There is no such thing as a “nothing game” in Orange County high school football.
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Every game means something to somebody. In a late-October game between two teams already eliminated from playoff contention, some high school kid is going to make the best play of his sports life.
Memories are created, night after night and game after game.
Of course, some games are bigger than others.
Here is a week-by-week look at the most interesting matchups for the 2026 season:
WEEK 0
Sierra Canyon at JSerra, Aug. 21: Sierra Canyon might be best known as a basketball school, but the private school in Chatsworth is good at football too. The Trailblazers went 10-0 in the regular season season, and it all started with a 35-0 win over JSerra in a season opener at Sierra Canyon. JSerra has a new coach, former NFL star linebacker Hardy Nickerson. Among the many fine Sierra Canyon players Nickerson and staff have to plan for is Trailblazers junior Marcus Fukatou who was an All-Orange County defensive end last season for Orange Lutheran.
Also in Week 0: Yorba Linda at Laguna Beach; Chaparral at Mission Viejo; Corona Centennial vs. Servite at TBA.
WEEK 1
Los Alamitos at Huntington Beach, Aug. 27: These two teams were competitors in the Sunset League for many years. Los Alamitos has a new coach, Rory Schoonmaker, who was the head coach at El Segundo last season and was at Santa Ana before that. Schoonmaker takes the reins of a team that won the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship last season. Huntington Beach is led by All-County quarterback Brady Edmunds, who is committed to Ohio State. During the spring and summer months Edmunds must have been asked many times if he was going to transfer to (insert school name here). Place respect on Edmunds for staying at Huntington Beach.
Also in Week 1: Western vs. Villa Park at El Modena HS; Tesoro at Dana Hills; Santa Margarita at Corona Centennial; Foothill at Tustin.
WEEK 2
Corona del Mar vs. Edison at Huntington Beach High: Another Sunset League reunion. Corona del Mar grabbed some attention at the South County Classic 7-on-7 passing tournament at Mission Viejo High by losing to Santa Margarita by one point and beating Mater Dei. JD Annett follows his brother Brady Annett as the Sea Kings’ quarterback. Edison has a terrific returning starter at quarterback, senior Sam Thomson, who will be a four-year starter at the position. Chargers receiver Logan Hampton could be set for a big senior season.
Also in Week 2: JSerra at Crean Lutheran; Woodbridge at Irvine.
WEEK 3
Corona Centennial vs. Mater Dei, Santa Ana Stadium, Sept. 11: This is one of Southern California football’s better rivalries. Centennial beat Mater Dei twice last season in two close games, 43-26 in a nonleague game at Centennial and 28-27 in the Division 1 semifinals at Centennial. Centennial features All-CIF senior safety Jaden Walk-Green (committed to Washington). Mater Dei will have new faces at several offensive positions, while its defense, which includes All-Orange County safety Troy Bishop, will be a veteran unit that might be the strength of the Monarchs team this season.
Also in Week 3: Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor; Foothill at El Modena; San Diego Lincoln at Mission Viejo; Woodbridge vs. Northwood at Portola High.
WEEK 4
Cypress vs. Foothill at Tustin High, Sept. 18: Cypress and Foothill should be better than they were last season when both teams finished 3-7. It’s not that long ago that these teams were playing for league championships and winning playoff games. Cypress and Foothill showed their offensive improvement with good showings this month at the Ocean View Seahawk Shootout passing tournament. Cypress brings back All-Delta League first-team senior linebacker Alijah Ashcraft. Foothill senior running back Aidan Faraj was All-Epsilon League first team in 2025.
Also in Week 4: Bishop Gorman vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium; Norco vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College; El Dorado at El Modena.
WEEK 5
Trabuco Hills at El Modena, Sept. 25: Week 5 is the bye week for most teams that started the season with games in Week 0, which is actually the first week of the season and Week 1 is the second week of the season. (It makes no sense, so we should call the first week Week 1. Got it? OK.) Twelve 11-player football games will be played in Orange County this week. Trabuco Hills and El Modena were together in the Delta League last season when El Modena beat Trabuco Hills, 21-7. El Modena remains in the Delta League this season but Trabuco has been moved to the Epsilon League. With this being the final nonleague game for both teams, it’s an important game to win for momentum sake before their league openers. El Modena has a returning quarterback, senior Ethan Sorenson, who was All-Delta League first team last year. Trabuco Hills should be better defensively with all-league first-teamer Andrew Davis on the line.
