WEEK ZERO is here for area high school football teams. Eight local squads will be playing on Friday night (Shutterstock).
The official beginning of autumn is still more than a month away, but the premier high school fall sport is right around the proverbial corner.
It’s Week Zero for several of our West Orange County football teams with some athletes not yet having set foot in a classroom for the 2023-24 school year.
These are all pre-league games, but they feature some very interesting matchups.
Much attention will be featured on Friday’s game in which Western hosts Los Alamitos.
Leading the offense will be QB Anthony Luna, who threw for 37 touchdowns and 3,128 yards. Other stars include Qui’Mare Shenwell, who had 700 yards and nine TDs as a wide receiver.
The Pioneers have a potent running attack, too, in Josh Faulkner, who topped 1,000 yards rushing and reached the end zone 26 times.
The Los Al Griffins (9-3 last season) are the defending Empire League champs and advanced to the second round of the CIF-Division 1 playoffs before losing 52-0 to Mater Dei.
They have a total of nine returning starters from the previous season, and the offense is led by junior QB Alonzo Esparza and junior running back Anthony League.
Another game we will be watching will be Pacifica hosting Orange. The Panthers were 11-3 last year and won the Orange Coast League title.
The key player for the orange-and-black is quarterback Hype Grand who is back with the team after transferring – temporarily – to an Arizona school. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Ardwon Morris, who rushed for 848 yards and 14 scores in 2022.
The Mariners were 3-7 last season and finished tied for fourth in the tough Empire League. Keep an eye on junior quarterback Noah Lewis, who transferred from Woodbridge High in Irvine.
Here’s the complete Week Zero schedule for teams in our West Orange County coverage area and – as always –is subject to change. Most games are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.
FRIDAY
Savanna at Bolsa Grande
Westminster at Brea Olinda
Orange at Pacifica (at Monsoor Stadium, GGHS)
Santiago at Anaheim (at Glover Stadium)
Mayfair at Huntington Beach
Nuview Bridge Academy at Ocean View
Los Alamitos at Western.