PREVIEWS AND PREDICTIONS: CIF SOUTHERN SECTION ROUND 1 EDITION

JPWest Media Game of the Week: Division 3 – #10 Huntington Beach @ #7 Edison
Friday, November 8 – Cap Sheue Field (Huntington Beach, CA)
Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck | Reporter: Justin Lee

PREVIEW:

The Battle for the Beach is back in a playoff edition under the lights as Edison hosts Huntington Beach in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 First Round. The Chargers enter as the #7 seed at 5-5, while the Oilers come in as the #10 seed at 8-2, marking their best overall record since 2011. Edison leads the all-time series 39-6-1, but under head coach Matthew Hatchette, the Oilers enter with renewed confidence and momentum.

Huntington Beach closed the regular season with a 27-14 bounce back win over El Dorado, powered by another efficient outing from junior quarterback Brady Edmunds, who went 15-of-24 for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior running back Xavier Atkinson added 41 rushing yards and a score, while the Oiler defense continued its late-season surge behind Pierce Meckel, Maxx Hopkins, and Johnny Yadrick.

Senior wide receiver Troy Foster continues to climb the Orange County record books, hauling in 6 receptions for 125 yards and a 66-yard touchdown last week. Foster enters Friday’s rivalry matchup just 21 yards away from passing Los Alamitos legend Tony Hartley (3,181 yards) for #3 All-Time in Career Receiving Yards in Orange County history.

The Chargers are heading into the postseason following a tough 10-9 loss to San Clemente. Under head coach Jeff Grady, Edison has battled through one of the Southern Section’s toughest schedules.

Quarterback Sam Thomson threw for 119 yards and a touchdown last week, while Logan. Hampton (5 receptions, 43 yards) and Maddox Thomas (TD) led the aerial attack. Edison’s physical defense remains its backbone — led by Teo Hampton (11 tackles), Conrad Barrera (10), and Jude Gonterman (10) — and will look to set the tone against the Oilers’ quick-strike offense.

RIVALRY HISTORY:

Edison leads the Battle for the Beach 39-6-1 all-time. The last Huntington Beach victory came in the 2013 CIF-SS Semifinals, a 28-21 win at Orange Coast College that sent the Oilers to Angel Stadium, where they captured the CIF Southern Section Championship. The two programs last met on October 6, 2023, when Edison won 47-20 in the former Sunset League.

JP’S PREDICTION:

Playoff football meets one of Orange County’s most storied rivalries. Huntington Beach’s offensive rhythm behind Edmunds and Foster, combined with their defensive confidence, gives the Oilers a real chance to flip history. Edison’s defense and big-game experience make them dangerous, but momentum rides with the orange and black.

JPWest Media Prediction:
Huntington Beach 31, Edison 27

DIVISION 2 – #12 Yorba Linda @ #5 Los Alamitos

Friday, November 8 – Veterans Stadium (Long Beach, CA)
Photographer: Joey Gray

PREVIEW:

The Division 2 playoffs open with a high-powered matchup as #12 Yorba Linda (9-1) travels to Veterans Stadium to face #5 Los Alamitos (8-2). Both programs enter with momentum after battling through loaded league schedules and are looking to make deep postseason runs behind their explosive offenses.

Los Alamitos enters off a 76-49 loss to Mission Viejo, where quarterback Colin Creason threw for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, and running back Lenny Ibarra rushed for 169 yards and 4 touchdowns. Wide receiver Beckham Hofland also added 2 touchdown catches, continuing to be one of the Griffins’ most reliable playmakers. Despite the loss, the Griffins’ offense remains one of the most dangerous in the Southern Section, averaging over 45 points per game this season.

Yorba Linda, meanwhile, is coming off one of the biggest wins in program history — a 35-28 victory over previously unbeaten Corona del Mar. The Mustangs rode their balanced attack and physical defense, led by sophomore running back Isaiah Trujillo, who ran for 133 yards and 3 touchdowns, and quarterback Noah Trujillo, who added 112 passing yards and a touchdown through the air and 43 rushing yards on the ground. The defensive unit, powered by Owen Smith (9 tackles, interception) and Thomas Knutson (interception), made key stops late to seal the win.

WHAT TO WATCH:

Both teams boast dynamic backfields and efficient quarterback play, setting up a potential shootout. For Yorba Linda, the key will be establishing the run early with Trujillo and controlling the clock, while Los Alamitos will look to use its speed and tempo to overwhelm the Mustangs’ defense.

Los Alamitos’ offensive duo of Creason and Ibarra against Yorba Linda’s linebacker tandem of Onassis Lim and Gavin Smith could define the tone of the night.

JP’S PREDICTION:

Yorba Linda has proven it can hang with elite offenses after stunning Corona del Mar, but Los Alamitos’ firepower led by Ibarra and Creason gives the Griffins a slight edge at home under the lights at Veterans Stadium. Expect points — and plenty of them.

JPWest Media Prediction:
Los Alamitos 45, Yorba Linda 35

DIVISION 4 – #15 El Modena @ #2 La Habra

Friday, November 8 – La Habra HS (La Habra, CA)
Photographer: Bailey Sanchez

PREVIEW:

Friday night at Highlander House features a classic North Orange County playoff clash as #15 El Modena (5-5) heads to #2 La Habra (7-3) in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 First Round. Both teams enter off statement wins to close the regular season, setting the stage for an intense postseason opener under the lights.

La Habra comes in rolling after a 40-7 victory over Foothill, a game dominated by junior quarterback DJ Mitchell, who threw for 290 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Highlanders’ offense was explosive from start to finish, with standout performances from Blake Rogers (3 catches, 107 yards, TD) and Bryce Vasquez (4 catches, 99 yards, 2 TDs). The ground game provided balance with Kevika Mata’Utia-Muimui rushing for 63 yards, while the defense swarmed — recording 4 sacks and 10 tackles for loss led by Luke Hedgpeth (9 tackles, 2 sacks) and Nate Barajas (7 tackles, 2 TFL).

El Modena earned its postseason berth with a 27-22 win over Cypress behind a strong night from junior quarterback Ethan Sorenson, who threw for 63 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 83 yards and another score. Wideout Arnol Correa led the offense with 106 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Jeremy Russell (13 yards, TD) and Jason Ramos (20 yards) provided key catches through the air. On defense, Isaac Perez (5 tackles, 1 TFL), Adrian Martinez (1 sack), and Tate Sheehan (2 interceptions) helped seal the victory for the Vanguards.

WHAT TO WATCH:

La Habra’s offensive balance and defensive front have carried them into November as one of the top contenders in Division 4. The Highlanders’ pass rush has been relentless, and their efficiency through the air has given opposing defenses fits. For El Modena, limiting explosive plays and controlling the tempo with Correa and Sorenson on the ground will be crucial to keeping this one close.

Expect a fast start from La Habra’s offense and a physical tone throughout from both sides — two proud public programs with plenty of postseason pedigree.

JP’S PREDICTION:

El Modena enters confident after a gritty win, but La Habra’s firepower and depth on both sides of the ball should be too much at home. Mitchell, Rogers, and Vasquez headline another statement night for the Highlanders as they push toward a deep Division 4 run.

JP’s Pick
La Habra 42, El Modena 17