OCVARSITY GAME OF THE WEEK
SAN CLEMENTE (1-0) VS. HUNTINGTON BEACH (0-1)
Where, when: Huntington Beach High, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Last time they met: 1997, San Clemente 38, Huntington Beach 24
Series: San Clemente leads, 3-2
Coaches: San Clemente, Jaime Ortiz (8-13); Huntington Beach, Eric Lo (47-35)
Outlook: San Clemente was 2-8 overall and 0-4 in the South Coast League last year. The Tritons had to feel better about their chances this year, and not just because they moved to the not-as-tough Sea View League. They returned several good players, including quarterback Sam Darnold, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound senior who committed to USC. San Clemente turned the positive attitude into a positive result last week with a 38-22 win over Garfield of Los Angeles. Huntington Beach won the Southwest Division championship last year. Maybe the Oilers were overconfident going into last week’s season opener which was a 41-26 loss to Coronado of Henderson, Nev., despite a strong multi-purpose effort from Travis Heer. They will show they learned their lesson.
Winner: Huntington Beach
THURSDAY
DANA HILLS (0-1) VS. NO. 7 CORONA DEL MAR (1-0)
Where, when: Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Dana Hills needs to collect nonleague wins if they are going be in the running for a playoff berth in the West Valley Division. The Dolphins missed a chance to get one last week when they lost to Tustin, 20-14. Believe it or not, Corona del Mar might be better than it was last year when the Sea Kings won CIF section and state championships and finished 16-0. Corona del Mar, led by defensive player of the week Hugh Crance, popped La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad last week, 38-0, to push its winning streak to 27 games. The Sea Kings will make it 28 in a row with this one.
Winner: Corona del Mar
Also Thursday (all games 7 p.m.)
Loara (0-1) at Estancia (1-0)
Katella (0-0) at Western (0-0)
Anaheim vs. Orange (0-1) at El Modena High
Northwood (1-0) vs. Kennedy (0-1) at Glover Stadium
La Quinta (0-0) vs. Saddleback (0-1) at Segerstrom High
Ayala of Chino Hills (0-1) vs. El Dorado (0-0) at Valencia High
Beckman (1-0) vs. Santa Ana Valley (1-0) at Santa Ana Stadium
Whittier Christian (1-0) vs. Brethren Christian (1-0) at Ocean View High
FRIDAY
SANTIAGO OF CORONA (1-0) VS. NO. 3 SANTA MARGARITA (1-0)
Where, when: Trabuco Hills High, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: Santa Margarita beat Bishop Amat of La Puente, 26-21, as quarterback KJ Costello set a school single-season record for completions with 27, including going 4 for 4 on the winning drive in the fourth quarter. Santiago has a good quarterback, too – maybe the best quarterback in California. Blake Barnett is a 6-5, 200-pound senior who committed to Alabama. ESPN has Barnett rated as the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the nation. He threw for 301 yards and a touchdown last week in a 47-21 win over Redlands. Santa Margarita is the better defensive team, though, and that could be the difference.
Winner: Santa Margarita
FOOTHILL (0-0) VS. TUSTIN (1-0)
Where, when: Tustin High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: After so many great years, Tustin stumbled last year to a 1-9 finish. The Tillers were off of everybody’s radar going into this season. Tustin showed it might be back on the right track last week with a 20-14 win over Dana Hills. This is Foothill’s season opener. Playing a first game against a team that has played a game is a disadvantage. But Foothill’s defense, featuring defensive end Logan Wetherholt, should leads the Knights to victory. Oh, and this might be the most important information to those attending: Tustin is the home team at this venue that is the home field for Foothill, too. You don’t want to sit on the wrong side of the stadium at a rivalry game.
Winner: Foothill
WESTMINSTER (0-0) VS. GARDEN GROVE (0-0)
Where, when: Garden Grove High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Garden Grove has a new coach who is not new to the program. Ricardo Cepeda was promoted from offensive coordinator when Willy Puga resigned. The Argonauts still are the best team in the Garden Grove League. Westminster is the favorite in the Golden West League. The Lions have 12 starters returning, including running back Humberto Maciel and last year’s league defensive player of the year, defensive tackle Steven Vu. This is a great matchup – perhaps even a preview of the Southern Division championship game. If Westminster can keep pace with Grove’s speed and stop the Argos’ Austen Christian from making big plays the Lions will win.
Winner: Westminster
VILLA PARK (0-0) VS. NO. 1 MATER DEI (1-0)
Where, when: Santa Ana Stadium, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Give credit to the Spartans and Coach Dusan Ancich for pursuing this challenge that few public-school coaches would stomach. Playing the Monarchs as the season opener deserves even further respect. Mater Dei got a huge win last week, a surprisingly one-sided 38-18 win over Centennial of Corona. Villa Park won’t win this game, but the Spartans will get an experience that will benefit them in their other nonleague games and in the Crestview League.
