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Five storylines to watch Friday and Saturday in Orange County high school football:

1. Can San Clemente continue its impressive start?

The Tritons (5-0) have climbed to 11th in Calpreps’ Southern Section rankings entering their clash Friday against visiting Murrieta Valley (3-1), the No. 3-ranked team in the Inland Empire.

They’ve defeated Corona del Mar and Edison in consecutive weeks by an average margin of 19 points.

San Clemente is approaching the Division 1 level of the rankings, and another convincing victory will only boost that status. A big win will also build the anticipation for the Tritons’ South Coast League opener at Mission Viejo on Oct. 13.

2. Will Mission Viejo stay hot with a victory in Washington, D.C., on Saturday?

The Diablos (4-1) won an overtime thriller last week against Los Alamitos but now face a physical ground attack from host St. John’s College of Washington, D.C. (2-1).

A road win would raise Mission Viejo’s confidence and keep the Diablos ahead of the Tritons in the rankings.

3. Will Mater Dei maintain its focus at St. Frances of Baltimore, Md.?

The Monarchs (4-0) appear to be taking an all-business approach to their trip to face St. Frances Academy (1-4) on Friday. They arrived in Maryland on Thursday morning, which keeps their schedule pretty tight before the game.

Mater Dei, ranked No. 1 in the nation, received a reminder last week about the sometimes unpredictable nature of high school sports. Rival St. John Bosco, then ranked No. 1 in the nation in one poll, was upset at Kahuku of Hawaii.

RELATED: Trinity League Football Podcast: How St. John Bosco lost in Hawaii, and what the loss means

4. Can Servite claim a must-win game at St. Paul?

The Friars (3-1) can help their playoff chances by defeating former Angelus League rival and host St. Paul (2-2) on Friday. A victory would mean Servite would need one triumph in the Trinity League to secure at least a .500 overall record, an important part of the formula used to select at-large teams for the playoffs.

The highest-ranked .500 teams receive the at-large spots if there is room in the playoff bracket.

Last season, Servite went 0-5 in the Trinity.

5. Which league underdog will build momentum Friday?

There are few under-the-radar league underdogs with opportunities to gain speed.

Corona del Mar (2-2) and host Trabuco Hills (3-1) face off Friday in a matchup of good teams who will be underdogs in their respective leagues. Corona del Mar will be chasing Los Alamitos in the Sunset while the Mustangs will try to catch San Juan Hills in the Sea View.

The winning team in this one will secure some much-needed momentum. The Sea Kings and QB Kaleb Annett open league next week against Edison at Huntington Beach High.

Also keep an eye on Foothill (3-1) at Chino Hills (3-2), the No. 16-ranked team in the Inland Empire. A victory by the Knights would bolster their outlook for their Crestview League opener against Villa Park on Oct. 12.

Please send football news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy

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