We’re back for another week of OCVarsity Pregame Madness.
Let’s get you ready for all of great matchups and interesting stories for Week 3 of the high school football season.
My weekly top 10 vote
Here is how I voted this week: 1. Mater Dei; 2. Servite; 3. Santa Margarita; 4. Corona del Mar; 5. JSerra; 6. Orange Lutheran; 7. Los Alamitos; 8. San Clemente; 9. Tesoro; 10. Edison.
Time to go on the record
Teams in the Trinity League are 15-2. Freeway League teams are 15-3. The Empire League checks in at 11-3.
So is the Freeway League the best league? (Of course, that excludes the Trinity League.)
Once league play rolls around, I think the Sunset League will have one of the more intriguing league races.
Weekly Jaylinn Hawkins update
Buena Park’s standout receiver Jaylinn Hawkins didn’t play last week due to a thigh contusion. He should be back this week. Set your lineups.
More Battle of the Bay fandemonium?
Last year’s Battle of the Bay between Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor ended with a CdM victory and the Sea Kings students running onto the field at Orange Coast College to celebrate.
This year, the annual clash is at Newport Harbor High.
The Sailors are 1-1, after losing to Palos Verdes, 49-35. CdM hasn’t lost a game since 2003, give or take a few years.
The Sea Kings will be without running back Cole Martin, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Aside from quarterback Peter Bush, Jaydin Moses (156 yards) and Chase Garbers (72) should be in line to get some carries.
Last year, CdM ended a six-year losing streak in the series with a 34-14 victory. Now, Newport Harbor wants to snap CdM’s 29-game overall winning streak.
Prediction: CdM finds a way to extend its streak. Watch out for field-rushing students.
Santa Margarita to test its luck in Vegas
Santa Margarita is going to be in Las Vegas on Friday to take on high-powered Bishop Gorman. The Gaels are 4-0, including a 48-27 victory over Servite and 43-42 victory over Centennial of Corona.
The Eagles, led by KJ Costello (1,030 yards, 66.7 completion percentage, eight TDs) are coming off of 21-10 victory over Dorsey. Kyle Sweet had 15 receptions for 210 yards last week.
The Gaels have some playmakers. Quarterback Tate Martell has eight touchdown passes, Russell Booze has rushed for 468 yards and six touchdowns and Alize Jones has four receiving touchdowns.
Prediction: This should be a fun game … and Bishop Gorman wins.
The Edison two-step
For the next two weeks, Edison will test itself against the best with its annual gauntlet run by facing Servite and Mater Dei. This is one of the greatest two-week challenges in the nonleague season.
After this, everything should be easy for the Chargers … sort of.
The Chargers have allowed 22 points this season, while Servite topped that total in its season-opening loss to Bishop Gorman. Since losing to Bishop Gorman, the Friars have picked up steam, rolling through Corona, 45-17, and La Mirada, 56-14.
Prediction: Servite
Year of the quarterback
We all know about the quality of quarterbacks in the county this season. One player that shouldn’t be overlooked is Nick Brown at Rancho Alamitos.
The senior leads the county with 15 touchdown passes, is second in passing yards (1,035) and has completed 65.5 percent of his passes.
The Vaqueros were picked to finish third in the Garden Grove League. If Brown remains on this pace, they will be a factor in both the league race and Southern Division playoffs.
Roar of the JSerra Lions
JSerra’s Edward Vander ran wild last week against Huntington Beach, topping 200 yards in the first half and finishing the game in with five touchdowns.
The Lions are ranked fourth in the county and 10th in the exclusive SoCal Varsity rankings.
Quarterback Nick Robinson and Vander lead the Lions into an interesting showdown Friday against USC-commit Ricky Town and St. Bonaventure.
The Lions are averaging 49 points a game. A victory Friday and the Lions will probably be 5-0 going into Trinity League play.
A playoff berth is within reach this year. That’s my prediction for the Lions.
Other must-see games this week
El Dorado at Valencia: The annual Bell Game. Valencia will be rockin the Bell at the end of the game.
Upland at Mater Dei: I covered this game last year and it wasn’t pretty. (Monarchs won, 44-13.) This game should be more competitive.
Western at El Modena: Did you know the Vanguards are ranked second in the CIF-SS Southern Division? Those rankings are mind-blowing.
I’ll see you Friday night at …
Esperanza vs. Buena Park at Yorba Linda High. The Aztecs are 0-2, while the Coyotes are 3-0. Buena Park has only allowed six points this season. Should be interesting, right?
