Thursday

Empire League

KENNEDY (5-2 overall, 2-0 league) VS. PACIFICA (5-2, 1-1)

Where, when: Bolsa Grande High, 7 p.m.

Outlook: As members of one of the leagues that, wisely, in this opinion, did not play earlier this week, these two have not played in a couple of weeks. Because of a bye week a few weeks back, Kennedy played only two games in October. So, is Kennedy rusty or rested? The feeling here is the latter. And another "r" word - ready. Kennedy is a second-half-of-the-season program. Pacifica lost a tough one, 21-20, to Valencia two weeks ago. So the Mariners have had plenty of time to forget about it , or plenty of time to dwell on it. This is an interesting game for all those psychological reasons. But it always comes down to making plays, and the feeling here is that Kennedy's defense will lead the way for a Fighting Irish victory.

Winner: Kennedy

Also Thursday (all games 7 p.m.):

Empire league - Loara (2-5, 1-1) vs. Cypress (4-3, 0-2) Western High. Pacific Coast League - University (7-0, 1-0) vs. Corona del Mar (3-5, 1-1) at Newport Harbor High.

Friday

Freeway League

TROY (5-2, 1-1) VS. FULLERTON (4-3, 2-0)

Where, when: Fullerton High, 7 p.m.

Outlook: With Fullerton tied for first place with La Habra, this one is an important game for determining playoff positioning. The top three Freeway League finishers will go to the CIF-Southern Section playoffs for certain. The second-place team might open the Southeast Division playoffs on the road or at home. The third-place team definitely will be on the road in the first round. Troy lost two in a row, to Pacifica and La Habra, before beating Buena Park and then not playing last week when league games were canceled and not rescheduled. So neither team has played in two weeks. Both need to generate some momentum right away. With running back Derrick Coleman leading the way, Troy will do so in this game.

Winner: Troy

Sea View League

EL TORO (5-3, 3-0) VS. FOOTHILL (6-2, 2-1)

Where, when: Tustin High, 7 p.m.

Outlook: This is interesting, and not only because it is between two of the league's top three teams. El Toro played earlier this week, in a league victory over Huntington Beach. Foothill has not played since Oct. 19, a league loss to Foothill, because Northwood forfeited its rescheduled game against Foothill. So the competitive advantages/disadvantages of playing two games in the same week vs. a two-week break will be interesting to see here. Running back/Z-back Jai Morris is a proven playmaker for El Toro's offense, but Foothill might have more of that type of player with quarterback Chad Morris (no relation) and running back Michael Camacho.

Winner: Foothill

Sunset League

NO. 4 ESPERANZA (7-1, 2-1) VS. NO. 7 LOS ALAMITOS (6-2, 2-1)

Where, when: Veterans Stadium (Long Beach), 7 p.m.

Outlook: Both teams were beaten by lower-ranked teams last week, as Esperanza lost to Edison, 9-7, and Los Alamitos by Newport Harbor, unranked, actually, 31-27. So there is a four-way tie for first place, with the aforementioned teams deadlocked for the top spot. Motivation will not be a problem for either team in this game. We have seen that a good, physical defense can beat Los Alamitos. Esperanza has a good, physical defense.

Winner: Esperanza

FOUNTAIN VALLEY (5-3, 1-2) vs. NO. 5 EDISON (5-3, 2-1)

Where, when: Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.

Outlook:The Battle for the Bell. Other rivalry games have the winner taking home a bell or a fence post or an aquarium complete with fish, light, gravel and pump. OK, there is no Battle for the Aquarium. But this Battle for the Bell annually is one of the better games in county football. Edison has won the past two, and by large margins. However, upsets do occur in the Battle for the Bell, like in 2004 when Fountain Valley beat Edison. Edison is coming off of a 9-7 victory over Esperanza. It looks like the Chargers are having a second-half-of-the-season surge, and that should continue in this game.

Winner: Edison

Trinity League

NO. 1 MATER DEI (7-0, 2-0) VS. NO. 3 ORANGE LUTHERAN (6-1, 1-1)

Where, when: Santa Ana Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Outlook: This is a potential "trap" game for Mater Dei. The Monarchs football players know that Servite beat Orange Lutheran two weeks ago, so there is the potential for them to look past this game toward the Servite-Mater Dei game of Nov. 9. The Servite-Mater Dei game's location, Angel Stadium, adds some allure that could also pull the Monarchs' focus from the Orange Lutheran game. There also will be the weirdness of Mater Dei being on the visitor's side at the old Bowl, as this is a Lutheran home game. Lutheran has the type of athletes and coaches and who can put the Servite loss behind them to put together a great effort against Mater Dei. Mater Dei, too, has player and coaching personnel that knows how important one-game-at-a-time is in the Trinity League. Mater Dei wins, as Matt Barkley, armed with a terrific offensive line and so many choices to throw to, shines again.

