OCVARSITY PREDICTS
1. Los Alamitos: The Griffins could be the league’s most complete team with their plethora of running backs, size on the lines and speed on defense. They usually play three-time defending champion Edison tough (Los Al won last season), but they’ll also need to beat nemesis Newport Harbor, which has defeated Los Alamitos the past three seasons.
2. Huntington Beach: The Oilers beat Edison for the first time since 1993 last season when they won the teams’ showdown in the Southwest Division semifinals. Huntington Beach graduated QB Kai Ross, but it still has a talented backfield and features more size than last season.
3. Edison: The Chargers have a lot of new faces, but they have tradition on their side. They’re 23-2 in the league the past five seasons. The newcomers from a talented JV team also could surprise.
4. Newport Harbor: The return of All-County quarterback Cole Norris and the development of more receivers makes the Sailors dangerous. An effective passing attack could be a difference-maker in a tightly bunched league.
5. Fountain Valley: The Barons held down Los Alamitos and Huntington Beach in victories last season and believe they have a better defense this season. Expect Fountain Valley to surprise again, but the Barons might be another season away from contending under second-year coach Ray Fenton.
6. Marina: The Vikings appear to have the defensive-minded coach they needed in Jeff Turley, the ex-defensive coordinator at Long Beach Poly. Marina could see improvement in 2014 but the fix likely won’t come in just one season.
COACHES’ POLL
1. Edison, 34 (4)
2. Los Alamitos, 28 (1)
3. Huntington Beach, 25 (1)
4. Newport Harbor, 18
5. Fountain Valley, 12
6. Marina, 9
How the poll works: The league coaches do the voting. First-place votes (shown in parentheses) are worth 6 points, second are worth 5, etc.
IMPACT PLAYERS
Travis Heer, Huntington Beach, RB: Heer teams with junior Hunter Simmons to give the Oilers the best running back duo in the league. Heer, a senior, broke through last season with 141 yards against Edison in the semifinals and now he is 210 pounds.
Matt Locher, Los Alamitos, RB/LB: A foot injury wiped out Locher’s junior season, but at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, the Griffins believe he will dominate on both sides of the ball.
Jacob Lopez, Marina, LB: New coach Jeff Turley paid Lopez a compliment when he said the senior outside linebacker would be able to play with his old defenses at Long Beach Poly.
Hunter Margain, Fountain Valley, LB: The Barons’ defense has the potential to be one of the best in the league and the 225-pound senior anchors a talented group of linebackers.
Cole Norris, Newport Harbor, QB: The second-team All-County pick passed for nearly 3,000 yards last season as a junior and still has a lot of weapons. He might be the most experienced player in the league.
Manase Time, Edison, RB/LB: The league’s reigning defensive player of the year will see significantly more time on offense. Watch for the burst that helped the senior collect 13 sacks last season.
MUST-SEE GAMES
Huntington Beach at Newport Harbor, Oct. 10: This league opener pits the finalists from last season’s CIF Southwest Division final, won by the Oilers, 42-28. The Oilers also took the league game last season, 40-14.
Newport Harbor vs. Los Alamitos, at Veterans Stadium, Oct. 17: The Sailors have terrorized the Griffins by winning the teams’ league games the past three seasons, including two in overtime. This game could provide the winner huge momentum.
Edison at Huntington Beach, Oct. 17: The Oilers made this one must-see theater by defeating the Chargers in the CIF Southwest Division semifinals last season. Edison won the league game last season, 48-6.
Edison vs. Fountain Valley, at Orange Coast College, Oct. 31: Halloween Night will bring together the hottest rivals in the league. The Chargers have won the Bell nine consecutive years.
Edison vs. Los Alamitos, at Veterans Stadium, Nov. 6: This Week 10 showdown helps close the regular season and could be for the league title. Important playoff seeding also could be on the line.
MORE FOOTBALL — OCVARSITY KICKOFF’14: O.C.’S BEST FAN GUIDE:
Everything you need to know about the high school football scene for 2014.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
