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Five storylines outside the Mater Dei-St. John Bosco game to watch this weekend in Orange County high school football:

1. Who emerges as the South Coast League favorite: Mission Viejo or San Clemente?

It’s a massive league opener Friday at Mission Viejo High as the winner becomes the clear favorite to claim the South Coast title.

The game also could hold playoff significance. The winner could emerge as a big-time contender for the CIF-SS Division 2 crown — if they don’t get pull up into Division 1.

2. Does Orange Lutheran or Servite collect victory No. 5, and guarantee at least a .500 record?

It’s a big one for playoff scenarios when Orange Lutheran (4-3, 1-1) meets Servite (4-3, 0-2) on Friday at Cerritos College. The winner will finish at least .500 overall, which is a key factor for potentially earning an at-large playoff berth.

The Lancers are coming off their first league win while Servite played better in the second half last week in a lopsided loss at St. John Bosco.

Pay special attention to Servite’s start. The Friars trailed Mater Dei 28-0 at half and St. John Bosco 42-8 at intermission.

3. Will Santa Margarita notch its first Trinity League win?

The Eagles (4-3, 0-2) will be seeking their first Trinity League victory when they play at JSerra (4-3, 1-1) on Friday. Both teams need this one to guarantee at least a .500 record, so expect a hard-fought game between the South County rivals.

4. Can Troy and Sonora stay hot in the Freeway League to set up a Week 9 showdown?

Troy (4-3, 2-0) and Sonora (6-1, 2-0) are in the spotlight Friday with a chance to set up a surprising showdown next week for potentially the league title.

The Warriors, coming off an upset of La Habra last week, play Buena Park (4-3, 0-2) at Fullerton High for a chance to move to 3-0 in league. The Raiders play host to Fullerton (2-5, 0-2) at La Habra High do the same.

If Troy and Sonora both win, they will collide next Friday at La Habra High for first place in league. Who saw that coming?

5. Will La Quinta and Bolsa Grande remain on a collision course?

Yes, these revived programs sit atop the Garden Grove League standings entering Week 8. They both need wins Friday to stay on track for a Week 10 clash for the league crown, which would be an amazing sight for Orange County football.

La Quinta (5-2, 2-0) takes on Santiago (3-4, 0-2) at Garden Grove High while Bolsa Grande (5-2, 2-0) plays host to Rancho Alamitos (4-3, 1-1).

The Garden Grove League is known to be unpredictable at times, so these scores could be interesting.

La Quinta hasn’t defeated Santiago since 2017, and Bolsa Grande last beat the Vaqueros in 2008.

Please send football news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram

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