Steve Fryer has his previews and predictions for the featured games in Week 0:
GAME OF THE WEEK
BISHOP GORMAN OF LAS VEGAS (13-2 in 2013) VS. NO. 1 SERVITE (6-6)
Where, when: Cerritos College, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket
Last time they met: 2013, Bishop Gorman 41, Servite 17
Series: Bishop Gorman leads, 3-0
Coaches: Bishop Gorman, Tony Sanchez (56-4); Servite, AJ Gass (6-6)
Outlook: Servite usually has the toughest nonleague schedule in Orange County football. The tradition continues this season. Bishop Gorman is No. 1 in USA Today’s preseason national rankings, which have Servite at No. 32. Servite has a huge corral of returning talent, including quarterback Travis Waller and defensive back Maurice Davison. Both were All-County first team last year. Gorman won its opener last week, beating Brophy Prep of Phoenix, 44-0. These teams appear equal. Having that game’s worth of experience is an advantage for Gorman.
Winner: Bishop Gorman
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Other featured games for Week 0:
NO. 21 BUENA PARK (8-3) vs. ORANGE (7-4)
Where, when: El Modena, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Buena Park has developed into a consistently successful program in recent years. This looks like another playoff season for the Coyotes, thanks mostly again to overall team speed. Orange has just seven returning seniors, so the Panthers will have to learn quickly. Buena Park is not an easy season-opening exam.
Winner: Buena Park
BISHOP AMAT OF LA PUENTE (6-4) vs. NO. 5 SANTA MARGARITA (4-6)
Where, when: Saddleback College, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: It’s the Eagles coaching debut of Rick Curtis, who took over after Harry Welch resigned. Curtis had been Northwood’s only coach since the school opened in 1999. Santa Margarita’s offense, led by quarterback KJ Costello and receiver Kyle Sweet, will score plenty of points. This is a tough opener for the Eagles. Bishop Amat is No. 30 in CalHiSports’ preseason state top 50 and has several outstanding skill-position players. Curtis and his staff installed a new system, and it might take some time for the Eagles to have it down good enough to beat a team as good as Amat.
Winner: Bishop Amat
CANYON (5-6) vs. TROY (7-3)
Where, when: Fullerton High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Canyon has a new coach who hardly is new to county football. He’s Mike Ogas, the son of former Santa Ana College coach Dave Ogas and has been an assistant coach at some fine programs. Troy might be one of those “keep an eye on them” teams. The Warriors have good team speed at the best place to have it: on defense.
Winner: Troy
FULLERTON (10-3) vs. KENNEDY (3-7)
Where, when: Western High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Fullerton was a great story last year. The Indians underwent a coaching change just before the season began, qualified for the Southwest Division playoffs and advanced to the semifinals. Several of that team’s top players graduated, but Fullerton proved it can handle challenges. After bad finishes in 2011 and ’12, Kennedy was a play away from making the playoffs last year. The Fighting Irish’s rise should continue this year. This is a good North County matchup that could be a close one.
Winner: Fullerton
NO. 12 EL TORO (4-6) vs. NO. 11 LA HABRA (10-2)
Where, when: La Habra High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: County football is rich in quarterbacks this season. This game features two of the better ones. La Habra’s Eric Barriere showed much promise as a sophomore last season. El Toro senior Trey Tinsley averaged more than 300 yards last season in the Chargers’ quick-hitting passing game. The Highlanders likely will be the superior running team. They also have the speed on defense to keep El Toro under control.
Winner: La Habra
LOARA (6-5) vs. RANCHO ALAMITOS (4-7)
Where, when: Bolsa Grande High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: After two straight playoff appearances, it’s rebuilding time at Loara. The Saxons have just four returning starters. Rancho made the playoffs last year, too. The Vaqueros historically are a run-strong team. This group, with quarterback Nick Brown and receiver Devin Velez, is pretty good at throwing the ball.
