Football: Calhoun’s Final Thoughts on Week 9
November 7th, 2009, 1:10 pm · · posted by Damian Calhoun
I have been able to see some of the county’s top rivalries (Mater Dei-Servite; Edison-Fountain Valley; Mission Viejo-South Coast League; Dan Albano-Steve Fryer), but coming up this week, I finally get to cover La Habra-Fullerton.
La Habra was won the previous six, including playoff meetings. How will this one end?
Welcome to another edition of my final thoughts on the week.
One more for the road: The Sunset League as we currently know it will be disbanded next season, with the departure of Esperanza and the arrival of Huntington Beach. As a departing gift, it appears that we will be treated to one more night of coin flip madness.
Here is the scene:
Fountain Valley enters the final week in second place at 3-1. Los Alamitos and Newport Harbor are both 2-2. The Griffins face the Barons, while the Sailors have to play Marina. If Los Alamitos defeats Fountain Valley and Newport Harbor defeats Esperanza, then we will have three teams tied at 3-2.
Unlike last year, it appears that all three will make the playoffs. The at-large berth for the Pac-5 Division should come from the Sunset League. …or will it?
Keep an eye on the Serra League. Notre Dame (2-0) faces Bishop Amat (1-1) and Crespi (1-1) faces Loyola (0-2). Crespi should beat Loyola and the Celts defeated Bishop Amat Friday. That was Bishop Amat’s first loss of the season.
It is enough to give you a headache.
Mission Viejo No. 1 or No. 2: Does Mission Viejo deserve first place votes in next week’s county top 10 poll? I’m not saying I’m going to do it this week, but I have to admit, that I’m getting closer to voting the Diablos No. 1.
I have covered two of the Diablos last three games (against Tesoro and San Clemente) and the defense gets faster, the offensive line blocks better and I don’t think there is a team in the county with their speed. They have scored 185 points in their last three games. The first team defense doesn’t like you and wants to take the ball from away … I’m not saying, I’m going to switch my vote, but I’m thinking about it.
What do you guys think?
Servite turns in performance of the season: The Friars defeated Orange Lutheran 45-26 Friday night. In the game, the Friars didn’t commit any turnovers and only one penalty. Now, that’s a performance to remember.
Mater Dei’s playoff lives are on the line: The Monarchs defeated Santa Margarita Friday and now faces a winners take third showdown with St. John Bosco Friday night. What does a CIF playoff look like without Mater Dei?
Finally, things are not looking good in Leuzinger-Land
This week: Mira Costa 45, Leuzinger 6
Next week: vs. West Torrance in a winner takes third, loser goes onto the winter sports game. Both teams are 2-2 in the Bay League.
Playoff pairings announced Nov. 15: Next Sunday, the playoff pairings will be released at the CIF Office. If you’re not aware of how things work, all of the coaches will be down there wandering around the office and the streets waiting for their division pairings to be released. It is the highlight of my year.
Click on the links below to read the rest of the Week 9 wrap-up:
OCVarsity.com Offensive Stars of the Week
OCVarsity.com Defensive Stars of the Week
Week 9: Top 10 Rushing Performances
Week 9: Top 10 Passing Performances
Week 9: Top 10 Receiving Performances
Follow me at twitter.com/DamianCalhoun
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Los Al Plays Fountain Valley…Newport Harbor plays Esperanza…Edison plays Marina.
Are you kidding me? MV #1? Id like to see MV play the same schedule that Edison played. Servite and MD back to back? a league that has 3 other teams in the top 25 in state? I dont think so. MV would have dropped a game somewhere. Edison held middlebrooks to 83 yards and a team that averages 35 points a game to 0, let me repeat that 0. 107 total yards of offense. Or how about holding servite to 9 points? Remember that game? I think edison has cemented their #1 spot.
I said that three weeks ago. MV should be #1.
And Dana Hills gets the bump to #4.
FV didn’t even score against Edison. Dana Hills did much better against them.
