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Read more Jessie Lopez, Assembly District 68 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire
1. What score was the most surprising?
It’s difficult to pick only one because Week 6 was loaded with important league openers but the El Modena-Huntington Beach result sticks out for a few reasons.
Huntington Beach won the clash of undefeated teams 24-21 to move to 6-0 overall and 1-0 in the Delta League.
The Oilers are off to their best start since 1993 with NFL Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez.
Huntington Beach, led by second-year coach and former NFL wide receiver Matthew Hatchette, has won consecutive tight games against El Modena and Yorba Linda.
The game featured a controversial ending. The game-winning touchdown pass from Huntington Beach’s Brady Edmunds to Dylan Bruce on the fourth down in the final seconds was questioned as an incompletion. The initial ruling of a touchdown was upheld after the officials conferenced following the play.
Huntington Beach 24, El Modena 21 FINAL. @bradyedmunds9 finds @Dylinnn_1k for the game-winning touchdown on a fourth-down play with 11 seconds remaining. @HBHSFootball
improves to 6-0.@mjszabo @ScottJFrench @TheDailyPilot pic.twitter.com/CcbcaBGO3d— Andrew Turner (@AndrewTurnerTCN) October 3, 2026
But despite the controversy and the teams not completing the postgame handshake line, Huntington Beach and El Modena have both impressed with their play on the field.
The Oilers are winning close games against quality opponents. Bruce, an Arizona State commit, has played outstanding in all three phases. Edmunds, an Ohio State commit, keeps picking himself off the turf to makes plays.
The Vanguards just find ways to compete. El Modena didn’t have one player ranked in the Hot 150 but the team plays well together and are fundamentally sound under coach Matt Mitchell.
Dual-threat QB Ethan Sorenson is giving opponents tons of problems. Junior linebacker Aiden Sullivan matched his season-high with eight tackles against the Oilers.
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2. What 6-0 team is the most unexpected?
Tough call. I’ll take Orange in a close one over Capistrano Valley.
The Panthers feature several younger players who are performing beyond their years.
Freshman Jeremiah Dunklin, for example, rushed a season-high 143 yards on only 14 carries in a 42-14 victory against El Dorado last week.
Orange also features three freshmen who are contributing to a deep cast of receivers for QB Starr Thomas III.
Orange started six freshmen against El Dorado.
Remember, the Panthers have quality wins against Laguna Beach and Etiwanda.
Rancho Alamitos has earned consideration but the Vaqueros have three wins against teams that are 0-6. I’m intrigued to see how Rancho Alamitos closes the Sigma League against Costa Mesa, Anaheim and Ocean View.
3. What player delivered the most eye-popping performance in Week 6?
Easy. San Juan Hills quarterback Eiler King.
Things appear to have clicked for the senior transfer from San Clemente. He completed 24 of 29 passes for 473 yards and seven TDs in a 61-10 win against Los Alamitos in the Alpha League.
Yes, the Griffins are struggling but King set season-highs for completions, yards and touchdowns.
For the season, King has completed 76 percent of his passes for 1,459 yards and 22 TDs. He has no interceptions in the Stallions’ spread, run-pass option, power-run attack.
“I truly believe he is playing at the level he is due to the system that allows him to highlight his strengths,” San Juan Hills coach Robert Frith said of King. “Eiler has worked tirelessly with our offensive coordinator Alex Bridgford on mechanics and preparation.”
Bridgford, a former quarterback at Mission Viejo, is in his first season as the Stallions’ offensive coordinator.
Read more David Penaloza, Assembly District 68 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire