Huntley’s Week 8 Picks
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Each week, I pick the top seven games in Southern California. I had a mediocre week last week going 4-3. Here’s a look at the top games this week and who I think will come out victorious. CAPISTRANO VALLEY VS.…
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Continue ReadingEach week, I pick the top seven games in Southern California.
I had a mediocre week last week going 4-3.
Here’s a look at the top games this week and who I think will come out victorious.
CAPISTRANO VALLEY VS. TESORO
Capistrano Valley is 7-0 for the first time since 2017. The Cougars rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Aliso Niguel last week on the back of quarterback Tommy Acosta Tommy Acosta 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Capistrano Valley | 2025 State CA , who ran for over 200 yards. Jackson Sievers Jackson Sievers 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Capistrano Valley | 2024 State CA and Reily Walker lead the defense but you can move the ball on the Capo defense if you execute. Cash O’Byrne Cash O’Byrne 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Tesoro | 2025 CA has been hot at quarterback for the Titans and Travis Wood Travis Wood 5'10" | 215 lbs | RB Tesoro | 2024 State CA is a workhorse at running back. Dalton Hurd is a tackling machine in the running game. O’Byrne had his best game of the season last season when the Titans beat Capo Valley. Capo Valley can win if they contain Wood and Acosta has another big game with his legs. Tesoro can win if O’Byrne stays sharp and they prevent the big plays from Acosta.
The pick: Tesoro
CHAMINADE VS. NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame hasn’t won a Mission League game yet but suffered losses to the two best teams and played Serra fairly close last week. Simi Valley transfer Steele Pizzella Steele Pizzella 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Notre Dame | 2025 State CA threw for 256 yards with three touchdowns last week and his been very effective this season. Chaminade is better than expected considering the marquee players that transferred out of there. Seth Shigg Seth Shigg 5'10" | 180 lbs | QB Chaminade | 2025 State CA is one of the better dual threat quarterbacks in the area. He had 129 yards with three touchdown passes on just four completions and also had two touchdowns on the ground. Chase Miles is a sophomore pass rusher for Chaminade that I am high on.
The pick: Notre Dame
SANTA MARGARITA VS. JSERRA
Santa Margarita built a lead but lost to Orange Lutheran in a crucial game last week. The offense has been better since the arrival of John Gazzaniga John Gazzaniga 6'6" | 230 lbs | QB Santa Margarita | 2025 State CA at quarterback, but Bosco and Orange Lutheran were able to contain star sophomore Trent Mosley Trent Mosley 5'10" | 165 lbs | WR Santa Margarita | 2026 State CA . Sean Embree Sean Embree 6'4" | 170 lbs | WR Santa Margarita | 2025 State CA and Kyle Brody Kyle Brody 6'5" | 230 lbs | TE Santa Margarita Catholic | 2024 State CA have stepped up a bit the past two weeks and Skylar Lendsey Skylar Lendsey 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Santa Margarita | 2026 State CA can be a hard-nosed runner. JSerra lost badly to Mater Dei last week but beat Orange Lutheran the week before. Michael Tollefson Michael Tollefson 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Tustin | 2025 State CA is a dual threat quarterback who is more dangerous with his legs. Kamar Garbourel and Gabriel Rivas are the two running backs with George Perez George Perez 5'8" | 160 lbs | RB Jserra | 2025 State CA being out due to injury. JSerra has three very good defensive players in Jared Referente, Madden Faraimo Madden Faraimo 6'3" | 210 lbs | LB JSerra | 2025 State CA and Luke Webb Luke Webb 6'2" | 225 lbs | DL JSerra | 2025 State WA . The Lions knocked Santa Margarita out of the playoffs last season with its defense and the running game. This is another Trinity League game that should be a one-score game.
