GAME OF THE WEEK
NO. 7 JSERRA (4-5, 1-3) VS. NO. 5 ORANGE LUTHERAN (6-3, 2-2)
Where, when: Orange Coast College, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: It’s an important Trinity League game for both teams, although more important for JSerra. This is the final week of the regular season, and if JSerra wins and Santa Margarita loses to St. John Bosco, as expected, on Friday, there would be a three-way tie for third place. The tiebreaker would be done by an envelope draw. The top three finishers in a six-team league like the Trinity League are automatic qualifiers for the CIF-SS playoffs that begin next week. The Nos. 4 and 5 teams would be left to hope that an at-large berth would be available for them. Having a .500-or-better overall record is important to a team’s at-large candidacy. Orange Lutheran already has that. JSerra does not. JSerra could be the more motivated team in this one. JSerra went 0-5 in the Trinity League last year and lost those five games by an average margin of 32 points. So for the Lions to be in this position shows what Coach Scott McKnight has accomplished in his two years in charge. Orange Lutheran’s offense is better than JSerra’s if quarterback TJ Lateef is healthy enough to play after getting banged up in the Lancers’ 48-7 loss to St. John Bosco last week. Guessing that Lateef can play …
Winner: Orange Lutheran
NO. 9 CYPRESS (9-0, 4-0) VS. NO. 25 CREAN LUTHERAN (9-0, 4-0)
Where, when: Crean Lutheran High, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: The most improved team in Orange County football this season is Crean Lutheran. The Saints were 1-9 overall and 0-5 in the Empire League last season. Their average margin of loss in 2021 was 28 points; their average margin of victory in ’22 is 21. Crean senior quarterback Gavin Rogers has completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,998 yards and 34 touchdowns with only two interceptions. He has a terrific target in Ty Benefield, who who has 64 receptions for 1,011 yards and 17 touchdowns. Cypress quarterback Aidan Houston also is having a magnificent season. The junior has passed for 2,051 yards and 23 touchdowns and has rushed for 652 yards and 11 touchdowns. Cypress’ Trevor Monteleone is among Orange County’s top two-way players. Monteleone is on a defensive squad of fast and heavy hitters who will make the night difficult for Crean’s offense.
Winner: Cypress
El Dorado’s Chase Sanders, right, pushes away El Modena’s Brodie Hitchens as he gains yardage in a North Hills League football game in Orange on Thursday, October 13, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
NO. 16 EL DORADO (7-2, 1-1) VS. NO. 17 CANYON (7-2, 1-1)
Where, when: El Modena High, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: El Modena is going to be the No. 1 playoff representative from the North Hills League. The second and final guaranteed playoff berth goes to the winner of this game. Canyon’s pass-heavy offense stars quarterback Christian Lundsberg whose 2,942 yards leads Orange County and the CIF Southern Section. His 41 touchdown passes have been distributed to six different receivers, including Kayvon Monfared, who has caught 16 of them and Fox Haugen who has 12. El Dorado is more of a ball-control team on offense, led by running back and state champion wrestler Isaiah Quintero, who has 821 yards rushing. The Golden Hawks had difficulty getting that run game going in their 50-21 loss to El Modena two weeks ago. El Dorado had some special teams issues in that loss, too, which should be solved for this game. Perhaps unsolvable is how to match touchdowns with Canyon’s offense.
Winner: Canyon
NO. 10 SAN CLEMENTE (6-3, 1-1) VS. NO. 13 TESORO (6-3, 1-1)
Where, when: Tesoro High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: It’s simple: The winner of this South Coast League finale is going to the playoffs as the league’s No. 2 representative. The loser must hope there is enough room in its division for an at-large berth (that division probably would be Division 3). San Clemente got a crucial 51-7 league win last week over Capistrano Valley. The Tritons lost to Mission Viejo 49-14 the previous week. Tesoro got hammered 71-0 by Mission Viejo last week after beating Capistrano Valley 42-10 the previous week. San Clemente running back Blake Allen, a determined runner, needed only eight carries to rush for 88 yards and three touchdowns. A few weeks ago he rushed for 172 yards against Edison, which usually doesn’t permit a back to accumulate that many yards. Until the loss to Mission Viejo, Tesoro was one of the county’s hotter teams. This could be a close game. Look for San Clemente to get Allen going and follow him to victory.
Winner: San Clemente
Orange running back Kobe Boykin, right, straight-arms Santa Ana free safety Stephen Hughes as he gains more yardage in Orange on Thursday, October 28, 2021. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
NO. 18 ORANGE (7-2, 5-0) VS. SANTA ANA (7-2, 5-0)
Where, when: Santa Ana Stadium, Friday, 7 p.m.
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Analysis: Orange and Santa Ana have played each other in the final week of the regular season since they entered the Orange Coast League in 2018. Each season the game has been for the Orange Coast League championship. It happens again this season. Orange and Santa Ana have dominated their league opponents. Orange running back Kobe Boykin 87 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries in a 55-6 win over Costa Mesa last week, so he will be fresh for this game. As a team, the Panthers rushed for 254 yards on 22 runs against Costa Mesa. Santa Ana has a more balanced offense. Saints quarterback Sergio Torres averages 132 yards passing per game, and Jayderick Garcia (840 yards rushing) paces the running game. If one of these teams is going to be successful controlling the opposition’s offense, it looks like that would be Orange and its athletically superior defense.
Winner: Orange
Fryer on Football last week: 3-2
Season to date: 36-14
