The Union-Tribune’s John Maffei picks 10 of this week’s biggest high school football games. All games at 7 p.m., unless noted:
All games at 7 p.m., unless noted
Thursday’s games
Palomar League
Valley Center (3-6, 2-1) at Ramona (5-4, 3-0)
Preview: It has been an up-and-down season for Valley Center. The Jaguars have scored 211 points, but given up 336, including 61 to Imperial and 62 to Del Norte. And VC was forced to forfeit a game against Carlsbad because it had too many players injured to field a team. Braylon Mitchell has thrown for 1,966 yards and 21 touchdowns. Jesse Morales has 56 catches for 897 yards and 11 TDs. The Jaguars have rushed for just 726 yards, averaging 3.8 yards a carry. … Ramona can win the league title with a victory. Ryan Shaw has thrown for 1,346 yards and 15 TDs. Versatile Noah Bedia has 189 rushing yards and 257 receiving yards and 12 tackles on defense. Tim Paredes has 543 rushing yards and 117 receiving yards. Tight end/defensive end Wyatt Mallinson doesn’t leave the field.
Prediction: Ramona 34, Valley Center 21
Avocado East League
Rancho Bernardo (7-2, 2-1) at Poway (4-5, 2-1)
When: 7:15 p.m.
Preview: Rancho Bernardo turned the ball over six times last week and was beaten 56-0 by now No. 1-ranked Mission Hills. Quarterback Gaige Weddle leads the Broncos with 2,235 yards of total offense and 20 TDs. Plus, he has 79 tackles. Hugo and Cristiaan Gonzalez are his top receivers. Linebacker Gavin Valencia leads the defense with 115 tackles. Lucas Winkler had 4 1/2 sacks. … Poway is led by Noah Schuback, who has thrown for 1,418 yards. Luke Jorgensen has rushed for 1,262 yards and 15 TDs. James Clifford has 28 catches for 606 yards and 10 TDs. … RB is ranked No. 64 in the state, while Poway is 75th.
Prediction: Poway 31, Rancho Bernardo 28
Avocado West League
Torrey Pines (4-5, 0-3) at No. 3 La Costa Canyon (8-1, 2-1)
When: 7:15 p.m.Preview: Torrey Pines is jockeying for position in the playoffs while trying to beat its archrival. Blake Miller, who has thrown has for 1,136 yards, makes the offense go. Linebacker Don Principi leads the defense with 43 tackles. … LCC’s only loss was 35-34 to No. 1-ranked Mission Hills on a failed 2-point PAT attempt with under a minute to play. Quinn Roth has thrown for 1,875 yards and 26 TDs with only three interceptions. Coby Herman has 1,742 yards of total offense and 21 TDs. Jackson Maggiore and Lennox Marcucci give Roth two legit targets. Ryan Scully leads the defense with 66 tackles, while Ford Mitchell has four interceptions. … LCC is ranked No. 15 in the state, while Torrey Pines is 77th.
Prediction: La Costa Canyon 38, Torrey Pines 21
Grossmont Hills League
No. 6 Granite Hills (6-3, 3-0) at Steele Canyon (7-2, 1-2)
Preview: Granite Hills’ Zac Benitez has thrown for 2,772 yards and 26 TDs. He has a gaggle of receivers that includes Noah Walker, DJ Wilkins, Tristan Diaz and Zhedan Smith. Davion Williams has 429 of the team’s 988 rushing yards for the season. Parker Johnson, an in-season transfer, is a dangerous return man. … Steele Canyon has lost two in a row after a 7-0 start. Gavin Caha has thrown for 1,631 yards and 19 TDs. He has six WRs with more than 150 yards, led by Josiah Stocker. The Cougars have rushed for just 903 yards. … Granite Hills is ranked No. 26 in the state.
Prediction: Granite Hills 37, Steele Canyon 24
Friday’s games
Eastern League
St. Augustine (4-5, 3-1) at No. 7 Point Loma (9-0, 4-0)
Preview: St. Augustine has won two in a row and can grab a share of the league championship by beating Point Loma. Pai Polamalu makes the offense go with 177 carries for 1,093 yards and 13 TDs. Plus, he has 81 tackles and four interceptions. Linebacker Parker McNamara has 56 tackles and four sacks. … Point Loma has given up just 87 points and is shooting for a league title. The Pointers have 18 sacks and have intercepted 16 passes, led by Owen Ice’s seven picks. Braeden Bartocci has 11 sacks. Matteo Correia has 70 tackles. Point Loma uses two QBs: Ryder Watson has thrown for 1,080 yards and 18 TDs, while Henry Heuser has thrown for 1,049 yards and 13 TDs. Romeo Carter has 53 catches for 901 yards with 16 TDs.
