The teams are listed by their spot in this week’s Press-Telegram high school football Top 10 rankings.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Wilson (2-5) vs. No. 2 Long Beach Poly (3-4)
Where, when: Cabrillo High, Saturday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Wilson, the defending Moore League champions, are coming off a 35-8 win against Jordan last week. Bruins junior receiver/defensive back Kyle Harris has 681 return yards and 12 total touchdowns, including five special teams touchdowns. If Poly decides to kick and punt the ball away from him, Wilson will need to find innovative ways to get Harris the ball to succeed.
Long Beach Poly is coming off an even more impressive 55-0 win against Lakewood. Jackrabbits sophomore quarterback Trevor Scott, a three-star recruit, threw five touchdown passes in his season debut after sitting out the first six games after transferring from Mater Dei. Scott’s ability to throw downfield to receivers like Jayden Coley, Zion Anderson, and Miami commit Donte Wright Jr. has unlocked Poly’s potential.
Wilson won last year’s game 22-21 on a two-point conversion, but a healthy Poly team that includes the return of UCLA commit Julius Johnson, a five-star recruit, and can effectively run the ball with senior running back Jeron Johnson II, should have more than enough motivation to remain on track to win their first league title since 2023.
Winner: Long Beach Poly
Orange Lutheran (4-2) vs. No. 1 St. John Bosco (5-1)
Where, when: St. John Bosco High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Orange Lutheran is coming off a 56-21 victory over Servite in a Trinity League opener. Lancers senior quarterback Reagan Toki completed 14 of 18 passes for 256 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Toki is the same quarterback who led them to a 20-19 win against St. John Bosco in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs last season. Lancers sophomore running back Ryan Christianson scored four of his nine rushing touchdowns last week. St. John Bosco is coming off a 40-14 win over JSerra. Braves senior running back Maliq Allen scored four of his 13 touchdowns last week. The team that better controls the line of scrimmage by establishing its run game and stopping its opponent from doing the same should win. With the addition of four-star junior offensive lineman Elisha Mueller, who transferred from Servite, St. John Bosco should win the trenches.
Winner: St. John Bosco
St. John Bosco running back Maliq Allen (5) runs for a touchdown against JSerra Catholic Lions in the first half of a prep football game at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower on Friday, October 2, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
No. 3 Downey (3-3) vs. No. 5 Warren (4-2)
Where, when: Warren High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Downey is coming off a 42-12 victory over Mayfair in a Gateway League opener. Sophomore quarterback Chase Watkins completed all 11 of his passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Warren only trailed 6-3 at halftime against La Serna last week before giving up 21 points in the second half in a 27-3 loss. Bears senior quarterback Jordan Malikin will look to bounce back as the Vikings have won the last two rivalry games. Downey’s top playmakers are senior receiver Damani Porras and junior linebacker Matthew Dalhover. If those two players have big games, they will make it three in a row for the Vikings over the Bears.
Winner: Downey
San Clemente (6-0) vs. No. 6 Los Alamitos (0-6)
Where, when: Los Alamitos High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: San Clemente is coming off a 28-0 win over Yorba Linda in an Alpha League opener. Tritons junior quarterback Preston Beck completed 14 of 20 passes for 236 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Los Alamitos is coming off a 61-10 loss to San Juan Hills. The Griffins have played hard all season, but San Clemente’s ability to execute its game plan could lead to another lopsided loss.
Winner: San Clemente
No. 7 La Mirada (5-1) vs. La Serna (5-1)
Where, when: La Serna High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: La Mirada took care of business with a 49-14 win over Cerritos in a Gateway League opener. The Matadores, led by senior quarterback Isaac Cuevas, led 35-0 at halftime, but they shouldn’t expect the same results this week. La Serna is coming off a 27-3 road win over Warren, in which senior quarterback Grady Long accounted for three total touchdowns. Both teams enter with the same record, but La Serna’s tougher nonleague schedule and early league win over Warren should give them the edge.
Winner: La Serna
Santa Fe (2-4) vs. No. 8 Paramount (5-1)
Where, when: Paramount High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Paramount is coming off a 42-15 victory over Gahr in a Mid-Cities League opener. Santa Fe is coming off a hard-fought 40-33 loss to Bellflower in league play. The Pirates’ offense has averaged 51.3 points over their last three games. Paramount’s offense should score early and often and remain undefeated in Mid-Cities League play before next week’s showdown against Bellflower High.
Winner: Paramount
No. 9 Bellflower (4-2) vs. California (3-3)
Where, when: California High, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Bellflower is coming off a 40-33 road win against Santa Fe in a Mid-Cities League opener. Freshman receiver Keondre Smith is averaging 157.2 receiving yards per game. Senior quarterback E’Lacion Saxton has thrown 18 touchdown passes. California High employs a two-quarterback system with sophomores Isaac Reynoso and Jake Welsh II. The Condors are a run-first team but if Bellflower can make them one-dimensional and continues to involve four-star receiver Austin Miller in his second game of the season, the Buccaneers should remain undefeated in league play.
Winner: Bellflower
No. 10 Compton (6-1) vs. Compton Early College (2-5)
Where, when: Compton College, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Compton is coming into this game confident after a 30-6 victory over Dominguez in a Hub City League opener. Compton Early College is coming off a 51-0 loss against Compton Centennial last week. The Tarbabes ran for 284 yards and three touchdowns last week. If Compton runs the ball effectively, they should cruise to the program’s second Hub City League win.
Winner: Compton
Compton’s Donnie Johnson III gets off a pass During Friday’s non league game against Wilson at Compton High School on Friday, September 25, 2026.
Millikan (0-6) vs. Lakewood (2-5)
Where, when: Lakewood High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: Millikan is coming off a 42-7 nonleague loss against Palos Verdes. Lakewood lost its Moore League opener 55-0 to Long Beach Poly. However, that doesn’t matter when the Hamilton Trophy is on the line between two schools separated by less than three miles. Lakewood won last season’s game 3-0 but Millikan won 69-28 in 2024. This year’s game should fall somewhere in between, scoring-wise, especially since Millikan must win to stay in the Moore League title race. The Rams are winless but have gained needed experience against a tougher nonleague schedule.
Winner: Millikan