Winner: Rancho Alamitos
ALISO NIGUEL (3-7) vs. MARINA (1-9)
Where, when: Westminster High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: These teams need a quick injection of confidence, having suffered through plenty of challenging seasons. This game is a great opportunity for both to get that boost. Aliso Niguel allowed 33 points a game last season. Marina gave up 44 points a game. Marina’s defense could be much better and good enough to get the Vikings the win.
Winner: Marina
NORTHWOOD (3-7) vs. COSTA MESA (7-4)
Where, when: Estancia High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: It’s Northwood’s first varsity football game without Curtis. Dean Toohey was promoted to Northwood head coach after 14 years as an assistant, so that should create an easy transition. Costa Mesa has a large number of players making their varsity debuts in this game.
Winner: Northwood
CENTENNIAL OF CORONA (12-3) vs. NO. 2 MATER DEI (11-3)
Where, when: Mission Viejo High, Saturday, 8 p.m.
Outlook: Mater Dei has a lot of good players coming back from last year’s Pac-5 Division finalist team. The Monarchs have a new quarterback, though, and that’s worrisome going into a season opener against a team as strong as the Huskies. Centennial, No. 9 in the state preseason rankings (Mater Dei is No. 4), averaged 53 points a game last season but lost many offensive stars to graduation. Mater Dei is going to have to carefully manage the game on offense and hope its excellent defense sets the tone.
Winner: Mater Dei
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The rest of the Week 0 schedule:
THURSDAY
Nonleague
Magnolia (6-6) vs. John Glenn of Norwalk (0-10) at La Mirada High
Coronado of Nevada (4-6) at No. 20 Huntington Beach (9-5)
FRIDAY
Nonleague
Saddleback Valley Christian (9-3) at Windward of Los Angeles (6-3), 3:30 p.m.
California Military Institute of Perris (6-5) at Crean Lutheran (1-9), 4 p.m.
No. 22 Fountain Valley (7-4) vs. South Plantation of Fla. (7-3) at Kissimmee, Fla., 4 p.m.
Irvine (10-3) at Calvert Hall of Baltimore (3-9), 4:30 p.m.
No. 9 Corona del Mar (16-0) vs. La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad (7-4) at Cathedral of San Diego, 5 p.m.
Saddleback (0-10) at Aquinas (4-6) of San Bernardino
No. 6 Tesoro (9-3) at La Mirada (4-7)
Dominguez of Compton (8-4) vs. No. 4 Orange Lutheran (7-4) at Orange Coast College
Bishop (4-7) vs. Whittier Christian (6-4) at Whittier College
Tustin (1-9) at Dana Hills (5-6)
Calvary Chapel (7-4) at Sage Hill (5-6)
Maranatha of Pasadena (3-7) vs. Capistrano Valley Christian (8-2) at Capistrano Valley High
Centennial of Compton (1-9) vs. No. 10 Edison (9-4) at Huntington Beach High
Garfield of Los Angeles (8-4) at No. 18 San Clemente (2-8)
Godinez (5-5) vs. Santiago (3-7) at Garden Grove High
Rancho Cucamonga (10-2) at No. 15 Trabuco Hills (6-4)
Brethren Christian (7-3) at Riverside Prep (2-8)
Capistrano Valley (5-5) at Long Beach Jordan (3-7)
San Juan Hills (10-2) at Thousand Oaks (6-4)
Santa Ana Valley (7-3-1) at Segerstrom (7-4)
Sonora (2-8) vs. Whittier (4-6) at California High of Whittier
Sunny Hills (3-7) at Pioneer of Whittier (3-7)
No. 7 JSerra (7-3) at Cabrillo of Long Beach (4-7)
Liberty of Bakersfield (9-2) at No. 3 Mission Viejo (11-1), 7:30 p.m.
Woodbridge (7-5) at Atascadero (8-3), 7:30 p.m.
Beckman (4-6) at Durango of Colorado (8-3), 3 p.m.
SATURDAY
Nonleague
Maya Angelou of Los Angeles (0-0) vs. Fairmont Prep (4-5) at Yorba Linda High, 7 p.m.
