Beckman's Tawni Martino

Here is my list of the Top 10 Juniors in the county, based on performance so far this season.

These players should be followed closely throughout the rest of the season.

(Players listed in alphabetical order:)

• Ariana Carillo (Los Alamitos): Great speed and ability to get off quality shots in traffic.

• Morgan Gage (El Modena): Has tallied 10 goals (second among players in her class).

• Alexis Mahoney (San Clemente): With her scoring ability (six goals and three assists), she should be quite a force during league.

• Jordan Marada (Capsitrano Valley): Big reason for the Cougars' great start; leading the team in goals (eight) and assists (11).

• Tawni Martino (Beckman): Dangerous with the ball from anywhere on the field; she is third in the county with 12 goals.

• Erica Mazeau (Esperanza): Tough on defense and can help create offense for the Aztecs.

• Kathleen Messinger (Aliso Niguel): Excellent ability to locate the ball and make spectacular saves at the net.

• Kendall Romine (Tesoro): Talented midfielder is currently leading Titans with six goals.

• Chandler Shermerhorn (Capistrano Valley): Seven goals and four assists gives the Cougars solid one-two punch.

• Aubree Wyer (Savanna): Second leading scorer for the Rebels with 10 goals and seven assists.

• Top 10 Seniors
• Top 10 Sophomores
• Top 10 Freshmen

Saddleback's David Zepeda

Well, those kinds of comments undercut everything that these players, who are loyal to their schools, have been doing this month.

True there are gifted players in academy soccer, but there is a lot of talent left on the high school field as well.

I covered the sport when kids such as Danny Califf and Tomas Serna were on the field, and I have seen some kids this year who would have been able to keep up with them.

(Which brings up something else. Califf always seemed to make some time for his high school team before heading off to play in Egypt or some other exotic place.)

Playing high school sports just seems to make the four years you spend in a school mean a bit more. OK, that's my two cents worth, now onto what this post is really about.

The top 11 players in December that I HAVE SEEN (notice those words that are capitalized. I haven't seen La Habra, Troy or JSerra, among others).

Here is the list, and please let me know who I might have forgotten. Oh, and the list is no particular order:

1. Edward Zepeda, Saddleback

2. Duncan Capriotti, Santa Margarita

3. Chris Zamarippa, Mater Dei

4. Carlos Vasquez, Santa Ana Valley

5. David Perez, Saddleback

6. Alex Cannas, El Toro

7. Auston Smyth, Esperanza

8. Stephen Donnelly, Servite

9. Eric Brunter, Servite

10. Chris Violas, Servite

11. Juan Pablo Ocegueda, Saddleback

Thursday

El Dorado vs Kennedy at Western High

Other Thursday games

Friday

Trabuco Hills at Laguna Hills

Villa Park at Valencia

Western vs. Canyon at El Modena

Foothill at Tustin

El Toro at Dana Hills

Marina at Capistrano Valley

More Friday games

Saturday

Mammoth at St. Margaret's

More Saturday games

Site, time: St. Margaret's High, Saturday 7 p.m.

Outlook: St. Margaret's march toward the Orange County consecutive-victories football record begins against a team it beat 35-6 last year. The Tartans, CIF-SS Northeast Division champions last year and in 2006, averaged 48 points a game last year and had an average winning margin of 40 points. The same can be expected this year, given how good St. Margaret's should be and the lack of challenging opponents on the league and nonleague schedules, and its placement this year in the East Valley Division, which used to be called Division XII before the changes of division names from numbers to quasi-geographic designations. The county wining-streak record is 41, set by Mission Viejo, 2001-03.

Winner: St. Margaret's (see roster)

Next: More Saturday predictions

All Steve Fryer Week 1 predictions

Jordan Allen, Mater Dei, RB/LB, Jr.

Justin Austin, Troy, RB, Jr.

Wyatt Baker, Servite, OL, Soph.

Josh Barut, Los Alamitos, DB, Jr.

Eddie Bejarano, Orange, P, Jr.

Jared Cohen, Cypress, WR, Jr.

Drew Corley, Laguna Hills, OL, Jr.

Luis Diaz, Santa Ana, K, Jr.