That’s right! Way to keep it real! Don’t worry, the playoffs are just around the corner. We will find out how tough MV really is. It is likely that MV will have to play either Edison or Servite, or maybe a serra or moore league team like Notre Dame or Bishop Amat or something. Let’s see them score 70 points on one of those teams (Teams that actually have a defense). I think MV is good, very good, but if they want the #1 spot they best come and take it.
I don’t think that it is going to happen as Edison won’t make it to the Championship game. If you are hanging your hat on the FV game, then you are sadly mistaken. A very weak FV team by FV standards with Edison’s offense scoring only half the points they just won’t make it to the finale. Edison has not played a team as fast, as aggressive and as talented on both sides of the ball as Mission Viejo and with the way that Edison played FV last Friday, I don’t think that they ever will.
haha did anybody hear about how capo painted tesoros T yellow? classic rivalry… id say those two schools have the biggest, dirtiest rivalry towards eachother in the county.
I think that the guy that writes these article is CLEARLY not an Edison fan. You always and I mean always redeem your favorite schools in your style of writting. And it is always the same schools. Blah. Once Sir, just once can you write ONE article that gives Edison a little credit for all the hard work they put into their program? One article that does not talk about how great Servite or Mission Viejo are? One that says hey this year this school has a good chance? These kids work as hard as any other school. OC Varsity is becoming such a drag because you just refuse to give credit where it is due. So change your pic, no one cares anymore. Our school has not lost a game, not even in the pre-season (were there for the Servite game? MD game? ) , oh wait…we didnt even lose anything in the summer for passing league. If that does not qualify us for a #1 spot then nothing will.
Feeling a little low today T, feeling a little insecure? Feeling sorry that the management of the OCRegister does not send EVERY reporter/writer/columnist to cover ONLY Edison games?
When Damian covers the La Habra – Foothill game as he stated, and he writes something about that game, reports on it, builds up how great La Habra looked, there wont be any “I wish I was at the Edison game to report on how great they are, because you know that who ever else covers that game could not do as good a job as I can”. Well, he might say something about how good he is…lol…just kidding.
Maybe it has been Damian’s job to write about the other programs or the games he was supposed to cover. Someone else may have had the job of writing the article of “Edison, how great are you”.
Oh sorry about that T, forgot how you are feeling, my mistake, that should have read, “Edison, how great you are”.
Be my guest, change your vote. It’s all speculation at this point. Keep this in mind. Mission undefeated at 8-0. Edison at 9-0
MV opponents are a combined 35 wins 46 losses
Edison opponents a combined 52 wins 29 losses
Mission victories against OC varsity top 10 teams – 0 wins
Edison victories against top 10 teams – 5 wins
A great game if these teams get that far to meet.
And they have NEVER played each other !
Go Ahead has it right; objective analysis is the answer to speculation until the game happens.
If I were handicapping the Pac 5 playoffs, my semis would have MV vs Servite and Edison vs Lakewood. All teams playing to potential, we would see a rematch in the finals: Edison vs Servite.
My head says Edison, but my heart, which always guides my tough choices, tells me Servite,, with vindication in their sight, wins. Then some real justice could happen with Oaks Christian and Servite meeting in the Open division and the Friars representing the OC in a landslide.
Just a sly wish.
T are you stinking kidding me?! – OC Varsity is always up on Edison. Every week, they are highlighted.. Cry me a river.
Of course, I’m great….
I didn’t mean any disrespect to Edison, what they are about to do (go undefeated in the Sunset League) is amazing.
They’ve been No. 1 since knocking off Servite and they will be No. 1 heading into the playoffs (and I am not changing my vote). Would Mission be undefeated if it had to play Edison’s schedule? Maybe, maybe not. We will never know.
