Fryer breaks down Week 8's impact

Well, that was an interesting night.

The Nos. 2 and 4 teams in the county lost. Two previously unbeaten teams lost. And Mission Viejo and San Clemente combined for 79 points, and Mater Dei and Santa Margarita combined for 85.

Second-ranked Los Alamitos lost to unranked Fountain Valley in overtime, 21-14. Los Alamitos was one of the two previously undefeated teams that lost; the other was Garden Grove, which was beaten by Los Amigos.

Fourth-ranked Orange Lutheran lost to No. 7 Servite, 14-10. That fits a pattern, which we will get to in a moment.

Mission Viejo would build a big lead but San Clemente kept coming back. Mission Viejo pulled one out, 42-37.

Mater Dei beat Santa Margarita, 57-28. You see the Monarchs with that many points, and you probably expect that quarterback Matt Barkleyhad a big night. But it was running back Jaron Hytche who was the offensive star, with 227 rushing yards and four touchdowns (Barkley contributed, of course, by going 14 for 23, for 228 yards and two touchdowns).

Next week, many teams will clinch playoff berths, mathematically, but a bunch of them pretty much locked up playoff spots Thursday and Friday.

They are the teams that are 3-0 in their leagues: Tustin, in the Century League; Cypress, in the Empire; Fullerton and La Habra, in the Freeway; Los Amigos, in the Garden Grove; Westminster, in the Golden West; Western, in the Orange; Laguna Hills, in the Pacific Coast; Foothill, in the Sea View; Tesoro, in the South Coast; and Mater Dei, in the Trinity.

Saddleback Valley Christian is 5-0 in the San Joaquin League, with a one-game lead over second-place Fairmont Prep, which it already has beaten.

There is a four-way tie for first place in the Sunset League. The four teams, all with 2-1 league records: Edison; Esperanza; Fountain Valley; and Los Alamitos. This coming Friday, Esperanza plays Los Alamitos (at Gahr High of Cerritos) and Edison plays Fountain Valley (at Orange Coast College) in a pair of rivalry games.

Another top game this coming week: Fullerton at La Habra, Friday. They are tied for first in the Freeway League.

In the Trinity League, Mater Dei plays St. John Bosco of Bellflower on Friday at Santa Ana Stadium. Mater Dei’s next game is against Orange Lutheran, and if that aforementioned pattern continues Lutheran will win.

Since the Trinity League was formed, in  2006, Orange Lutheran has beaten Mater Dei, Mater Dei has beaten Servite, and Servite has beaten Orange Lutheran. So far this season, Mater Dei beat Servite and Servite beat Orange Lutheran. A Lutheran victory over Mater Dei in two weeks would keep that pattern intact for the third year in a now.

Coming up soon, we have election day. On Monday, as on every Monday during the football regular season, voters will submit their ballots for the Orange County top 10. It will be a voting process as interesting as another one that happens the following day.

Tesoro is at No. 1, and likely will stay there. The Titans are 8-0, one of only four county teams that are undefeated (Laguna Hills, St. Margaret’s and Saddleback Valley Christian are the others). Voters might give serious consideration to Mater Dei, which is 6-2 and alone in first place in the toughest league in California.

Top 10 poll voters also will take a serious look at Fountain Valley for inclusion in the top 10. The Barons just beat Los Alamitos, one week after beating Newport Harbor when Harbor was in the top 10.

We have two weeks remaining in the regular season. League championships will be decided, playoff positions will be secured. The way this season is going, those will be two crazy weeks.

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com