A preview and prediction for this week’s top game in Orange County. There is a separate preview for Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco.
The teams are listed by their ranking in the Orange County Top 25.
THIS WEEK’S TOP GAMES
Villa Park’s Dominic Ancich straight arms a defender in the game against Upland in a nonleague football game Saturday at 9 a.m at Fred Kelly Stadium. Photographed on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
NO. 7 SAN JUAN HILLS (7-1, 3-0) VS. NO. 13 VILLA PARK (6-2, 2-1)
Where, when: El Modena High, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: San Juan Hills beat Bravo League favorite Yorba Linda 26-16 two weeks ago and was all-business last week, showing no letdown in a 30-7 win over Newport Harbor. Villa Park’s losses are to Inglewood, which is 8-0, and to 7-1 Yorba Linda. The Spartans beat Corona del Mar 28-14 last week. Villa Park senior quarterback Nate Lewis has thrown for 1,484 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions. Lewis also plays safety and is the team’s leading tackler with 42 solo tackles and 62 total tackles. The San Juan Hills defense has a tough task against the Villa Park offense, but the Stallions have standout seniors Weston Port and Tanner Rohan at linebacker and Grant Kitteredge at safety so they should get to 4-0 in league in this one.
Winner: San Juan Hills
NO. 10 SAN CLEMENTE (4-4, 0-1) VS. NO. 11 LOS ALAMITOS (4-4, 0-1)
Where, when: Veterans Stadium, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: All league games are important. This Alpha League game is mega-important. The top two finishers in the final standings of a four-team league like the Alpha League get guaranteed berths in the CIF Southern Section football playoffs that begin Nov. 8. The other two teams need to be .500-or-better overall to have priority for an at-large berth. One of these teams is going to exit the game at 4-5, with a tough opponent in the final week of the regular season (Los Alamitos plays Mission Viejo and San Clemente plays Edison). San Clemente lost to Mission Viejo 23-7 last week. Los Alamitos lost to Edison 21-10. San Clemente’s defense will make the big stops at crucial times and wins what should be a dramatically close game.
Winner: San Clemente
Orange Lutheran quarterback TJ Lateef runs for yardage on a keeper in the Trinity League football season opener between Orange Lutheran at St. John Bosco in Bellflower on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (Photo by Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
NO. 4 SERVITE (6-2, 1-2) VS. NO. 3 ORANGE LUTHERAN (6-2, 2-1)
Where, when: Orange Coast College, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Servite is young at crucial positions like the offensive line where two freshmen are starters. They have been young at quarterback, too, with freshman Allen Kennett playing the whole game in last week’s 27-17 loss to St. John Bosco. Maybe this is the week that Michigan State-committed senior Leo Hannan plays again after a knee injury has kept him out of action the past few weeks. If Hannan plays, Servite’s offense does not have to rely so heavily on San Diego State commit Quaid Carr, who has been magnificent, including rushing for 166 yards and two touchdowns against St. John Bosco. Orange Lutheran’s defense was terrific last week in a 13-10 league win over Santa Margarita. Lancers defensive linemen Marcus Fakatou, a freshman, and senior Jireh Moe had three sacks each. Orange Lutheran’s defensive front and its offensive balance give the Lancers advantages in this one which looks to be a close game.
Winner: Orange Lutheran
NO. 9 EDISON (6-2, 1-0) VS. NO. 2 MISSION VIEJO (8-0, 1-0)
Where, when: Mission Viejo High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Edison kept its hot streak going last week with a 21-10 win over Los Alamitos in the Alpha League opener. Julius Gillick rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Gillick is Orange County’s second-leading rusher (behind Buena Park’s Lyndenn Hodge) with 1,489 yards. Much of that comes from the work of Edison offensive linemen Devyn Blake, Kevin Carter, Cooper Cirillo, Taea Falelaulii, Ethan Fonseca, Jayden Pershall and Nathan Stevens. Mission Viejo is beating opponents by an average margin of 33 points a game. The Diablos have standout players all over the field, including defensive end Jaden Williams, who has 21.5 sacks. Edison’s two losses were each by one point, and the Chargers have since won six in a row with the panache that has been the football program’s trademark since the school opened in the late 1960s. This Mission Viejo team is talented and focused and on the way to a 10-0 regular-season finish, and maybe even a place in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship game.
Winner: Mission Viejo
Dana Hills running back Radley Geiss carries the ball during a nonleague game against Laguna Hills on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
NO. 24 DANA HILLS (8-0, 3–0) VS. LAGUNA BEACH (7-1, 2-1)
Where, when: Laguna Beach High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Dana Hills has never been 8-0 in football until now. The Dolphins have sole possession of first place in the Foxtrot League. They are offensively balanced, averaging 208 passing yards and 211 rushing yards a game. Junior running back Radley Geiss is ninth in county rushing at 1,077 yards. Laguna Beach senior quarterback Jackson Kollock is committed to Minnesota. Dana Hills averages 34 points a game. Laguna Beach averages 35 points a game, so this should be a high-scoring game. Laguna Beach last week lost for the first time this season, 34-14 to Aliso Niguel as Kollock struggled, completing only 10 of 26 passes for 98 yards. Dana Hills beat Aliso Niguel 20-10. So …
Winner: Dana Hills
Fryer on Football last week: 4-1
Season to date: 34-12
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