The high school football season kicks off across the Southern California region on Friday night, and there are some excellent opening-week matchups.
But who are we kidding? Every matchup this week is a great one, at least for the fans who have been hungry for some football action.
Luckily, there is still time to get ready for the games. And the Southern California News Group has high school football analyst Michael Huntley ready to share his knowledge of the players, teams and matchups.
Once the games start, we’ll be tracking scores from the top games throughout the region.
If you’re ready for some football, grab a seat and enjoy the action with SCNG’s Friday night football guide.
HUNTLEY’S PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charles Davis III, TE, Westlake
Davis, who is 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, will be a tough matchup for Newbury Park in tonight’s game. The Cal commit had a strong year in 2025 with a team-high 11 receiving touchdowns and 526 yards. He had a breakout offseason on the camp circuit and earned an invitation to the Under Armour All-American Game.
Will Brockermeyer, OL, Notre Dame
Notre Dame should be able to establish the run against Crespi in tonight’s game and Brockermeyer will be a big reason why. Brockermeyer was a top performer at the Under Armour Next Camp and competed at the LSU camp this summer.
Justin Clinton, RB, Bishop Amat
Bishop Amat ran for 272 yards with five touchdowns last season in a 42-14 rout of St. Paul. Those two teams open the 2026 season on the field tonight. Clinton is expected to take on a bigger role this season as the Lancers’ primary running back.
Javier Hernandez, LB, El Rancho
Hernandez was the defensive MVP of the Del Rio League last season. He led El Rancho with 102 tackles, 3.5 sacks and eight tackles for a loss. Hernandez had a game-high nine tackles last season when El Rancho beat tonight’s opponent, South Hills, in a 13-7 defensive battle.
Preston Leomiti, LB, Carson
Carson opens the season tonight against Lincoln of San Diego, which features standout quarterback Xavier Cruz. Carson will need Leomiti to put pressure on Cruz and help stop Lincoln’s running game for the Colts to win this matchup. Leomiti had 99 tackles last season for a Carson team that won the City Section Open Division championship.
Gibson Turner, QB, Torrance
Torrance opens the season tonight with a tough matchup against Mira Costa. The Tartars will need a big passing game from Turner in order to pull off the upset. Turner passed for 2,289 yards and 27 touchdowns last season.
JuJu Johnson, DB, Long Beach Poly
Johnson missed all of last season with a leg injury. He looks healthy now and had a good showing at the Battle at the Beach passing tournament in July. Johnson ran the 100 meters in 10.34 seconds and is committed to UCLA. Long Beach Poly’s secondary has the challenge of trying to stop Downey’s excellent receiver Damani Porras.
Jemel Grigsby, RB, Wilson
Grigsby could have a big game tonight against Mayfair to open his junior season. Wilson ran for over 196 yards per game last season with 21 touchdowns. The Monsoons allowed 323 rushing yards and five touchdowns in their CIF-SS playoff loss to Hart last season.
Marjok Gustafson, QB, Riverside Poly
Gustafson threw for 1,945 yards with 27 touchdowns a year ago as he led the Bears to the Sunbelt League championship. Along the way the Bears defeated tonight’s opponent, Hillcrest, 33-27. Gustafson threw for three touchdowns and ran for a TD in that win over the Trojans.
Dannicco Louie, LB, Aquinas
Aquinas opens the season tonight against a good Damien team that features Boise State commit Malachi McFarland at running back. Louie had six tackles when Aquinas lost to Damien 20-15 last season. He knows he will need to have a big game to slow down McFarland.
Matthew Arroyo, WR/DB, El Toro
Arroyo is one of the better two-way players in Orange County. He had 607 receiving yards with six touchdowns last season. On defense, he had 59 tackles with a forced fumble and a team-high four interceptions. Arroyo had one of those interceptions against tonight’s opponent, Tesoro. The Titans will be playing a sophomore at quarterback and Arroyo might have an opportunity for another interception.
Wyatt Bogdan, LB, Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach opens the season tonight against Yorba Linda, which ran for 166 yards per game with 28 touchdowns last season. The Mustangs feature Isaiah Trujillo, who ran for 13 of those touchdowns. Bogdan, a Portland State commit, will have to rack up plenty of tackles for the Breakers to keep Yorba Linda from controlling the game on the ground.
