Fryer on football: Sea View looks like 5-team race
The most balanced league in Orange County football is the Sea View League.
A preseason poll of Sea View League coaches had Dana Hills as the league favorite, with San Juan Hills tabbed to the fifth-place team in the five-team league. Going into league play that begins this week, San Juan Hills is 6-0 and Dana Hills is 1-5.
It looks like any of the league's five teams – Aliso Niguel, Capistrano Valley, Dana Hills, Laguna Hills and San Juan Hills -- could win the league championship.
THE O.C. TOP 10
The Orange County top 10 this week is the same as it was last week. Three top 10 teams did not play last week, and that contributed to the stability. Also, the more results available the better handle the poll's 10 voters have on county football.
This week, there will be plenty of games that will produce results that will likely create changes in next week's top 10.
THIS WEEK'S TOP GAMES
One of the top games this week is Servite vs. Santa Margarita on Friday at Saddleback College, where the field crew has done a great job of repairing the turf that was dying just a few weeks ago.
Other big games this week, games will influence rankings, league championships and playoff berths: Sunset League, Newport Harbor (2-3 overall, 0-0 league) vs. Edison (4-1, 0-0) at Huntington Beach High, Thursday; South Coast League, San Clemente (4-2, 0-0) vs. El Toro (6-0, 0-0) at Trabuco Hills, Thursday; Century League, Foothill (5-1, 2-0) vs. Villa Park (4-1, 1-0) at El Modena High, Friday; Freeway League, La Habra (2-3, 0-0) vs. Troy (3-2, 0-0) at Fullerton High, Friday; Garden Grove League, Los Amigos (3-2, 0-0) vs. Rancho Alamitos (4-1, 0-0) at Bolsa Grande High, Friday; Sea View League, Dana Hills (1-5, 0-0) at Aliso Niguel (5-1, 0-0).
THINKING AHEAD
Now that every team is in league play this week, it's a good time to go over the basics.
In four- and five-team leagues, the top two finishers receive guaranteed playoff berths. The top three finishers in six- and seven-team leagues receive guaranteed playoff berths.
Teams that do not finish high enough in their standings can qualify for at-large berths, and no longer is a .500-or-better overall record required for at-large berth consideration.
The Pac-5 Division has two at-large berths, the Southwest Division has two and the Southern Division has one.
THE BARNES 300
Los Alamitos coach John Barnes would become the first coach in county football history to reach 300 victories if the Griffins beat Marina on Thursday at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach. Mission Viejo's Bob Johnson has 271 victories, and Valencia's Mike Marrujo has 250.
Barnes has won with running teams, passing teams, defensively strong teams, and a mix of every other element of the game.
Give him a roster and he will get the most out of it.