Winner: Mater Dei
BREA OLINDA (0-0) VS. SONORA (1-0)
Where, when: La Habra High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Brea is ranked No. 6 in the CIF-SS Southern Division rankings. The Wildcats will challenge for the North Hills League title. Sonora might have its best team in years. The Raiders, with 18 returning starters, enjoyed a 41-15 win last week over Whittier as Cole McDonald and Jacob Fimbres both rushed for more than 100 yards and scored multiple touchdowns. Look for Sonora, 2-8 last year, to equal that win total in this one.
Winner: Sonora
YORBA LINDA (0-0) VS. VALENCIA (0-0)
Where, when: Valencia High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Two of the county’s better returning quarterbacks are matched up here. Yorba Linda’s Jake Gigliotti was Empire League MVP last season and Pat Godoy of Valencia was a league co-offensive player of the year. Yorba Linda has moved to the Crestview League. Yorba Linda is No. 3 in the Southwest Division rankings that have Valencia at No. 8. High-scoring games are not usually close games, but this one will be.
Winner: Valencia
FULLERTON (1-0) VS. CYPRESS (0-0)
Where, when: Western High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Fullerton beat Kennedy, 34-7, at Western High last week. The Indians might not be as good as they were last year when they advanced to the Southwest Division semifinals, but they will be in the hunt for a playoff berth in what looks like the best Freeway League seen in many years. Cypress has a game-changer player in Quinten Pounds, who the Centurions will employ in a variety of ways. The game-changer could be the difference-maker.
Winner: Cypress
Also Friday
(All games 7 p.m. unless noted)
No. 2 Servite (0-1) at Corona (0-1)
No. 5 JSerra (1-0) vs. Chino Hills (1-0) at Saddleback College
No. 6 Mission Viejo (0-1) at Oceanside (1-0), 8 p.m.
No. 8 Los Alamitos at Paramount (1-0)
No. 9 Edison (2-0) at Garfield of Los Angeles (0-1)
Esperanza (0-0) at Irvine (0-1)
Magnolia (1-0) at Artesia (0-1)
Marina (0-1) at Ocean View (0-0)
Canyon (0-1) at San Juan Hills (0-1)
Segerstrom (0-1) at University (0-0)
Inglewood (0-0) at Laguna Hills (0-0)
Pacifica (0-0) at Bellflower (1-0)
Woodbridge (0-1) at El Modena (0-0)
Capistrano Valley (1-0) at El Toro (1-0)
Laguna Beach (0-0) at Bolsa Grande (0-0)
Chaparral of Temecula (1-0) at Tesoro (0-1)
Troy (1-0) at El Rancho of Pico Rivera (1-0)
Buena Park (1-0) at California of Whittier (1-0)
Calvary Chapel (1-0) at Bassett of La Puente (0-1)
Long Beach Millikan (1-0) at Aliso Niguel (1-0)
Santiago (1-0) vs. Costa Mesa (0-1) at Estancia High
Los Amigos (0-0) vs. Godinez (0-1) at Segerstrom High
Hamilton of Los Angeles (0-1) at Newport Harbor (0-0)
Trabuco Hills (0-1) at La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad (0-1)
Rubidoux (1-0) vs. Sunny Hills (1-0) at Buena Park High
Rancho Alamitos (1-0) vs. Savanna (0-0) at Glover Stadium
Sage Hill (0-1) vs. Fairmont Prep (1-0) at Yorba Linda High
Baldwin Park (1-0) vs. Fountain Valley (1-0) at Westminster High
La Habra (0-1) vs. South Hills of West Covina (1-0) at Covina District Stadium
St. Margaret’s (0-0) vs. Capistrano Valley Christian (1-0) at Capistrano Valley High
Crean Lutheran (1-0) vs. Southlands Christian of Walnut (1-0) at Wilson of Hacienda Heights, 6:30 p.m.
8-man
Cornerstone Christian of Wildomar at St. Michael’s Prep (0-0), 3 p.m.
SATURDAY
NO. 4 ORANGE LUTHERAN (1-0) vs. CENTENNIAL OF CORONA (0-1)
Where, when: Oceanside High, noon
Outlook: It was expected that Lutheran would be better than last year. The Lancers lived up to the expectations, for one week, anyway, with a 33-7 win over Dominguez of Compton. Centennial was overwhelmed last week by a polished Mater Dei team, 38-18. Centennial will come out fired up for another Trinity League team. If Lutheran’s offense is even better than it was last week in this Honor Bowl game, the Lancers will prevail.
Winner: Orange Lutheran
Also Saturday
Century vs. Santa Ana at Segerstrom High, noon
Fryer on Football last week: 7-3
Follow Steve Fryer’s live updates on game nights @OCVarsity.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
