Time to settle league titles

By OC Tribune Staff on October 24, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

EDISON’s Julius Gillick carrying the ball against Fountain Valley last Friday. The Chargers will meet Los Alamitos in a game that will decide the Empire League title (HBUHSD title).

The final games of the regular season for high school football teams in our West Orange County area will be played Thursday and Friday, and almost all of them will have some bearing on league titles and/or CIF-SS playoff berths.

Here’s a look at the key match-ups by league.

Garden Grove: There’s a potential for a three-way tie here, with Rancho Alamitos, La Quinta and Los Amigos, all 3-1 in league. Rancho has the inside track, though, with its last opponent being winless Loara.

Empire: Edison and Los Alamitos are both 4-0 in league so the winner gets the crown.

Big 4: Marina and Segerstrom are each 2-0 in league, so …

Pac 4: Laguna Beach and Westminster are each 2-0, so …

Orange: Western (4-0) has already locked up no worse than a tie for the title, but district rival Anaheim (3-1) could create a three-way deadlock at the top if the Colonists beat the Pioneers and Santa Ana Valley (3-1) defeats last-place Century (0-4).

Empire: The title game is between Tustin and Cypress (both 4-0), but there could be tie for third (and a playoff spot) if Pacifica (1-3) can knock off Valencia (0-4) and Kennedy (1-3) can upset Crean Lutheran (2-2) and create a 2-3 situation for the Mariners, Fighting Irish and Saints.

Orange Coast: Santa Ana (5-0) is king of the mountain, but could have some company there if Orange (4-1) knocks off the Saints and St. Margaret’s (4-1) defeats Calvary Chapel/ Santa Ana (2-3).

Prep football schedule this week

Here’s the schedule for the last game of the regular season of area high school football for our West Orange County area. As always, times, locations, etc. are subject to change without notice. Most games are scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Thursday

Loara at Rancho Alamitos

Santiago at Los Amigos

Friday

Bolsa Grande at La Quinta

Edison at Los Alamitos

Huntington Beach at Corona del Mar

Katella at Garden Grove

Marina at Segerstrom

Godinez at Ocean View

Laguna Beach at Westminster

Magnolia at Savanna

Western at Anaheim

Santa Ana at Orange

Pacifica at Valencia.

Top performances from last week

Ardwon Morris (Orange) rushed for 287 yards and four touchdowns against Costa Mesa.
Sam Thompson (Edison) passed for 227 yards and three scores against Fountain Valley.
Julius Gillick (Edison) rushed for 158 yards and one score.
Anthony Luna (Western) passed for 283 yards and six touchdowns against Century.
Maysen Navarro (Los Amigos) rushed for 142 yards and one TD vs. Bolsa Grande. He also passed for 65 yards.
Ethan Nguyen (Bolsa Grande) passed for 174 yards and two scores, and rushed for 66 yards more against Los Amigos.
Benny Burns (Westminster) passed for 75 yards and two TDs and rushed for 44 more and a touchdown vs. Ocean View.
Brady Edmunds (Huntington Beach) passed for 208 yards and two touchdowns vs. Los Alamitos.