I have enjoyed watching the way Mission attacks, especially on defense. I think a Mission-Edison matchup would be epic.
damian how do the schools mv played preseason stack up in max preps compare to edison and servite ?need to know
damian I also have seen mv play and I think if they play a team with size and equal speed , edison servite crespi notredame they will get bullied.. I AM A SERVITE DAD AND i am saying the serra teams are very scary
I dont have anyone on the MV team nor am I affiliated with the team, I have seen MV play many games this year and I have seen Servite, Edison and Crespi play, and I dont think MV would come close to being bullied on the field.
I have not seen Notre Dame play so I cant say much that really maters, except they didnt bully Crespi or St. Francis around and I think that leaves the door open for them not to buly MV either.
One last point, Edison didnt bully Dana Hills around either, Dana may have lost that game but they moving the ball up and down the field all night. They just didnt get the ball into the end zone after getting into the red zone. So maybe we can see how much or little MV does against Dana (and vice versa ) this week before we make those kind of comparisons. Just a thought.
sorry that should have been ” but they were moving”
Mission-Edison that would be a great game to see.I sure hope it happens.It would be interesting who Damian would pick to win that game
yes that would be #1 and #2 in state. and to say mission hasnt played quality teams servite and edison have in preseason is absurd, just go to max preps and crash some numbers based on san diego schools.remember so county is alot closer to north san diego than some areas they would have to travel and for those who say they wont play oc powers well have those powers asked and dont guess give facts.
Dana and MV are going to tear it up come play offs but there are so many good teams this year, Serra is Scarra, Trini-T may-B, Sunset …not Yet and South Coast aint Toast, will the NO-Moore league represent? It will be tight, come the big night, when it will be Mission over Servite…
To tony’s point, Dana was moving the ball at will against Edison but were not capitalizing in the red zone witch can probably be attributed to Edison’s defense. I really think Dana has a good chance to move the ball on Misson, and if they are able to they must captialize in the red zone if they want a chance to win.
The CIF playoffs will be very embarrasing to the top 10 prognosticators, because it will be then that Mission Viejo either beats Edison or advances further than Edison does in the playoffs. Edison does not have the talent, team speed (both sides of the ball), discipline, flawless execution or aggressive team play that Mission Viejo has. After watching both teams play, it is obvious that Mission Viejo is by far the better team. So either the top 10 voters have not seen Mission Viejo play or they are obviously biased in their selection, no matter, they will be embarrased in the CIF playoffs, because as the saying goes, action speaks and BS walks. So Albano, Fryer and Calhoun get ready to start walking.
Where am I walking to?
snack bar, your car, down to the next cubical to ask Steve and Dan where they are off to, to get another cup of coffee before asking yourself, why cant some of these posters get it, they have their opinion, I have mine. LOL
Damian, have you or maybe even ask Steve if either of you have seen such a demise as Poly this year.
Poly just barely beat (0-9) Cabrillo 15-6 this past week and play Compton this week for a playoff spot. Compton beat Millikan which beat Poly.
Poly will go from preseason #1 or 2 in the state to a 5th place finisher in the MOORE league. That is pitiful.
yaya, I like Dana, I try to give them as much credit as I do anyone else. I think they have shown that they can move the ball, however I think they have not played a team or defense as talented as MV.
There has been only 1 team to run the ball on with any success against MV all year. I dont think Dana will have more than 1 or 2 successful drives in the game against MV 1st team D. I also think that MV offense will be much better than anything Dana is ready for. I know that players can raise there game and meet a challenge, So there is always hope for Dana, but to predict what should happen if both teams bring their “A” game this week, MV A game is just way better then Dana’s at this point. That is no way a knock on Dana, I am very proud of them, it is just a fact of what team seems to be playing better football right now.
A few years ago MV played some very good teams and left them in their wake to becoming the states #1 and #2 in the USA, (should have been #1). They beat Los AL 55-21, LB Poly 41-14. Los Al lost to MV and to Poly in the CIF Championship game, It was Polys only loss. So no matter what happens this week, Just because you lose to a #1 or # 2 team, doesnt mean you dont have a very good football team.
Losing to Edison, no shame, if you lose to MV, no shame in that either, no matter what the score.