This could be one of those special Friday nights in the high school football season — excellent weather, great games, exciting matchups.
Read more Southern California truckers stung by record-setting diesel prices
The Southern California News Group will have reporters covering more than 30 games tonight, ready to report on everything that happens.
Before the games start, check out what high school football analyst Michael Huntley has put together — his list of the “players to watch” and his predictions for some of the top games on the Week 5 schedule.
PREDICTIONS: HUNTLEY’S SIX PICKS
Trabuco Hills vs. El Modena: Trabuco Hills has a balanced offense with Jackson Verplancke (206 passing yards per game) and Luke Hoffman (99 rushing yards per game). El Modena has a dual-threat quarterback of its own with Ethan Sorenson, who has eight passing touchdowns and four rushing.
The pick: El Modena
Servite vs. Damien: Servite runs for 255 yards per game with Jorden Wells leading the team with 508 yards and seven touchdowns. Damien is coming off a win over Salesian where Travon Garrison Jr. had 114 yards receiving on just three catches.
The pick: Servite
Laguna Beach vs. San Pedro: San Pedro is 4-0 and QB Seth Solorio has thrown for 246 yards per game with 14 touchdowns and no interceptions. Laguna Beach is the best team San Pedro will have played this season, but the Breakers are 1-3 against a tough schedule. Laguna Beach’s pass rush, led by Garrett Byerly and Xavier Brooks, can pressure Solorio.
The pick: Laguna Beach
Oxnard Pacifica vs. Sierra Canyon: Pacifica has a regular-season winning streak of 17 games dating back to 2024. Tritons quarterback Taylor Lee averages 271 yards per game with 15 touchdowns. Sierra Canyon’s defense allowed just 10 points in a win over Orange Lutheran last week and Stephan Harrison had 13 tackles with two sacks.
The pick: Sierra Canyon
Long Beach Poly vs. Rancho Cucamonga: Rancho Cucamonga is on a three-game losing streak but has played three of the top teams in the Inland Empire. Treyvone Towns Jr. throws for 152 yards per game with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Poly has lost four consecutive games and Miami-committed cornerback Donte Wright Jr. played quarterback last week.
The pick: Rancho Cucamonga
El Rancho vs. Los Altos: Los Altos is 4-0 but has not played an opponent with a winning record. Nathaniel Sanchez runs for 141 yards per game and Luke Rodriguez has 10 touchdowns with no interceptions. El Rancho is 4-1 and Ray Madrid III has three interceptions.
The pick: Los Altos
HUNTLEY’S PLAYERS TO WATCH
Walker Duff, LB, El Modena: Duff leads El Modena in sacks this season and tonight will face Trabuco Hills, which threw for 292 yards with three touchdowns in its last game.
Kai Letcher, QB, St. Margaret’s: St. Margaret’s plays Laguna Hills tonight and Letcher threw for 422 yards with three touchdowns against Laguna Hills last season.
Read more CIF denies Huntington Beach, Crean Lutheran football players full eligibility
Declan Sawyers, LB, San Clemente: Sawyers had a game-high 12 tackles last season when San Clemente played Murrieta Valley. Murrieta Valley will likely try to establish the run again this season and Sawyers will have plenty of chances to rack up tackles.
Matix Frithsmith, RB, Hart: Hart ran for 284 yards with five touchdowns in a 46-35 win over Saugus last season. Frithsmith leads Hart in rushing this season with 96 yards per game and four touchdowns. He might be due for another big game against Saugus.
Ronnie Rios, DE, El Monte: El Monte had 12 sacks in a win against tonight’s opponent, South El Monte, last season and Rios had three of them. Rios is tied for the team lead in sacks this season and might add to that total this week.
Dom Campos, LB, Charter Oak: Campos leads Charter Oak in tackles and sacks as a freshman. He will need to use those pass rushing abilities against St. Francis, which threw for 274 yards with four touchdowns last week.
Trenton McAllister, DB, San Pedro: McAllister has the lone interception for San Pedro this season. He might be matched up tonight with Laguna Beach receiver Brady Stringham, who has caught 45 passes for 418 yards and eight touchdowns through four games.
Ryan Dempster, QB, South Torrance: Dempster is averaging 201 yards per game passing with 10 touchdowns this season. South Torrance threw for 417 yards in a win over this week’s opponent, West Torrance, last season.
Samajay Jackson, WR, Long Beach Jordan: Jackson is Jordan’s leading receiver and faces a Cabrillo team tonight that allowed 238 yards passing with three touchdowns last week. Jordan is seeking its first win and beat Cabrillo 54-19 last season.
Kingston Meyer, LB, Long Beach Wilson: Meyer is averaging over 10 tackles per game against an extremely difficult schedule for Wilson this season. He faces a Compton team that rushes for 173 rushing yards per game.
Vincent Shields, OL, Murrieta Valley: Shields is a rising college prospect who has offers from Ole Miss, Alabama and Texas A&M among others. The junior left tackle will have to play well to protect quarterback Buck Bachmeier against a good San Clemente pass rush.
Jahsiah Sio, RB, Moreno Valley: Sio is rushing for 163 yards per game with five touchdowns for Moreno Valley this season. He will need to play well against a Rancho Verde defense that has allowed just seven points in each of its last two games.
Read more Trump said he would campaign in midterm battlegrounds. He’s starting in deep red states instead