A preview and prediction for each of the top football games in Orange County this week.
Teams are ranked by their placement in the Orange County Top 25.
GAME OF THE WEEK
NO. 9 EDISON (0-1) VS. NO. 13 YORBA LINDA (1-0)
Where, when: Yorba Linda HS, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: This is a great matchup between two of the better Orange County public school football teams, both of which have been consistent winners throughout their existence. Last week, Edison made the long trip to the Central Valley and lost hard, 29-28, to Clovis West in Fresno. Chargers senior Julius Gillick, who had a great junior year, rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts. Senior quarterback Savelio Niumata completed 13 of 17 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Six different Chargers receivers caught a pass. Yorba Linda also was on the road, playing its opener, a 49-21 victory over Mayfair. The Mustangs outscored Mayfair 28-0 in the second half, rushing for 378 yards. Cole Nerio, a senior, rushed for 157 yards and four touchdowns. Troy Roberts rushed for 113 yards on just four carries and caught seven passes for 157 yards and a touchdown. Yorba Linda quarterback Holden Nagin completed 12 of 16 passes for 198 yards and the touchdown pass to Roberts. Junior linebacker Onassis Lim had eight solo tackles. Gillick will have another productive game for the Chargers, whose defense will find a way to contain Roberts.
Winner: Edison
NO. 14 CORONA DEL MAR (1-0) VS. NO. 24 Cypress (1-0)
Where, when: Western HS, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Corona del Mar beat Rancho Verde 21-0 last week in Moreno Valley. Dorsett Stecker caught four passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Three Sea Kings had interceptions: Canon Cook, Brady Gadol and Tucker Murray. Cypress opened the season with a 49-27 win over La Mirada at Handel Stadium on the campus of Western High School. Keiran Edmundson had a great debut as the Centurions’ quarterback, throwing for 254 yards and three touchdowns in the 49-27 win over La Mirada. Mekaih Felix caught seven passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns and Matt Rodriguez returned an 85-yard touchdown on a kickoff. Cypress has a good defensive secondary – possibly the team’s strongest unit – but Corona del Mar’s offense could be too strong for the Centurions and Stecker could play a big role in that.
Winner: Corona del Mar
No. 23 FOOTHILL (1-0) vs. No. 10 TUSTIN (1-0)
Where, when: Tustin HS, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Rivalry game! Foothill leads the Foothill-Tustin series 33-26-2. Tustin won last year 36-35. Tustin recently got some bad news when it was announced that senior quarterback Michael Tollefson, a transfer from JSerra, is ineligible to play in Tustin this season. Tollefson, who has joined Arizona State, would have made a huge difference for the Tillers. So what now? Well, Tustin will just go back to being Tustin. That means the Tillers will have to rely on running the football again, an offensive scheme that has been very good. Junior quarterback Zaire Jacobs threw the ball just nine times in Tustin’s 35-6 win over El Toro last week. The Tillers ran for 273 yards, led by All-County senior back Eimesse Essis’s 196 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. Foothill traveled to San Diego last week to beat Madison 28-20. Running back Nathan Gouvion ran for three touchdowns and Gino Marchetti threw a touchdown pass for the Knights. Even without Tollefson, Tustin has the offensive power to score a lot of points and beat the Knights again.
Winner: Tustin
NO. 21 NEWPORT HARBOR (0-1) VS. NO. 20 LA HABRA (0-1)
Where, when: La Habra HS, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Newport Harbor narrowly lost to St. Paul at home last week, 21-17. La Habra narrowly lost to Upland on the road, 26-23. Of those two results, La Habra’s is the most impressive. Upland is the best team on La Habra’s schedule, winning 10 of its last 15 home games. Newport Harbor quarterback Bode Stefano completed 20 of 34 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown against St. Paul. Cade Fegel had five catches for 68 yards. La Habra may have its best team in a few years this season, and La Habra has one of Orange County football’s biggest home field advantages. But here’s hoping Newport Harbor’s passing game comes together in this game and leads the Sailors to victory.
Winner: Newport Harbor
No. 5 SERVITE (1-0) vs. Murrieta Valley (1-0)
Where, when: Murrieta Valley HS, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: According to Calpreps.com ratings, Murrieta Valley is the best non-league opponent on Servite’s schedule. Murrieta Valley’s rating is 55.6 and Servite’s is 57.6. Murrieta Valley senior quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who committed to Stanford and also had offers from Alabama, Michigan and many other places, did not play in the Nighthawks’ 35-19 victory over Rancho Cucamonga last week because of an injury. Sophomore quarterback Asher DeWitt completed 7 of 14 passes for 89 yards. He didn’t have to do much, as senior running back Dorian Hoze rushed for 182 yards and all five of Murrieta Valley’s touchdowns on 29 carries. As a team, Murrieta Valley rushed for 229 yards. Servite opened the season with a 45-0 win over Salt Lake City East High. Michigan State commit quarterback Leo Hannan threw five touchdown passes to five different receivers. Friars freshman Kaleb Aiava had three interceptions. This is a crucial game for Servite. The top three teams in a six-team league like Servite’s Trinity League have guaranteed playoff spots. The other three must have an overall record of .500 or better to be considered for an overall spot — there have been teams with a sub-.500 record that have gotten an overall spot, but that’s rare. So, given the mountain-high quality of Trinity League football, Servite will need to pile up the wins outside of the league. Hannan and running back Quaid Carr will have big plays in this one.
Winner: Servit
Fryer on football last week: 4-1
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