SUNSET SHOWDOWN: Edison takes on Newport Harbor on Thursday in one of Week 10's crucial league battles. MARK MARTINEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER |
Frankly Fryer: A look at the Week 10 games
The columnist analyzes this week's top football games.
Frankly Fryer record last week: 6-2
Season to date: 53-22-1
Thursday's games
Empire League
VALENCIA (6-1-1 overall, 3-0 league) VS. KENNEDY (5-3, 2-1)
Where, when: Western High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: It's the final week of the regular season, with plenty of important games that will determine league championships or playoff berths. If Kennedy wins this game and Pacifica beats Loara, then Kennedy, Pacifica and Valencia would be tri-champions but for playoff representation a coin flip would have to determine who goes as the league's Nos. 1, 2 and 3 teams, and keep in mind that a No. 1 team is guaranteed a first-round playoff game, a No. 2 has a 50-50 chance at a home playoff game, and a No. 3 definitely opens with an away game. If Valencia wins, then the Tigers are the league champions and the league's No. 1 team. Whatever happens, both of these teams have playoff berths secured. Although Valencia star running back Wes Fletcher will not play because he was ejected from last week's game, Mike Alvarez showed he is a capable replacement last week when he rushed for 144 yards and four touchdowns against Katella.
Winner: Valencia
Golden West League
ORANGE (3-6, 2-2) VS. OCEAN VIEW (6-3, 2-2)
Where, when: Ocean View High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: If Ocean View loses, the Seahawks would be eligible for one of the Southern Division's two at-large berths because their overall record would meet the .500-or-better criteria, but the points system that determines at-large teams probably would award the at-large berths to Cypress and Santa Ana Valley. So this is a win-or-turn-in-your-gear game for Orange and Ocean View. Key stats: Orange's defense is allowing 31 points a game, and Ocean View is scoring 22 a game.
Winner: Ocean View
Sea View League
TRABUCO HILLS (8-1, 4-0) VS. EL TORO (5-4, 3-1)
Where, when: Trabuco Hills High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: El Toro might be better than its record indicates. The Chargers have beaten Laguna Hills, and have lost to some good teams like San Clemente and Tesoro, and lost to Foothill by one point. Trabuco Hills lost to Laguna Hills, but the Mustangs defense has led them to six consecutive on-the-field victories (they have a forfeit victory against Woodbridge). Trabuco Hills has to keep El Toro running back Jai Morris under control — no easy task — but the Mustangs, averaging only nine points allowed a game, can do it.
Winner: Trabuco Hills
Sunset League
NO. 5 EDISON (6-3, 3-1) VS. NO. 9 NEWPORT HARBOR (7-2, 3-1)
Where, when: Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Edison needs to win to secure a guaranteed playoff berth. If Edison loses, that would give the Chargers a fourth-place finish. Having examined the at-large selection criteria, your universally beloved Frankly Fryer pal believes the Sunset League's fourth-place team will not get the Pac-5 Division's one at-large berth if Santa Margarita beats St. John Bosco of Bellflower (Santa Margarita would get the at-large berth if the Eagles beat Bosco). Newport Harbor already has clinched a playoff berth. While Harbor is playing for a potential home game in the first round of the playoffs, Edison is the more desperate team. That and how well Edison is playing these past couple of weeks makes the Chargers the pick to win this one.
Winner: Edison
Also Thursday (all games 7 p.m. unless noted):
Empire League – Pacifica (6-2, 2-1) vs. Loara (2-6, 1-2) at Glover Stadium. Freeway League – Sonora (5-3, 2-1) at La Habra; Troy (6-2, 2-1) vs. Sunny Hills (2-6, 0-3) at Buena Park High; Buena Park (0-8, 0-3) at Fullerton (4-4, 2-1). Garden Grove League – Santiago (7-2, 4-0) vs. Rancho Alamitos (2-7, 2-2) at Garden Grove High. Golden West League – Saddleback (0-9, 0-4) at Segerstrom (4-5, 1-3); Santa Ana (5-4, 3-1) at Westminster (6-3, 4-0). Orange League – Magnolia (3-6, 0-4) vs. Century (2-7, 0-4) at Santa Ana Stadium. Orange Coast League -- Calvary Chapel (1-8, 1-1) vs. Costa Mesa (2-7, 1-1) at Orange Coast College. Pacific Coast League – Beckman (6-3, 0-3) vs. University (8-0, 3-0) at Irvine High. Trinity League – St. John Bosco of Bellflower (3-5, 1-2) vs. No. 10 Santa Margarita (4-4, 1-2) at Tesoro High.
Click here for Friday's games
Click here for Saturday's game
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
| FYI ocean view and orange are from the southeast division not southern. |
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| gw - Nov 07, 2007 07:53:50 PM | Remove Comment |
