GARDEN GROVE HIGH‘s football team got its first win of 2026 and will face University High of Irvine next (GGUSD photo).

The mantra of high school sports – especially for football – in recent years has been “competitive equity,” meaning aligning leagues based not so much as geography and tradition but on a formula based on recent performance.

But, alas, the past doesn’t always point to the future. This week there are what appear to be some epic mismatches.

In the Delta League, for example, Huntington Beach (7-0 overall, 2-0 in league) will host Western (0-7, 0-2) on Thursday.

Almost as wince-worthy could be Orange (7-0, 2-0) at Beckman (1-6, 0-2) in a Foxtrot League contest on Friday.

However, there some intriguing matchups as well.

Can Edison (2-5, 0-2 in the Alpha League) bounce back on Friday when it hosts Los Alamitos (0-7, 0-2)?

What tooks like the most evenly matched game could be on Friday when Ocean View (6-1, 2-0) visits Anaheim (5-2, 1-1) in a Sigma League game. The Seahawks are on a roll, having won six games in a row after losing their opener, 27-21 to Fountain Valley.

Here’s the lineup for high school football games for schools serving our West Orange County cities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster. Most games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

THURSDAY
Garden Grove (1-6, 1-1) at University (4-3, 2-0)
Los Amigos (6-1, 2-0) hosts Estancia (1-6, 0-2)
Huntington Beach (7-0) hosts Western (0-7, 0-2)
Rancho Alamitos (7-0, 2-0) hosts Katella (2-5, 0-2)

FRIDAY
Edison (2-5, 0-2) hosts Los Alamitos (0-7, 0-2)
La Quinta (4-3, 0-2) at Savanna (4-4, 2-3)
Magnolia (2-5, 1-4) at Century (0-6, 0-5)
Marina (4-3, 2-0) at Cypress (6-1, 2-0)
Ocean View (6-1, 2-0) at Anaheim (5-2, 1-1)
Orange (6-1, 2-0) at Beckman (1-6, 0-2)
Pacifica (6-1, 1-1) hosts Kennedy (2-5, 0-2)
Rancho Alamitos (2-5, 1-4) hosts Godinez (2-5, 2-3)
Westminster (5-2, 1-1) hosts Fountain Valley (4-3, 2-0).