Prediction: Point Loma 28, St. Augustine 20
Metro South Bay League
Olympian (8-1, 2-0) at Hilltop (6-3, 2-0)
When: 6:30 p.m.
Preview: Fueled by Jayden Fuentes, who has 2,062 passing yards and 24 TDs, Olympian has won three in a row and needs one more victory to claim the league championship. Jorgani Estrada has caught 30 passes for 508 yards and has four interceptions as a defender. Patricio Flatts has 19 catches for 364 yards. The defense has allowed just 118 points all season. Defensive end Josiah Rivera has 100 tackles and eight sacks. … Hilltop has won four in a row and has a chance to win a league title. The Lancers rely on their ground attack, led by Leo Mendoza’s 151 carries for 1,066 yards and 10 TDs. Damian Moreno keys a defense that has 24 sacks.
Prediction: Olympian 28, Hilltop 14
Imperial Valley League
Holtville (8-1, 3-1) at Imperial (9-0, 3-0)
Preview: The biggest game in the desert this season will decide a league championship. Holtville, which is 19-3 the last two seasons, has won seven in a row since a 37-24 loss to Mission Bay. The Vikings are led by Alonso Cuevas, who has thrown for 1,006 yards and 11 TDs. Alan Carrillo (26 catches for 599 yards) is Cuevas’ favorite target. Enrique Armas has 198 carries for 2,229 yards and 27 TDs. The defense, anchored by Axel Gomez, Tyson Abdullah, Santiago Cerezo and Andre Gonzales, has 15 sacks and 13 interceptions. … Imperial is trying to finish the season unbeaten for the first time in school history. The Tigers went 11-1 in 2013 before losing to St. Augustine in the playoffs, and 11-1 in 1997 before losing to Marian Catholic(now Mater Dei Catholic) in the playoffs. Imperial is led by Sanitago Urena, who threw six TD passes earlier this season in a win over Valley Center. … Holtville, which has outscored its opponents 394-146, is ranked No. 150 in the state. Imperial, which has outscored its opponents 349-136, is ranked No. 140.
Prediction: Holtville 28, Imperial 27
Central League
Canyon Hills (6-3, 3-0) at Morse (5-4, 2-1)
Preview: Canyon Hills has a shot at its first league championship since 2019. Ma’Kahi Fields-Cook is the offensive leader with 1,500 rushing yards and 11 TDs. Josiah Singh has thrown for 847 yards and 11 TDs. Taylor Sheriff has 39 catches for 591 yards. Daniel Westhafer is the defensive leader with 73 tackles. … Superior Garror leads Morse with 1,909 total yards and 20 TDs. Ethan Esmailian has thrown for 855 yards. Ivan Scarville leads the defense with 88 tackles and two sacks.
Prediction: Canyon Hills 24, Morse 21
Sunset League
Maranatha Christian (8-0, 5-0) vs. Rock Academy (4-5, 2-3)
Where: Mission Bay High School
Preview: Maranatha Christian won eight in a row and is outscoring its opponents 343-93. Shane Piester has thrown for 708 yards and 11 TDs with no interceptions. Aaron Tasin has 643 total yards and eight TDs. Sawyer Brant and Hudson Heinrichs are the top receivers. Nathan Niguidula has 49 tackles and five sacks. … The Rock is led by Alec Endicott, who has thrown for 1,350 yards and 15 TDs. Zayden Campbell had 151 carries for 1,233 yards and 13 TDs. Quentin Uhland has 31 catches for 716 yards and eight TDs.
Prediction: Maranatha Christian 45, Rock Academy 28
Avocado West League
No. 1 Mission Hills (8-1, 2-1) at No. 8 San Marcos (6-3, 1-2)
When: 7:15 p.m.
Preview: Mission Hills will be trying to grab a share of the league championship. In addition to star quarterback Troy Huhn, Mission Hills has a top-flight running back in Patrick Fleming and pass-catchers in Myzael Quackenbush, Brayden Roberson, Josh Gonzalez and Perrin Blankenship. … San Marcos is led by Kreet Makihele, who has thrown for 1,576 yards and 19 TDs. Zamar Reese has 1,214 rushing yards. Zeke McIntyre is Makihele’s top target. Jett Zayer leads the defense with 113 tackles, while Ty Sagaser has 63 tackles and six sacks. … Mission Hills is ranked No. 14 in the state, while San Marcos is 29th. Mission Hills leads the all-time series, 19-3.
Prediction: Mission Hills 35, San Marcos 21
Last week: 6-4
Season: 79-21