WEEK PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS: CIFSS Week 8 and 3C2A Football Week 6

Orange Coast @ Golden West

Thursday 10/17 2pm

Golden West College

Covering: Richard Do

PREVIEW: It’s Bell Week in SCFA Junior College Football, and the Rustlers and Pirates are set to return to the field after a bye week. The Golden West Rustlers will host the Orange Coast Pirates in a highly anticipated Thursday afternoon game. Last season, Golden West dominated with a 58-9 victory, and this year, they’ll look to repeat that success on their home turf.

Two weeks ago, the Rustlers traveled to Glendora to take on the No. 22-ranked Citrus Owls. Quarterback Will Burns had a strong showing, throwing for 146 yards on 10-of-17 completions with three touchdowns. Defensively, the Rustlers were led by Brandon Soleau, Kruz Wheeler, Dayton Brim, and Javon Taylor, who combined for 16 tackles, helping Golden West secure a convincing 45-7 win.

The Pirates also secured a win two weeks ago, notching their first victory of the season with a 19-7 triumph over East Los Angeles in Costa Mesa. Quarterback Zach Congalton struggled with passing, completing 9 of 25 passes for 83 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. However, he made an impact on the ground, rushing for 80 yards on 11 carries.

PREDICTION: Golden West takes a big win on a Thursday afternoon in Huntington Beach and keeps the bell at home with a 49-3 win

JPWest Media Game of the Week: Los Alamitos @ Edison

Friday 10/18 7pm

Cap Sheue Field

Covering: Luke Lastra

PREVIEW: Our next game takes us to Cap Sheue Field in Huntington Beach, where the Edison Chargers will host the Los Alamitos Griffins in the JPWest Media Game of the Week, as Alpha League play officially kicks off. Last season, these two teams were Sunset League rivals, but they now face off as members of the newly-formed Alpha League. The Chargers come into this matchup riding a five-game winning streak, with senior running back Julius Gillick playing a key role. Gillick broke the school record two weeks ago, scoring six touchdowns in Edison’s 42-14 win over Helix.

On the other hand, the Los Alamitos Griffins are looking to bounce back. Their last game was on September 27th, a tough 42-7 loss to the Serra Cavaliers. The Griffins have dropped their last two games, including a loss to San Diego’s top-ranked Lincoln High. They’ll be eager to turn things around against Edison and start their Alpha League campaign on a high note.

PREDICTION: The Chargers finally get to the Griffins in a 31-28 victory as Gillick rushes for 4+ touchdowns to keep the Chargers streak going 

St John Bosco @ Servite

Friday 10/18 7pm

SoFi Stadium

Covering: Richard Do

Watch live on Bally Sports

PREVIEW: Our second game of the night on Friday takes us to Inglewood, where the #11 team in the nation, the 6-1 Servite Friars, will host the #2 team, the 7-0 St. John Bosco Braves, at SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.

Last season, the Braves were in command, defeating the Friars 56-27 at home. This season, St. John Bosco is once again off to a strong start with a 7-0 record, coming off a 13-0 shutout win over Santa Margarita last week. Freshman quarterback Koa Malau’ulu completed 5 of 10 passes for 49 yards but made his biggest impact on the ground, rushing for 65 yards on six carries and scoring a touchdown.

As for the Servite Friars, they are looking to rebound after suffering their first loss of the season last week to the nation’s top-ranked team, the Mater Dei Monarchs, by a score of 28-6. The Friars were held to just 120 total yards of offense, with senior running back Quaid Carr scoring Servite’s only touchdown on seven carries for 55 yards.

PREDICTION: Servite stuns the Braves at SoFi with a low scoring 13-10 win

Huntington Beach @ Foothill

Friday 10/18 7pm

Tustin High School

Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck

Reporter: Dean Ferguson

PREVIEW: Our final game of the night on Friday takes us to Tustin for a pivotal Epsilon League matchup, as the 4-3 Foothill Knights host the 4-3 Huntington Beach Oilers at 7 p.m.

The last time these two teams met was back in 2011. The Oilers have won their last three matchups against the Knights, while Foothill won the first three meetings, according to MaxPreps. The Huntington Beach Oilers are looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking last-second loss to the La Habra Highlanders last week. The Oilers had led 28-13 before the Highlanders rallied for the win. Despite the setback, the Oilers will be looking to turn the page as sophomore quarterback Brady Edmunds continues his stellar play. Edmunds recently broke the school record for career passing yards and hasn’t thrown for fewer than three touchdowns in a game since last season.

On the other side, the Foothill Knights are coming off a solid 28-14 win over the Laguna Hills Hawks last Thursday. Senior running back Nathan Gouvion led the charge, rushing for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Nico Mancini also contributed with 53 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

PREDICTION: Oilers bounce back on the road with a 42-21 victory to get their 2nd league win of the season

Saddleback @ Palomar

Saturday 10/19 6pm

Palomar College

Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck

Reporter: Isabella Lyons

PREVIEW: JUCO football returns to Southern California after a bye week, with the Saddleback Bobcats heading to San Diego County to take on the Palomar Comets. Last season, the Bobcats dominated the Comets in a 48-10 rout during Saddleback’s homecoming game.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, and Saddleback pulled off a stunning upset against the then-#5 San Diego Mesa Olympians, climbing from #17 to #10 in the latest 3C2A rankings. Quarterback Trey Kukuk led the charge, completing 11 of 20 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. One of his main targets was wide receiver Dane Benedix, who hauled in four receptions for 53 yards, including a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown that secured the victory for the Bobcats.

Meanwhile, the Palomar Comets are coming off a big win of their own. Two weeks ago, they defeated the Grossmont Griffins, thanks in large part to quarterback Andrew Tapley, who completed 26 of 35 passes for 295 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Jake Whitehead had an outstanding performance as well, catching 10 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, helping lead the Comets to victory.

PREDICTION: Saddleback gets their 5th straight win and starts the 2nd half of their 2024 season off in a big way with a 42-7 victory