A preview and prediction for each of the top football games in Orange County this week. The teams are listed by their ranking in the Orange County Top 25.
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GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 1 Santa Margarita (7-0 overall, 2-0 league) vs. St. John Bosco (6-1, 2-0)
Where, when: St. John Bosco High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: This Trinity League game looks like a matchup of St. John Bosco’s offense vs. Santa Margarita’s defense. St. John Bosco is averaging 40 points a game. Santa Margarita is limiting opponents to five points a game. St. John Bosco junior quarterback Koa Malau’ulu has been the Braves starter since his freshman year. He is 3-0 against the Eagles, including a playoff win during that freshman year. Malau’ulu (6-2, 180) threw four touchdown passes when St. John Bosco beat Santa Margarita, 27-14, last season in a Trinity League game. St. John Bosco sophomore receiver Kuika Moaalii had four receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown last week when the Braves beat Orange Lutheran, 28-14, in a Trinity game. It is remarkable that Santa Margarita lost so many stars from last year’s outstanding defense yet remains as good as it has been this season. Yes, we know 2026 freshmen are not as young as they were in 1976. Still, it is impressive that Santa Margarita’s leading tackler is freshman linebacker Ayden Steen who has 25 solo tackles and 13 tackles for loss. Sophomore defensive lineman Kingston Jimmerson has a team-high 6.5 sacks. Freshman defensive back Jayden Jack has a team-high three interceptions. Malau’ulu has earned a reputation for being courageous in the pocket and accurate on deep throws on the run. Santa Margarita might apply more pressure and more deep-ball coverage than Malau’ulu has seen this season.
Winner: Santa Margarita
No. 5 Mission Viejo (6-1, 2-0) vs. No. 4 San Clemente (7-0, 2-0)
Where, when: San Clemente High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Mission Viejo-San Clemente games were hard-fought games in the old South Coast League days and continue to be in the Alpha League. Mission Viejo beat San Clemente handily last year, 34-16, at Mission Viejo High. Mission Viejo won it at San Clemente in 2024, 23-7. San Clemente beat Mission Viejo at Mission Viejo in 2023, 20-10. Mission Viejo’s only loss this season was a road loss to Folsom, 35-21. Folsom is No. 7 in the HSratings.com state rankings and No. 8 in the CalHiSports.com state rankings. The Diablos came close to their second 2026 loss last week. Yorba Linda went for two-point conversion with 90 seconds remaining and failed, so Mission Viejo escaped with a 27-26 win. Mission Viejo’s Jack Junker scored on runs of 77 and 73 yards. San Clemente beat winless Los Alamitos last week, 40-0. Tritons junior quarterback Preston Beck threw three touchdown passes. San Clemente senior receiver/safety Jaxson Rex had six receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns. This shapes up to be a big-plays game. Who can make more of them, and who can stop the other team from making them?
Winner: San Clemente
No. 11 San Juan Hills (6-1, 2-0) vs. No. 13 Yorba Linda (0-7, 0-2)
Where, when: Yorba Linda High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: San Juan Hills
Winner: Yorba Linda is 0-7 because it had to forfeit four wins because it used an ineligible player in those four wins. The Mustangs are 0-2 in the Alpha League because they lost to better teams – 28-0 to undefeated San Clemente, 27-26 to 6-1 Mission Viejo. When healthy, Yorba Linda is a county Top 10 team. The Mustangs are good where they are always good, along the offensive and defensive lines. Aiden Gutierrez rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Mission Viejo. San Juan Hills is soaring offensively. Quarterback Eiler King has 24 passing touchdowns without an interception. Receiver Luke Frith has 43 receptions for 766 yards and 13 touchdowns. King has other options, too, like Max Nuernberg who has 20 catches for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Cooper Chila has six touchdown receptions. It’s hard to imagine Yorba Linda keeping up with that sort of offensive production.
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Winner: San Juan Hills
No. 7 Corona del Mar (7-0, 2-0) vs. No. 11 Capistrano Valley 6-1, 1-1)
Where, when: Capistrano Valley High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: The Bravo League is a great league, an exceptional mix of quality and balance. Corona del Mar’s league wins are over county No. 5 Villa Park, 24-10, and last week over No. 14 Tustin, 28-14. The Sea Kings are winning with good offensive balance and a defense that is giving up only 10 points a game. Nolan Scott is a fine two-way player for them, at receiver and in the defensive backfield. Corona del Mar quarterback John David Annett has improved as the season has progressed. He has completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,090 yards. Max Brengel has a team-leading 59 total tackles. Capistrano Valley lost to Crean Lutheran last week, 30-22. Cougars quarterback Talon Spencer had another of his dual-threat nights, passing for 178 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Spencer can’t be and won’t be shut down. As difficult as it will be, Corona del Mar’s defense will succeed at keeping Spencer from deciding the game’s outcome.
Winner: Corona del Mar
No. 6 JSerra (4-3, 0-2) vs. No. 3 Orange Lutheran (4-3, 1-1)
Where, when: Orange Coast College, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: There is another game in the Trinity League that is bigger than this one. That Santa Margarita-St. John Bosco thing brings together the top two teams in California, or at least two of the top three if we stick Sierra Canyon in between them. JSerra vs. Orange Lutheran is a huge game, too. The top three finishers in the six-team Trinity League are automatic qualifiers for the playoffs. Whichever team wins will have improved its chances to be one of those automatic qualifiers, or at least strengthened its position as a viable at-large team candidate for the playoffs. JSerra and Orange Lutheran lost league games last week. JSerra was defeated by Mater Dei, 41-7. Orange Lutheran lost to St. John Bosco, 28-14. In JSerra’s loss, it was 41-0 before the Lions scored. Turnovers and lack of offense – JSerra finished with minus-25 yards rushing – were big factors. Orange Lutheran sophomore running back Ryan Christianson rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the Lancers loss to St. John Bosco. That was Christianson’s fifth-straight game with more than 100 rushing yards. JSerra will be more competitive than the Lions were last week, but Orange Lutheran looks like the superior team … and just might be the league’s third-best team
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Winner: Orange Lutheran
Fryer on Football last week: 4-1
Season to date: 25-15