HUNTLEY’S SIX PICKS
St. John Bosco vs. Bishop Gorman: St. John Bosco quarterback Koa Malau’ulu is back for this third year as the starting quarterback with a loaded receiving corps led by junior star DJ Tubbs. The Braves’ linebackers and secondary will make it hard for Bishop Gorman to score consistently.
The pick: St. John Bosco
Oaks Christian vs. Chaminade: Chaminade ran for 227 yards with four touchdowns last season in its 42-27 win over Oaks Christian. Marquis Jones ran for 121 yards with two touchdowns in that game and should lead Chaminade to another win in this game.
The pick: Chaminade
Yorba Linda vs. Laguna Beach: This is a fun matchup with Laguna Beach having the edge at the skill positions and Yorba Linda having an advantage in the trenches. Laguna Beach’s front seven on defense led by Wyatt Bogdan, Garrett Byerly and Will Kimball will give Yorba Linda’s offense a tough test to open the season.
The pick: Laguna Beach
Rio Hondo Prep vs. Schurr: Rio Hondo Prep ran for 252 yards with two touchdowns in a 20-9 win over Schurr last season. All-CIF running back Christian Lee is back along with an offensive line led by Benito Nolaso, which should be enough to lead the Kares to a win.
The pick: Rio Hondo Prep
San Pedro vs. King/Drew: San Pedro returns quarterback Seth Solorio, who threw for 243 yards per game last season with 30 touchdowns. The Pirates added Mary Star transfer Johnny Rivera at running back and the offense is balanced enough to challenge a good King/Drew defense.
The pick: San Pedro
Roosevelt vs. Norco: Norco will have one of the best passing attacks in the Inland Empire with quarterback Julian Medina, who threw 35 touchdowns last season, and BYU commit Blake Wong, who had 1,470 yards receiving with 20 touchdowns. Roosevelt has rising talent on defense but stopping Wong is a tall order.
The pick: Norco
WEEK 0 SCHEDULE
FRIDAY’S GAMES
CIF-SS
Nonleague
Adelanto at Littlerock
Alhambra at Hacienda Heights Wilson
Anaheim Canyon at La Palma Kennedy
Apple Valley at Moorpark
Aquinas at Damien
Arroyo at Azusa
Beaumont at San Jacinto
Beverly Hills at Placentia Valencia
Bishop Amat at St. Paul
Bishop Montgomery at Segerstrom
Bloomington at Corona
Bolsa Grande at Garden Grove
Brea Olinda at Marina
Buena Park at Don Lugo
Calabasas at Alemany
California at Nogales
California Military at Santa Ana Valley
Camarillo at Santa Barbara
Canyon Springs at St. Anthony
Cerritos Valley Christian at Gahr
Channel Islands at Santa Paula
Chaparral at Mission Viejo
Chino at Ontario Christian
Chino Hills at Quartz Hill
Citrus Hill at Jurupa Hills
Claremont at Valley View
Corona del Mar at Lakewood
Covina at La Puente
Dana Hills at San Marcos
Del Sol at Oxnard Pacifica
Desert Hot Springs at Tahquitz
Dominguez at Maranatha
Dos Pueblos at Santa Ynez
Eastvale Roosevelt at Norco
El Monte at Arcadia
Elsinore at Patriot
El Toro vs. Tesoro at Dana Hills
Esperanza at Shadow Hills
Fillmore at La Canada
Fountain Valley at Ocean View
Fullerton at Anaheim
Gabrielino at Artesia
Gardena Serra vs. Palos Verdes at El Camino College
Glendale at San Gabriel
Golden Valley at Pasadena
Grace at Arrowhead Christian
Granite Hills at Sultana
Harvard-Westlake vs. West Ranch at Valencia
Heritage at Garey
Hesperia at Palmdale
Hillcrest at Riverside Poly
Hoover at Nordhoff
Indian Springs at Montclair
Inglewood at Los Alamitos
Irvine at Northwood
Jurupa Valley at Chaffey
Keppel at Compton Centennial
Knight at Canyon Country Canyon
La Habra at Upland
Laguna Hills at Santa Ana Foothill
La Serna at Baldwin Park
Lawndale at Norwalk
Liberty at Temecula Valley
Linfield Christian at Orange Vista
Lompoc Cabrillo at Burbank
Long Beach Cabrillo at Sonora
Long Beach Poly at Downey
Long Beach Wilson at Mayfair
Loyola at Crean Lutheran
Miller at San Gorgonio
Mira Costa at Torrance
Monrovia at Brentwood
Moreno Valley at Eisenhower
Mountain View at Glenn
Muir at Bonita
Murrieta Mesa at Newport Harbor
North Torrance at Orange
Northview at Thousand Oaks
Nuview Bridge at Pacific
Oak Hills at Highland
Oaks Christian at Chaminade
Paloma Valley at Temescal Canyon
Portola at Woodbridge
Rancho Mirage at Yucca Valley
Redondo Union at El Segundo
Rio Hondo Prep at Schurr
Rio Mesa at Hueneme
Riverside Notre Dame at Costa Mesa
Riverside Prep at Century
San Marino at Vasquez
Santa Clara at Firebaugh
Santa Fe at Pioneer
Santa Rosa Academy at Cathedral City
Saugus ar Agoura
Serrano at Warren
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Crespi
Sierra Canyon at JSerra
Sierra Vista at Walnut
Silverado at Vista del Lago
South Hills at El Rancho
South Pasadena at Peninsula, 4:30 p.m.
