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 San Juan Hills' Ryan Smith tries to evade a tackle from San Clemente's Bryce Wilsonduring a game at San Juan Hills High on Friday.
San Juan Hills’ Ryan Smith tries to evade a tackle from San Clemente’s Bryce Wilsonduring a game at San Juan Hills High on Friday.
Dan Albano. Sports HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Staff Mug Shot taken August 26, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.

San Juan Hills coach Aaron Flowers didn’t want to dwell on it, but he knows the perception of his team’s season-opening triumph against then-No. 9 San Clemente.

Biggest victory in school history, right?

“In everyone’s eyes it would (be),” he said Monday.

“Whether it’s the biggest or not, I don’t really know. If we go out and lay an egg in this week’s game, then it doesn’t really matter.”

Flowers sounded like an ultra-focused coach, but that outside perception will greet him and his players with congratulations.

On the heels of a 34-20 victory against San Clemente on Friday, San Juan Hills was voted Monday into the Register’s O.C. top 10 for the first time. The Stallions will enter Friday’s game against Canyon (1-0) ranked 10th.

For a program just four seasons removed from finishing 0-10, that’s significant progress.

“I’ve seen this program grow,” Flowers said.

Flowers said the Stallions entered the game against San Clemente confident on offense and ready to see other players rise to the challenge.

Returning quarterback Patrick O’Brien (322 passing yards) and wide receiver Jacob Huff (14 catches, 196 yards) delivered huge games, but there also were other important contributors.

Senior center Jared Aviles (6-2, 240) helped power an offense that racked up 503 yards, while junior guard/nose guard J.J. Glass (5-11, 255) joined him as a two-way standout, Flowers said.

Not surprisingly, Flowers is already well-versed on Canyon, which beat Troy, 24-21, last week.

“They got a great receiver,” Flower said of Trace Hobbs. “He made a catch on a post, one-handed, back behind his body (like) Odell Beckham Jr. (of the New York Giants). It was pretty amazing.”

San Juan Hills will face Capistrano Valley and Los Alamitos en route to its South Coast League opener at El Toro on Oct. 16.

“We want to be a team that earns respect in the South Coast League,” Flowers said. “If you earn respect in the South Coast League, you’re going to earn respect in the county.”

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS

Strong safety Cade Covarrubias (5-11, 175) was Mission Viejo’s defensive player of the game in its 27-14 victory over state-ranked Liberty of Bakersfield on Saturday. “He was all over the place,” Mission Viejo coach Bob Johnson said of the junior. “So were a lot of our guys.” …

Daniel Herber of Capistrano Valley Christian had 16 total tackles and an interception in a 37-12 victory against Tri-City Christian of Vista on Saturday.

BIG HIT GETS NOTICED

Mater Dei cornerback Jalen Cole (5-8, 147) lived up to his new jersey number against Bishop Amat of La Puente on Friday. Wearing the No. 6 that by was worn memorably by hard-hitting Matt Grootegoed in the late 1990s, Cole drilled USC commit receiver Trevon Sidney (6-0, 165) in the third quarter. Cole, one of the county’s top junior recruits, wore No. 25 last season.

UCLA safety Jaleel Wadood posted an image of the hit on Twitter. “My lil bro savage!” Wadood wrote on his post of Cole.

In recruiting news, San Juan Hills linebacker/defensive end Tim Newman (6-2, 231) has been offered by San Diego, Flowers said.

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com