Winner: Mater Dei

Also Friday (all games 7 p.m. unless noted):

Alpha League - Marshall of Pasadena (0-8,0-3) vs. Whittier Christian (4-4, 2-1) at Whittier College. Empire League - Katella (2-5, 0-2) at Valencia (5-1-1, 2-0). Freeway League - Buena Park (0-7,0-2) at La Habra (7-0, 2-0); Sunny Hills (1-6, 0-2) vs. Sonora (4-3, 1-1) at Buena Park High. Garden Grove League - La Quinta (0-8, 0-3) at Bolsa Grande (2-6, 0-3). Golden West League - Saddleback (0-8,0-3) vs. Orange (2-6, 1-2) at El Modena High; Santa Ana (4-4, 2-1) at Segerstrom (4-4, 1-2); Westminster (5-3, 3-0) at Ocean View (6-2, 2-1). Orange Coast League - Calvary Chapel (0-8, 0-1) at Laguna Beach (1-7, 0-1); Costa Mesa (1-7, 0-1) vs. Estancia (4-4, 1-0) at Newport Harbor High. San Joaquin League - Liberty Christian (1-6, 1-4) vs. Saddleback Valley Christian (8-0, 5-0) at Aliso Niguel High. Sea View League - Huntington Beach (4-4, 1-2) vs. Woodbridge (0-8, 0-3) at Irvine High; Northwood (0-8,0-3) at Trabuco Hills (7-1, 3-0). South Coast League - Aliso Niguel (1-7, 0-3) at San Clemente (5-2-1, 1-1-1); Dana Hills (1-6-1, 1-1-1) at Tesoro (5-3, 3-0). Sunset League - No. 9 Newport Harbor (6-2, 2-1) vs. Marina (3-5, 0-3) at Westminster High. Trinity League - JSerra (2-5, 0-2) vs. No. 10 Santa Margarita (3-4, 0-2) at Saddleback College, 7:30 p.m.; No. 2 Servite (6-1, 2-0) at St. John Bosco (3-4, 1-1)) 7:30 p.m.

Eight man, Express League - Eastside Christian (2-4, 1-1) at St. Michael's Prep (4-2, 0-1)

Saturday

Century League

NO. 6 EL DORADO (7-1, 3-0) VS. TUSTIN (5-3, 2-1)

Where, when:Tustin High, 7 p.m.

Outlook: Tustin coach Myron Miller says, year after year, that Tustin is a much-improved team in the second half of the season. The Tillers proved him right again Monday with a 35-27 victory over Canyon. It takes a few games for that double-wing Tustin offense to get going, thus the surge around late October. But El Dorado's defense will be the best the Tillers have played this season, so don't expect 35 points from them in this game. The Golden Hawks have won seven in a row since an opening game loss to Esperanza. They, too, improve as the season progresses.

Winner: El Dorado

Orange League

WESTERN (6-1-1, 3-0) VS. SAVANNA (7-1, 3-0)

Where, when: Glover Stadium, 7 p.m.

Outlook: These teams are tied for first place. Savanna cleared one big hurdle two weeks ago with a victory Anaheim, and also has league victories over Century and Magnolia. Western has league victories over Santa Ana Valley, Magnolia and Century. This could be a speed vs. speed matchup, with Western's quickness on defense trying to contain the bevy of quick offensive players on the Rebels' roster. The feeling here is that Pioneers can do so just enough in a high-scoring game.

Winner: Western

Also Saturday (all games 7 p.m. unless noted):

Academy League - Brethren Christian (4-4, 1-0) at Sage Hill (6-2, 0-1), 3 p.m.; St. Margaret's) 8-0, 1-0) vs. Capistrano Valley Christian (4-4, 0-1) at San Clemente High. Century League - Brea Olinda (3-5, 2-1) vs. Canyon (6-2,1-2) at El Modena High, 4 p.m.; Villa Park (1-7, 0-3) at El Modena (5-3, 1-2), 7:30 p.m. Garden Grove League - Los Amigos (3-5, 2-1) vs. Santiago (6-2, 3-0) at Bolsa Grande High, 4 p.m.; Rancho Alamitos (5-3, 2-1) vs. Garden Grove (4-4, 2-1) at Bolsa Grande High. Orange League - Santa Ana Valley (5-3, 1-2) vs. Magnolia (3-5, 0-3) at Western High, 1 p.m.; Century (1-7, 0-3) vs. Anaheim (7-1, 2-1) at Western High, 7 p.m. Pacific Coast League - Laguna Hills (4-2, 1-0) vs. Beckman (6-2, 0-2) at Tustin High, 2:30 p.m. San Joaquin League - Ribet Academy of Los Angeles (2-6, 2-3) vs. Fairmont Prep (6-2, 5-0) at Valley Christian High of Cerritos.

Frankly Fryer's Week 8 record: 2-2

Season to date: 47-20-1

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com