san juan hills

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after the final week of the regular season:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking

1. SANTA MARGARITA (10-0) def. Orange Lutheran, 43-21; vs. San Clemente, Nov. 13; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (10-0) def. Bishop Amat, 56-7; vs. Mission Viejo, Nov. 13; 2

3. MATER DEI (8-2) def. St. John Bosco, 36-35; vs. Corona Centennial at Santa Ana Stadium, Nov. 13; 5

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (7-3) def. Murrieta Mesa, 62-0; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Nov. 13; 4

5. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-3) lost to Mater Dei, 36-35; vs. Orange Lutheran, Nov. 13; 3

6. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-5) lost to Santa Margarita, 43-21; at St. John Bosco, Nov. 13; 7

7. MISSION VIEJO (8-1) def. San Juan Hills, 54-44; at Sierra Canyon, Nov. 13; 6

8. CHAPARRAL (6-4) def. Vista Murrieta, 49-14; vs. Orange, Friday; 18

9. SAN CLEMENTE (8-1) def. Huntington Beach Edison, 21-14; at Santa Margarita, Nov. 13; 10

10. BISHOP AMAT (8-2) lost to Sierra Canyon, 56-7; vs. Oxnard Pacifica, Friday; 8

11. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-2) lost to Mission Viejo, 54-44; vs. Tustin, Friday; 9

12. CREAN LUTHERAN (8-2) def. Villa Park, 49-21; vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Friday; 12

13. LA SERNA (9-1) def. Downey, 20-14; vs. Valencia, Friday; 13

14. INGLEWOOD (9-1) did not play; vs. Huntington Beach, Friday 14

15. SERVITE (4-6) def. JSerra, 38-35; no playoffs; 15

16. PALOS VERDES (9-1) def. Leuzinger, 45-0; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 16

17. CARSON (9-1) def. Mary Star of the Sea, 45-42; vs. Palisades, Nov. 13; 17

18. JSERRA (4-6) lost to Servite, 38-35; no playoffs; 11

19. CORONA DEL MAR (8-2) def. La Habra, 29-17; vs. Chaminade, Friday; 19

20. CHAMINADE (7-3) def. Loyola, 31-28; at Corona del Mar, Friday; 21

21. GARDENA SERRA (5-5) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 20-13; at Palos Verdes, Friday; 25

22. HUNTINGTON BEACH (10-0) def. Laguna Beach, 35-15; at Inglewood, Friday; 23

23. ORANGE (10-0) def. El Toro, 57-31; at Chaparral, Friday; 24

24. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-3) lost to Gardena Serra, 20-13; at Capistrano Valley, Friday; 20

25. TUSTIN (6-4) def. Capistrano Valley, 21-7; at San Juan Hills, Friday; NR

Scoring 44 points in a league championship decider is usually enough to secure victory — but not against Mission Viejo.

The Diablos beat San Juan Hills 54-44 in an epic Orange County shootout to secure its third consecutive Alpha League crown, buoyed by a bevy of explosive plays.

It started in the first quarter as senior running back Carson Vandermade, who returned after missing the last two games, scored two touchdowns. He finished the game with 121 yards, including a big 52-yard run down the sideline, and three touchdowns but did not return for the fourth quarter.

His counterpart, senior Jack Junker, gained 132 yards, including a 28-yarder, and two touchdowns as the Diablos’ rushing attack dominated. Every time Vandermade and Junker took handoffs, there was a gift waiting. The offensive line — which has four players either committed to or with offers to Division I colleges — opened up huge running lanes.

Junior center Max Davidson attributed the group’s success to a deep camaraderie and hard work.

“It comes down to all the time that we put in together,” he said. “It comes down to the chemistry that we have between the five of us up front. We work together really well and that shows in all our games.”

Mission Viejo High center Max Davidson is all smiles after the Diablos won the Alpha League title with a 54-44 victory over San Juan Hills on Friday night.

(Caleb Otte / For The Times)

Sophomore quarterback Brett Burnor also got in on the rushing action, with 30 yards and two touchdowns. He had a solid night through the air, connecting on nine of his 12 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Burnor had four passes that went for more than 30 yards and connected most often with senior wide receiver Luke Karby, a Duke commit who had 122 yards on five receptions and made multiple contested catches. Karby also threw a two-point conversion to Burnor, in a quick role reversal, in the second quarter.

Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said before kickoff that the game would be decided by explosive plays, and he wanted to limit the opponent’s electric moments.

“Every game, San Juan Hills has six to 10 explosive plays on offense that are 40- to 60-yard chunk plays,” he said.

The Diablos allowed San Juan Hills to stay within fighting distance via those big gains that Johnson warned against. While the home team never trailed, San Juan Hills cut the score to 47-44 midway through the fourth quarter after an improbable onside kick recovery. Senior kicker Trevor Koko continued an impressive season with a looping ball that Mission Viejo wasn’t able to field, breathing life into a potential comeback. A quick touchdown drive ensued that made the final minutes extra nervy for the Diablos.

