David Delgado will be looking this season for the interesting matchups that aren’t getting attention like the high-profile games. He will preview the great battles, fun rivalries and intriguing storylines that happen outside of the Top 25 rankings.
Delgado’s picks for Week 5
Magnolia (0-4) at Westminster (4-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
What’s the attraction: The defense for unbeaten Westminster is going for its fourth straight shutout.
The Lions, who have shut out Savanna (42-0), Anaheim (48-0) and Los Amigos (35-0) the last three weeks, have a great opportunity to extend their shutout streak.
“We’ve really made it a point of emphasis, especially in the preseason, to try and limit our guys to going one way,” Westminster head coach Steven Anderson said of his team’s defense. “They’re fresh, they’re really specialized in their roles. It’s not something we’ve been able to do in the past three, four years, just because of numbers, but we’re starting to see that pay off, especially in the third and fourth quarters.”
When these two teams met last season, Westminster won 14-0. Anderson views this game as another stepping stone on the path to a league title.
The objective for Westminster this week is to play sound, smart and disciplined football. The Lions will then ride that momentum to challenge Laguna Beach for the Pac 4 League championship.
On offense, the Lions will need QB Alex Solano, running backs Will Pardue and Ezekiel Cedillo and wide receiver Jason Pham to continue their stellar play.
Westminster should win big.
El Toro (2-3) at Tesoro (2-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
What’s the attraction: We want to see what happens when a team that’s suddenly hot (El Toro) takes on a team that’s been struggling (Tesoro).
Will both streaks continue? Or are they about to end?
El Toro is 2-0 since losing its first three games of the season, but it faces a stiff test in Tesoro, which has dropped its past two games and is coming off a bye week.
Both teams will depend on their run game to be successful. The Chargers have senior running back Thomas Frum, who had 441 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns in a 41-38 win over Capo Valley.
The Titans will depend on Travis Wood, who had a strong first half against La Serna on Sept. 9 before Tesoro was dominated by the Lancers in the second half and lost 28-21.
Expect a competitive game as the young Chargers are showing they are much improved since their 38-0 loss to Fountain Valley in their opener.
It’s hard for me to pick against Tesoro though, especially after it blew a 21-point lead in its previous game. I believe the Titans will be motivated and bounce back.
Estancia (2-2) vs. Santa Ana (2-3) at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday, 7 p.m.
What’s the attraction: Will this be the season that Estancia finally defeats Orange Coast League powerhouse Santa Ana?
The Eagles are 0-6 against the Saints, according to MaxPreps, including a 59-7 setback last fall.
Estancia wants to be in the mix for second or third place in the league standings, and a victory over the Saints would be a big help.
Santa Ana started out 0-3 this season, but beat St. Margaret’s 35-21 last week in their first league game.
The matchup to keep an eye on Friday will be the Saints defense against the Eagles’ offensive line and running back Noah Aires. Aires is averaging over 102 yards a game on the ground.
If guys like Michael Hughes, Kevin Osorio, Julian Plascencia set the tone physically for Santa Ana, the Saints should continue their dominance over Estancia.