Exavier Edwards, Orange Lutheran, RB, Jr.

Cody Fajardo, Servite, QB, Jr.

Garrett Gilliland, Orange Lutheran, LB, Jr.

Zach Hoffman, Mission Viejo, LB, Jr.

Wade Houston, Edison, RB, Jr.

Aaron Jones, San Clemente, WR/DB/K, Jr.

Sean Kelly, El Toro, QB, Jr.

Dallas Kessman, Mission Viejo, RB, So.

Jared Lopez, Rancho Alamitos, DB, So.

Ruben Ortega, Western, Jr., RB/LB

Darius Nacoste, Santa Ana Valley, RB, Jr.

Troy Niklas, Servite, TE/DE, So.

Jordan Pounds, Cypress, LB, So.

Joshua Quezada, La Habra, RB, Jr.

Paul Richardson, Los Alamitos, Wr., Jr.

Anthony Sandoval, La Habra, DL, Jr.

Roman Sapolu, Edison, OL, Jr.

Jacob Slemmer, Servite, DB, Jr.

Josh Sepulveda, Garden Grove, DB, Jr.

Alex Stamos, Mission Viejo, DL, Jr.

Chris Ward, Mater Dei, OL, Jr.

Bobby Wheatley, Orange Lutheran, QB, Jr.

Cecil Whiteside, Newport Harbor, LB, Jr.

Anthony Wilkerson, Tustin, RB, Jr.

Patrick Webster, Mission Viejo, OL, Jr.

Jordan Zumwalt, Edison, LB, Jr.

Related:
• All Football Kickoff '08 articles

He is the No. 1 prospect in the nation, and going into his senior year already owns Mater Dei career passing records at a school that has produced two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks.

The receivers are young and inexperienced, but that was the case last year, too, when Barkley set the Monarchs' single-season passing yards record of 3,576 as he completed 214 of 340 passes.

Jaron Hytche, who rushed for 460 yards and 10 touchdowns in '07, is a fine tailback, and a big offensive line is anchored by tackle Chris Ward.

There is speed and toughness on defense, too. Cornerback Christian Maldonado was all-league first team last year.

Bobby Wheatley takes over at quarterback. He saw some action in the playoffs -- and fared well -- last year when Blake Hyepock was injured.

The addition of Gabe Lemon, a transfer from Trabuco Hills, helps the defensive backfield and the receiving corps. Lemon was an All-County first-team defensive back in 2007.

Exavier Edwards showed flashes of excellence at tailback as a sophomore last year when he rushed for 476 yards and averaged 7 yards a carry.

Scotty Williams had 18 receptions for 192 yards.

The defense still has a Pemasa: senior linebacker Jeremiah Pemasa, who had 70 tackles and four sacks in '07.

Quarterback Clark Evans, left, is a fine passer and might be more effective as a runner. Last year, Evans rushed for 866 yards and 13 touchdowns and passed for 2,055 and 15 touchdowns.

He has a good group of receivers, led by returning All-Sunset League selections Darryl Jenkins (52 receptions for 874 yards and four touchdowns) and Paul Richardson (31-581-8).

Defensively, the Griffins are big and fast. Among the top players on that side of the ball should be tackle Joshua Schnitzer, linebacker Nathan Castaneda, and safety Josh Barut, an all-league first-team selection in '07.

Allan Bridgford, who has committed to Cal, is one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation. Last year, he completed 135 of 233 passes for 1,792 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Kevin Chandler leads a talented group of receivers. He had 48 catches for 717 yards and eight touchdowns in 2007.

The Diablos are going to run the ball productively, too, behind a good offensive line.

The defensive line also is an asset, and the defensive backfield has two-time All-County cornerback Alex Mascarenas (1), above right.

Click here to see team No. 5.

During the offseason, Mothander did pick up some tips from one of Welch's top stars at Canyon -- quarterback Nate Longshore. The senior quarterback at Cal spent time with Mothander at St. Margaret's.

Surprisingly, Longshore hasn't been tabbed the starter this season at Cal but I'm sure he helped Mothander.

Welch added that if he were at Canyon and Mothander was his quarterback, he would feel good about the season.