Ultimately, the rushing attack killed the clock and clinched the win by grabbing one more touchdown on an 11-yarder by Junker with 40 seconds to play.

San Juan Hills backup quarterback Parker Armstrong was given the reins to let the ball loose by coach Robert Frith. He completed 27 of 37 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. His longest of the night came on a quick dump down to senior wide receiver commit Luke Frith, a Texas State commit who took it 80 yards for a touchdown. Another long score came on a slant route to senior wide receiver Cooper Chila who broke multiple tackles to take it 57-yards to the house.

Those plays summed up much of the game for the Stallions. Athletic players making big plays, and never giving up on the game. San Juan Hills lost, but it never gave up.

Frith’s constant messaging to the players clearly got through.

The Stallions’ coach said he always tells the team: “When that ball snaps, it is seven seconds of everything you’ve got.”

The game was a high octane battle, but there will be a lot to parse through in the film room, especially for Mission Viejo. In the midst of the barnstorming action, the victors had three bad snaps on extra points and 18 penalties, including six personal foul calls.

Johnson lamented what he called poor officiating after the game but also told his team that the errors needed to be cleaned up by next week’s playoff opener. Mission Viejo likely qualified for the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs with this the win, and will learn of its opponent on Sunday. San Juan Hills will finish the regular season with two losses and wait to see if it makes the Division 2 playoffs.

A look at four of this week’s top football games in the Southland:

FRIDAY

Garfield (8-1) vs. Roosevelt (1-8) at East L.A. College, 7:30 p.m.

It’s rivalry week highlighted by the East L.A. Classic that annually draws the most fans for a regular-season game in Los Angeles. Garfield is heavily favored, led by running back Ceasar Reyes, who has gone past 2,000 yards rushing this season. Roosevelt was shut out last week by Bell, so the Rough Riders will need to improve fast. The pick: Garfield.

St. John Bosco (6-2) vs. Mater Dei (6-2) at Santa Ana Stadium, 7 p.m.

Second place in the Trinity League is on the line, along with a top-four seeding in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. Both teams have rising running backs, with Maliq Allen for St. John Bosco and Asir Nembhard for Mater Dei. Let’s see which team can deny the big play. The pick: St. John Bosco.

San Juan Hills (8-1) at Mission Viejo (7-1), 7 p.m.

This is the Alpha League championship game. Mission Viejo’s powerful offensive line allows the Diablos the option to pass or run. San Juan Hills’ defense got a shutout over San Clemente last week. The pick: Mission Viejo.

Bishop Amat (8-1) at Sierra Canyon (9-0), 7 p.m.

Bishop Amat has already taken a big leap in the second season for coach Kory Minor. But beating Sierra Canyon on its home field will be tough. Sierra Canyon’s ability to run the ball with Jaxsen Stokes is key. The pick: Sierra Canyon.

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 9:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking

1. SANTA MARGARITA (9-0) def. JSerra, 36-12; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (9-0) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 63-6; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday; 2

3. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-2) def. Servite, 54-7; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 3

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (6-3) def. Chaparral, 41-27; at Murrieta Mesa, Thursday; 4

5. MATER DEI (7–2) def. Orange Lutheran, 52-38; vs. St. John Bosco, Friday; 5

6. MISSION VIEJO (7-1) def. Los Alamitos, 58-7; vs. San Juan Hills, Friday; 6

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-4) lost to Mater Dei, 52-38; vs. Santa Margarita, Friday; 7

8. BISHOP AMAT (8-1) def. Loyola, 7-0; at Sierra Canyon, Friday; 10

9. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-1) def. San Clemente, 16-0; at Mission Viejo, Friday; 24

10. SAN CLEMENTE (7-1) lost to San Juan Hills, 16-0; vs. Huntington Beach Edison, Friday; 8

11. JSERRA (4-5) lost to Santa Margarita, 36-12; vs. Servite, Friday; 9

12. CREAN LUTHERAN (6-2) def. Corona del Mar, 31-17; vs. Villa Park, Friday; 13

13. LA SERNA (8-1) def. Mayfair, 42-14; at Downey, Friday; 12

14. INGLEWOOD (9-1) def. Leuzinger, 41-0; Southern Section playoffs; 14

15. SERVITE (3-6) lost to St. John Bosco, 54-7; at JSerra, Friday; 11

16. PALOS VERDES (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 28-7; vs. Leuzinger, Friday; 15

17. CARSON (8-1) def. San Pedro, 35-0; vs. Mary Star of the Sea, Friday; 17

18. CHAPARRAL (5-4) lost to Corona Centennial 41-27; at Vista Murrieta, Friday; NR

19. CORONA DEL MAR (7-2) lost to Crean Lutheran, 31-17; at La Habra, Friday; 16

20. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-2) lost to Sierra Canyon, 63-6; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 18

21. CHAMINADE (6-3) def. Gardena Serra, 21-7; at Loyola, Friday; 19

22. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (8-1) def. Villa Park, 30-18; at Tustin, Thursday; 25

23. HUNTINGTON BEACH (9-0) def. Troy, 37-22; vs. Laguna Beach, Friday; 20

24. ORANGE (9-0) def. Irvine, 55-17; at El Toro, Friday; 23

25. GARDENA SERRA (4-5) lost to Chaminade, 21-7; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 22

The energy at The Badlands Stadium on Friday night was too much for Mother Earth to handle. She had to put a temporary stop to it.

