Huntley’s Week 7 Picks
In this article:
Each week, I pick the top seven games in Southern California. I had a decent week last week going 5-2. Here’s a look at the top games this week and who I think will come out victorious. Vista Murrieta vs.…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingEach week, I pick the top seven games in Southern California.
I had a decent week last week going 5-2.
Here’s a look at the top games this week and who I think will come out victorious.
Vista Murrieta vs. Chaparral
Vista Murrieta opened Big West League play with a convincing win over Norco. Sophomore quarterback Bryson Beaver Bryson Beaver 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Vista Murrieta | 2026 State CA has been excellent this season and had 259 yards with five touchdowns last week. Brody Guinn has been the top receiver for the Broncos and the defense is led by Ryan Vergara. Chaparral is a strong team that ran into a brick wall known as Centennial last week. Dash Beierly Dash Beierly 6'1" | 215 lbs | QB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA has been good at quarterback despite his touchdown numbers being down. Jayce Venable Jayce Venable 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Chaparral | 2025 CA averaged 116 yards on the ground per game prior to the Centennial game. Blake Lowe Blake Lowe 6'3" | 200 lbs | DB Chaparral | 2024 State CA and Justin Selway lead the defense along with Shane Klingelberg Shane Klingelberg 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Chaparral | 2025 State CA who has been getting into the backfield a ton.
The pick: Chaparral
Agoura vs. Newbury Park
These are two of the most prolific passing offense in the Southern Section. Newbury Park has superstar sophomore quarterback Brady Smigiel Brady Smigiel 6'4" | 175 lbs | QB Newbury Park | 2025 CA who averages 359 yards per game with 32 touchdowns in just six games. He has some reliable targets in Shane Rosenthal Shane Rosenthal 5'11" | 175 lbs | WR Newbury Park | 2025 State CA , Landon Bell Landon Bell 6'3" | 190 lbs | ATH Newbury Park | 2024 State CA and Beau Smigiel Beau Smigiel 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Newbury Park | 2026 State CA . Balen Betancourt and Talon Gold lead the defense. Agoura is undefeated with quarterback Harrison Novak who has completed 80 percent of his passes for 288 yards per game with 15 touchdowns and just one interception. Miles Hull and Brady Dieffenbach Brady Dieffenbach 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Agoura | 2025 CA lead the team in receiving. I expect a high-scoring game that takes over three hours.
The pick: Agoura
San Clemente vs. Ayala
Ayala has carried on just fine for a program that lost an elite quarterback due to transfer. Marquis Monroe Marquis Monroe 5'10" | 160 lbs | RB Ayala | 2024 State CA is one of the top playmakers in the area and Drew Amico is capable of a big game at receiver. San Clemente is coming off a bye and a close loss to Murrieta Valley. The Tritons have breakout senior running back Aiden Rubin Aiden Rubin 5'9" | RB San Clemente | 2024 CA . Dylan Mills Dylan Mills 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB San Clemente | 2024 State CA manages the offense well and makes minimal mistakes at quarterback. Broderick Redden Broderick Redden 6'5" | 225 lbs | TE San Clemente | 2024 State CA can be a matchup problem at tight end and the Tritons have athletes at receiver with Drew Shanley Drew Shanley 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR San Clemente | 2024 State CA , Max Kotiranta Max Kotiranta 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH San Clemente | 2025 State CA and Holden Stakston. The defense is stout with Matai’i Tagoa and Lee Fuimaono Lee Fuimaono 6'1" | 215 lbs | ATH San Clemente | 2025 State CA . I expect San Clemente to bounce back in this one before the big showdown with Mission Viejo for the South Coast League title next week.
The pick: San Clemente
Etiwanda vs. Rancho Cucamonga
Etiwanda suffered an upset loss to Chino Hills last week. Dermaricus Davis Dermaricus Davis 6'5" | 190 lbs | QB Etiwanda | 2024 State CA still managed to throw for 307 yards in the loss and Myles Tarkington Myles Tarkington 6'3" | 175 lbs | WR Etiwanda | 2025 State CA had nearly 100 yards receiving. Rancho Cucamonga is undefeated and coming off a bye week following a strong win over Vista Murrieta. Emiliano Villareal took all the reps at quarterback for Rancho Cucamonga in the win. It will be interesting to see if he starts again or if they work in Tyler Dudden Tyler Dudden 6'4" | 200 lbs | QB Rancho Cucamonga | 2024 State CA and Jacob Chambers Jacob Chambers 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Etiwanda | 2026 State CA after the bye week. Stacy Bey Stacy Bey 6'0" | 215 lbs | ATH Rancho Cucamonga | 2024 State CA is the best playmaker on the field in this game and Jonah Dawson Jonah Dawson 5'10" | 170 lbs | WR Rancho Cucamonga | 2024 State CA is an elite receiver. Do not sleep on Rancho Cucamonga slowing the game down and using running back Trey Wilson who averages 126 yards per game with seven touchdowns.
The pick: Rancho Cucamonga
Trabuco Hills vs. Tesoro
Tesoro lost on the last play of the game last week to rival San Juan Hills. The Titans are two plays away from being 5-1 and sitting pretty. Cash O’Byrne Cash O’Byrne 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Tesoro | 2025 CA had his career-best passing game last week and the coaching staff may have unlocked something with him. Travis Wood Travis Wood 5'10" | 215 lbs | RB Tesoro | 2024 State CA is a workhorse at running back and it was impressive how Tesoro’s defense slowed down the passing game against San Juan Hills. Trabuco Hills wants to slow the game down with running back Taylor Bowie Taylor Bowie 5'11" | 200 lbs | RB Trabuco Hills | 2024 CA , but they can make big plays in the passing game with Ryan Luce. I expect a slow-paced, lower-scoring game.
The pick: Tesoro
El Camino vs. La Costa Canyon
El Camino was rolling before suffering a setback last week against Torrey Pines. Carson Howard has been one of the top passers in San Diego this season with 226 yards per game with 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Jake Williams Jake Williams 6'4" | 275 lbs | DL Chaparral | 2024 State CA has been a good defender all season for El Camino and Qayden Coleman has three interceptions. La Costa Canyon dominated Poway last season. Andrew Maes and Coby Herman had a huge night running the ball against Poway. La Costa Canyon is more battle-tested and can effect the game by causing turnovers on defense.
The pick: La Costa Canyon
Orange Lutheran vs. Santa Margarita
Santa Margarita got punched in the mouth by St. John Bosco last week and only had 131 yards of offense. John Gazzaniga John Gazzaniga 6'6" | 230 lbs | QB Santa Margarita | 2025 State CA was under pressure all game and was sacked a ton. Trent Mosley Trent Mosley 5'10" | 165 lbs | WR Santa Margarita | 2026 State CA only had a few touches and failed to score. The positives were the route running of Sean Embree Sean Embree 6'4" | 170 lbs | WR Santa Margarita | 2025 State CA and the Eagles’ secondary looking decent. Orange Lutheran fell in a competitive game against JSerra last week. TJ Lateef TJ Lateef 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Orange Lutheran | 2025 State CA returned from injury and had a rushing and passing touchdown for Orange Lutheran. Penalties killed the Lancers and so did a late pick-six in an otherwise competitive game. Orange Lutheran struggled to stop quarterback runs by JSerra. Santa Margarita doesn’t have a lot of designed runs for Gazzaniga. Santa Margarita struggled to stop the run so expect to see a lot of Steve Chavez Steve Chavez 6'0" | 210 lbs | RB Orange Lutheran | 2025 State CA .
The pick: Orange Lutheran
Huntley’s Season Record: 37-12