grant is committed to USF; Lyle is committed to Ohio State

Eau Gallie 2025 DL Brandon Brown vs. Cocoa 2026 QB Brady Hart

Brown’s offers include Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame and Oklahoma; Hart’s offers include Penn State, Pitt, Texas A&M, UCF

Tampa Catholic 2024 WR TJ Moore at Berkeley Prep 2025 DB Dallas Golden

Moore is committed to Clemson; Golden’s offers include

Vanguard ATH Fred Gaskin III vs. Buchholz 2024 DL Kendall Jackson

Gaskin is committed to USF; Jackson is committed to Florida

Armwood 2025 RB Girard Pringle Jr. vs. Jesuit 2024 LB Drew Woodaz

Pringle’s offers include Iowa, Ole Miss, USF and West Virginia; Woodaz is committed to Clemson

Tampa Bay Tech 2025 WR Santonyo Isaac vs. Gaither 2024 ATH Andrew Brinson

Isaac’s offers include Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Penn State; Brinson is committed to Oregon State

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Football: Highly anticipated Chaminade at Central game headlines Week 5