South Torrance at Burbank Burroughs
St. Bernard vs. Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande
Summit at Ayala
Temple City at Whittier
Trabuco Hills at Norte Vista
Trinity Classical Academy at Sage Hill
Tustin at San Clemente
Twentynine Palms at Desert Christian Academy
Valencia at Simi Valley
Western at Salesian
Western Christian at Workman
Westlake at Newbury Park
Westminster at Sunny Hills
West Valley at Capistrano Valley Christian
Xavier Prep at Rim of the World
Yorba Linda at Laguna Beach
Yucaipa at Corona Santiago
American Fork (Utah) vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium
Angelou at Oak Park
Antelope Valley at Kern Valley
Anza Hamilton at Mountain Empire
Bassett at Mendez
Bell Gardens at Bell
Birmingham vs. Hart at College of the Canyons
Bishop Diego at Paso Robles
Boron at Big Bear
Bosco Tech at Los Angeles Jordan
California City at Eastside
El Camino Real at Lihue Kauai (Hawaii), 4 p.m.
Gardena at Hawthorne
Heritage Christian at San Fernando
La Mirada at South Gate
Lancaster at Henderson Coronado (Nevada)
Las Vegas Centennial (Nevada) at Cathedral
Las Vegas Somerset Academy Losee (Nevada) at Barstow
Lynwood vs. Franklin at Garfield
Miami Central (Florida) at Orange Lutheran
Mission College Prep at Oxnard
Monroe at Royal
Orlando Jones (Florida) at Santa Margarita
Palm Desert at Brawley
Paramount at Los Angeles Roosevelt
Perris at Kearny
Rancho Dominguez at Rosemead
River Springs at San Marcos St. Joseph Academy
San Diego Clairemont at Viewpoint
San Jacinto Valley Academy at Valhalla
San Marcos at Aliso Niguel
Santee at South El Monte
St. John Bosco at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman (Nevada)
Tehachapi at Ridgecrest Burroughs
Tri-City Christian at St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, 3:30 p.m.
Venice at St. Monica
Village Christian at Huntington Park
Vincent Memorial at Temecula Prep
Westchester at Santa Monica
L.A. CITY
Nonleague
Bernstein at Hawkins
Canoga Park at Arleta, 3:30 p.m.
Carson at Lincoln
Crenshaw at Palisades
Dymally at Dorsey
Fairfax at Hollywood
Fremont at Van Nuys
Granada Hills at North Hollywood
Grant at Los Angeles Wilson
Legacy at Maywood CES
Los Ángeles Marshall at Contreras
Los Ángeles University at Lincoln
Narbonne at Cleveland
Panorama at Arroyo
Reseda at Fulton, 3:30 p.m.
Roybal at Jefferson
San Pedro at King/Drew
South East at Wilmington Banning
Sun Valley Poly at Taft
Torres at Manual Arts
Verdugo Hills at Marquez
8-MAN
CIF-SS
Coast Valley League
San Luis Obispo Classical at Coast Union
Majestic League
Entrepreneur at United Christian Academy
Nonleague
Calvary Baptist at Southlands Christian
Lancaster Desert Christian at Maricopa
Alpaugh at Cuyama Valley
East Valley at PAL Academy, 3 p.m.
Valley Oaks CES at Frazier Mountain, 5 p.m.
L.A. CITY
Nonleague
New Designs University Park at Sherman Oaks CES