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Also in Week 5: Laguna Hills vs. St. Margaret’s; Lakewood vs. Villa Park at El Modena High.
WEEK 6
Mater Dei vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College, Oct. 2: It’s league-opener week for most leagues, including the mighty Trinity League. Santa Margarita beat Mater Dei, 7-6, last season. That, of all games, might have been the one that gave Santa Margarita the self-belief required to do what the Eagles did in 2025 when they won championships in the top divisions for the CIF-SS and CIF State playoffs. Mater Dei lost some standout talent to graduation but the Monarchs will be tough again along the interior lines. They have returning All-OC first-team selection Lex Mailangi, an Oregon commit who can play any offensive line position. Santa Margarita has a strong offensive line, too, plus super-quick, all-league sophomore running back Adrian Petero.
Also in Week 6: Servite vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College; Edison at Mission Viejo; Los Alamitos at San Juan Hills; Crean Lutheran at Tustin; Corona del Mar vs. Villa Park at El Modena.
WEEK 7
San Juan Hills vs. Edison at Huntington Beach High, Oct. 9: The Orange County Football Conference folks made a wise decision when they expanded the county’s top league, the Alpha League, from a four-team group to a six-team group. San Juan Hills and Yorba Linda have moved into the Alpha League this season, joining Edison, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo and San Clemente. San Juan Hills should be solid offensively with two standout receivers, senior Luke Frith (Texas State commit) and fellow senior Ryan Matheson, who starred at the Ocean View passing tournament this month. Edison is Edison. The Chargers will give it their all for 48 minutes, as they have for decades.
Also in Week 7: San Clemente at Los Alamitos; Tustin vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor High; Servite vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College.
WEEK 8
La Habra at Crean Lutheran, Oct. 16: Frank Mazzotta coached La Habra football to an eighth CIF-SS championship last season. That ties him with Bob Johnson (El Toro, Mission Viejo) and Bruce Rollinson (Mater Dei) for the most CIF-SS championships won by an Orange County football coach. The Highlanders might have the goods for another section title. They return senior quarterback DJ Mitchell (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo commit) and senior running back Kevika Mata’utia-Martinez, who was last season’s CIF-SS Division 4 offensive player of the year. Crean Lutheran also has a star returning at quarterback, senior Caden Jones who was last season’s Epsilon League MVP. These teams were Epsilon League rivals last season when Crean Lutheran smacked La Habra, 56-21. They meet again, this time in the Bravo League.
Also in Week 8: Santa Margarita at St. John Bosco; Tustin vs. Villa Park at El Modena High; Mission Viejo at San Clemente; Los Alamitos vs. Edison at Huntington Beach High; Mater Dei vs. Servite at TBA.
WEEK 9
San Clemente at San Juan Hills, Oct. 23: Based on their spirited competition in the championship game of the Ocean View 7-on-7 tournament, this Alpha League game will be a hot one. San Clemente’s roster includes players who transferred in from San Juan Hills. The San Juan Hills roster includes players who transferred in from San Clemente. San Clemente senior receiver Ryan Matheson was San Juan Hills’ leading receiver last season. San Clemente junior quarterback Preston Beck looks ready to have a productive season.
Also in Week 9: Crean Lutheran vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor High; Orange Lutheran vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium; El Dorado vs. Beckman at Tustin High; Tustin at La Habra; El Modena at Dana Hills; Mission Viejo at Los Alamitos; JSerra vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College.
WEEK 10
St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Oct. 30: This matchup for seasons decided the Trinity League championship. It will have that same meaningfulness this season unless Santa Margarita has decided that, no, the Eagles will be involved in any game that decides the league title. Which of course, Santa Margarita is very capable of doing. St. John Bosco will sport a deep and talented team that includes junior quarterback Koa Malau’ulu. Mater Dei’s defense should be outstanding this season, with an ability to disrupt any opponent’s offensive goals.
Also in Week 10: Santa Margarita vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College; Servite at JSerra; Villa Park at Crean Lutheran; Corona del Mar at La Habra; San Juan Hills at Mission Viejo,
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