Broward National High School Football Showcase highlights …

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A national championship can’t be won during the opening week of the season, but several of the top teams in the country will be making their case in the Broward National High School Football Showcase.

The lineup features defending state champions Chaminade-Madonna (Class 1M) and St. Thomas Aquinas (Class 3M) as well as Plantation-American Heritage, the 2022 Class 2M state runner-up.

St. John Bosco (California, No. 3 in the MaxPreps national ranking), St. Frances (Maryland, No. 12) and St. John’s (Washington D.C., No. 26) are among the notable teams coming to Broward this weekend.

Here’s a look at the matchups. Broward teams went 6-1 in last year’s showcase.

Thursday: Milton (Ga.) at Western; Cedar Grove (Ga.) vs. Monarch

Milton was a Class 7A state semifinalist in Georgia last season and is currently ranked No. 43 nationally. The Eagles have not played a Florida opponent since beating Cardinal Gibbons 42-17 in 2018. Western beat Stoneman Douglas 47-2 in the Kickoff Classic.

Cedar Creek was the Class 3A state runner-up in Georgia last season, losing on a controversial call that quickly went viral. Monarch lost to Coconut Creek 34-6 in the Kickoff Classic.

Friday: Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.) at Cardinal Gibbons; Highland Springs (Virginia) at Miramar

Gibbons vs. Gibbons just feels like a fun game (for obvious reasons). The N.C. version beat Jordan (N.C.) 35-31 last week behind quarterback Whitt Newbauer’s 347 yards and four touchdown passes. The Fort Lauderdale Gibbons squad tied Plantation 45-45 in the Kickoff Classic.

Highland Springs went 15-0, won the Class 5 championship in Virginia and currently is ranked No. 70 in the nation. Miramar shut out Miami Edison 21-0 in the Kickoff Classic.

Saturday: St. Frances vs. Chaminade-Madonna; St. John Bosco at St. Thomas Aquinas; St. John’s at American Heritage

St. Frances lost to Buford (Georgia) 18-0 last week. The Panthers are 2-2 against Florida teams the past two seasons, including a loss at St. Thomas Aquinas in the season opener in 2021. Chaminade beat Miami Northwestern 35-6 in the Kickoff Classic.

St. John Bosco was the MaxPreps national champion in 2022. The Braves beat Liberty (Nevada) 42-22 last week with quarterback Caleb Sanchez completing 22 of 26 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns. Aquinas has a four-game win streak against out-of-state opponents, dating back to 2018.

St. Johns started the season with a 35-28 loss against Chaminade-Madonna in Fort Lauderdale but went on to win the WCAC Capital Division championship. Heritage had its Kickoff Classic against Booker T. Washington called after Patriots player Timothy Burroughs-Love collapsed on the field and received CPR before being taken to a local hospital.

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Other top games to watch in Week 1

Columbus (No. 1 Class 4M) at Clearwater Academy International

Last week: Columbus did not play a Kickoff Classic; CAI lost to Homestead 23-21

Miami Norland (No. 2 Class 2M) at Lakeland (No. 2 Class 4S)

Last week: Norland beat Ely 35-7; Lakeland beat Armwood 28-13

Cocoa (No. 1 Class 2S) at Jones (No. 3 Class 3M)

Last week: Cocoa beat Satellite 51-0; Jones beat Jesuit 38-18

St. Augustine (No. 2 Class 3M) at Bolles (No. 5 Class 2M)

Last week: St. Augustine beat Spruce Creek 47-0; Bolles beat Orange Park 35-0

Mainland (No 1 Class 3S) at DeLand (No. 9 Class 4S)

Last week: Mainland beat Matanzas 42-0; DeLand beat West Orange 42-21

Armwood (No. 9 Class 3M) at Venice (No. 1 Class 4S)

Last week: Armwood lost to Lakeland 28-13; Venice beat Tampa Bay Tech 48-7

Osceola (No. 5 Class 4S) at Treasure Coast (No. 8 Class 4S)

Last week: Apopka beat Osceola 16-15; Treasure Coast beat Lake Wales 17-0

Plant (No. 7 in Class 4S) at Tampa Bay Tech (No. 5 Class 3S)

Last week: Plant beat Wharton 28-27 (OT); Tampa Bay Tech lost to Venice 48-6

Lake Wales (No. 5 Class 3S) at Zephyrhills (No. 7 Class 3S)

Last week: Lake Wales lost to Treasure Coast 17-0; Zephyrhills lost to East Lake 21-20

Erie (Colorado) at Vanguard (No. 8 Class 4S)

Erie is ranked No. 9 in Colorado by MaxPreps; Vanguard lost to Miami Central 13-6

GAME POSTPONED: Florida High (No. 2 Class 2S) at Trinity Catholic (No. 1 Class 1S)

Last week: Florida High beat Chiles 40-7; Trinity beat Key West 59-13. The teams were scheduled to play Friday night, but Trinity Catholic announced Thursday that the game would be postponed to Sept. 29 due to a COVID-19 outbreak.