Both sets of players for San Juan Hills High and San Clemente were fired up by a full crowd of rowdy fans, and it promised to be one of the best high school atmospheres of the season.

But then everybody was forced into the basketball gym after five minutes and seven seconds of play. For 90 minutes a lightning delay threatened to end the affair all together.

Nothing, however, could force these two teams and communities to give up on this night. After the Norte fire tore through 570 acres across south Orange County, destroying many homes in the process, everybody needed this. The matchup — which hadn’t been played since 2021 — meant so much to both the Stallions and Tritons.

“Between the white lines, for 48 minutes, I expect nothing less than war,” San Juan Hills head coach Robert Frith said before kickoff.

It was San Juan Hills (8-1) that ultimately came through with an 16-0 upset victory, which puts it on the brink of the Alpha League title before next week’s big matchup against Mission Viejo.

This was the Stallions’ first win against San Clemente (7-1) since 2015, and likely knocked the Tritons out of contention for the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. That felt pretty sweet for Arthur Tuverson, who gave a little smack talk to the San Clemente student section after the game, taunting them about the defense’s shutout.

It was the junior defensive back’s 52-yard touchdown interception that sealed the victory. As he ran it down the field, the noise in the stadium reached pre-delay levels.

“I knew they were in desperation mode and needed to pass the ball,” Tuverson said after the win. “I made the play. I was waiting for it.”

Both teams played with backup quarterbacks as Preston Beck for San Clemente and Eiler King for San Juan Hills were out because of injuries.

The Stallions turned to senior Parker Armstrong, who started two years at Scripps Ranch High in San Diego. He finished the night completing 17 for 19 passes for 172 yards, doing enough to manage a low scoring contest and help his team not turn the ball over for the seventh game running.

The Tritons gave freshman Koston James his first taste of varsity action, but it was a tough game to come into as he finished 11-for-16 passing for 60 yards with two interceptions.

San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz knew that points would be at a premium in this matchup.

“We’re going to have to play good defense and not allow the big play,” Ortiz said pregame.

Frith called it a power of wills. San Clemente let gave up only 20 rushing yards, but San Juan Hills’ two interceptions and swarming defensive line swung the game.

Late in the third quarter, San Clemente attempted a flea flicker and San Juan Hills was on James the second he got the ball back. It was exemplary of the home team’s sustained energy during a long and tiring night.

San Clemente often ran two-way star Jaxson Rex out of the Wildcat formation, letting the Brigham Young commit’s athleticism take center stage. A lot was put on the talented senior’s shoulders to get the offense going. He finished with five catches for 42 yards and 32 rushing yards.

His counterpart, Texas State commit Luke Frith, finished with four catches for 48 yards.

Frith noted pregame that special teams would have a big role to play in the night. He was correct, as San Juan Hills senior kicker Trevor Koko knocked through two field goals in the first half, and then nailed a season-long 44-yarder to put the Stallions up 9-0 in the third quarter. San Clemente missed a field goal when down 3-0.

Penalties also hurt the Tritons as they committed 10 for 105 yards in the team’s first loss of the season after last week’s game against Mission Viejo was cancelled because of the Norte fire.

Before the game, first responders were honored and both coaches made sure to express their gratitude for the swift and effective work of those who protected the communities.

The coaches on both sidelines wore Orange County Fire Authority hats as a token of gratitude.

“[The hats] are a sign that it is sometimes bigger than football, and a lot of programs could take note of that,” Ortiz said.

A look at two of this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:

FRIDAY

San Pedro (6-1) at Carson (7-1), 7 p.m.

The intensity level on the field and in the stands will be something to see in this Marine League title-decider. It really comes down to the quarterback. Seth Solorio of San Pedro has 23 touchdown passes. Chris Fields III of Carson has passed for 16 touchdowns and run for 12 more . Stop Fields and everything changes. The pick: Carson.

San Clemene (7-0) at San Juan Hills (7-1), 7 p.m.

San Clemente is on the verge of a Southern Section Division 1 playoff berth but needs to win out. The Tritons’ defense will be tested by San Juan Hills receiver Luke Frith, who will have a new quarterback because of an injury. San Clemente QB Preston Beck is also hurting, with receivers Ryan Matheson and Jaxson Rex potential big-play weapons. The pick: San Clemente.