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Three under-the-radar storylines to watch in football Friday:
1. How does Mater Dei perform against Valor Christian of Colorado?
Mater Dei being overlooked? Yes, it feels odd to include the Monarchs with the quietly compelling games Friday but their matchup at Santa Ana Stadium seems to fit.
Mater Dei (2-0) comes off a short week to play host to Valor Christian (2-0), the No. 2-ranked team in Colorado.
Valor features Titus Huard, the No. 9-rated quarterback by Rivals/On3 in the nation in the Class 2028.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, Mater Dei collect 32-26 win on the road against Orem, the No. 4-ranked team in Utah. The score was tied 26-26 in the fourth quarter.
The Monarchs could use a convincing performance against Valor before they host Centennial and Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas the next two weeks.
2. Can San Clemente make a statement against Chaparral?
Chaparral (1-1) feels like an honorary member of the Alpha League with its nonleague schedule. The Pumas also represent another opportunity for the Tritons (2-0) to show how good they are.
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Chaparral lost to defending Alpha League champion Mission Viejo 55-17 in its opener but bounced back to beat Alpha League newcomer San Juan Hills 31-19 last week.
How will San Clemente fare coming off a bye?
The Tritons’ defense and Jaxson Rex impressed in a 17-0 win against Tustin but keep an eye on their ground attack. No.1 running back Colin Granite (patellar tendon) suffered a season-ending injury in Hawaii, San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz said. Team has turned to Darian Ranuga among others at running back.
3. Will Santa Ana Valley move to 3-0 by beating Santiago?
The Falcons (2-0) open the Tango League against Santiago (1-0) at Garden Grove High aiming for a 3-0 start. That would be an impressive feat considering they were winless in 2024 and 2025.
“None of the kids quit,” Santa Ana Valley coach Alfredo Macias said of his players’ resolve.
Last week, Santa Ana Valley defeated Katella for the first time since 2013 with a 39-29 victory.
Santa Ana Valley has developed a few linemen to watch, including juniors Anthony Navidad and Dominic Salazar.
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