The pick: JSerra
CARLSBAD VS. TORREY PINES
Carlsbad dominated Poway last week without quarterback Julian Sayin Julian Sayin 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Carlsbad | 2024 State CA . Sophomore Eli Macneal Eli Macneal 6'0" | 165 lbs | QB Carlsbad | 2026 CA filled in nicely completing 13 of 15 passes for 196 yards with four touchdowns. Jalen St. Paul had a huge game at receiver. Carlsbad had five sacks with Jude McCellan leading the way with two. Torrey Pines upset Mission Hills 10-6 last week. Joey Levenberg led the Falcons in tackles with 9 and Kade WIlken led the team in sacks. Dawson Washington returned an interception 49 yards and Brett Barry Brett Barry 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Torrey Pines | 2024 State CA scooped up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Torrey Pines has a chance to win if Sayin doesn’t play, but I think Carlsbad’s defense is too good for Torrey Pines to score upon.
The pick: Carlsbad
SAN CLEMENTE VS. MISSION VIEJO
This could be the last year of this storied rivalry. Aiden Rubin Aiden Rubin 5'9" | RB San Clemente | 2024 CA has been the breakout running back in Orange County and broke the school record for single-game rushing yards last week against Ayala. Dylan Mills Dylan Mills 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB San Clemente | 2024 State CA has been serviceable at quarterback and needs to take care of the football in this game. Luke Fahey Luke Fahey 5'10" | 180 lbs | QB Mission Viejo | 2026 State CA has been good as a sophomore quarterback for the Diablos as well as junior Draiden Trudeau Draiden Trudeau 6'5" | 185 lbs | QB Mission Viejo | 2025 State CA . Vance Spafford Vance Spafford 5'11" | 175 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2026 State CA has emerged as the leading sophomore receiver for Mission Viejo and keep an eye on Markus Kier Markus Kier 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2026 State CA . Defensively, Jaden Williams Jaden Williams 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Mission Viejo | 2025 State CA has been one of the better edge guys in the county and Jack Matranga Jack Matranga 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA can clean up tackles in the running game. The secondary has been banged up, but I expect Dijon Lee Dijon Lee 6'3" | 180 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2025 State CA , Travis Anderson Travis Anderson 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA and Trey Tolmaire Trey Tolmaire 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA to all play this week. That trio should be able to contain San Clemente’s receiving corps. This game was a blowout last year, but San Clemente is better than last year. The Tritons need to slow the game down and take care of the ball to win this game. If Mission Viejo jumps to a lead early, the game could be over in the first half.
The pick: Mission Viejo
WARREN VS. DOWNEY
Madden Iamaleava Madden Iamaleava 6'3" | 205 lbs | QB Warren | 2025 State CA was perfect last week for Warren completing 11 of 11 passes for 275 yards with five touchdowns. Jordan Ross Jordan Ross 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Warren | 2024 State CA is an elite receiver and his brother Jalen Ross Jalen Ross 5'9" | 160 lbs | WR Warren | 2026 State CA isn’t too far behind. Downey has a nice quarterback of its own in Oscar Rios Oscar Rios 6'3" | 175 lbs | QB Downey | 2026 State CA , who threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns last week in a win over Dominguez. Downey has some impressive young players on defense like Aidan Gomez and Oscar Aguilar Oscar Aguilar 6'3" | 200 lbs | ATH Downey | 2026 State CA . This rivalry game has even higher stakes this year because the game is the first high school football game ever being played at SoFi Stadium.
The pick: Warren
MATER DEI VS. ST. JOHN BOSCO
These are two of the top 10 teams in the nation.
Mater Dei has a 90-4 record since 2016 and all four losses came to St. John Bosco, including the 2022 CIF-SS Division 1 championship game. St. John Bosco is 84-12 since 2016, eight of those losses have come to Mater Dei. Mater Dei has the advantage at more positions than St. John Bosco does, particularly at quarterback, but both defenses are elite and tough to move the ball against. For an in-depth preview of this game, click here to read.
The pick: Mater Dei
Huntley’s Season Record: 41-15