Week three features several intriguing intersectional matchups. St. Augustine will have their hands full playing at Loyola in Los Angeles on Friday night.
Loyola is not only the oldest high school in Southern California but the oldest continuously run educational institution.
The all-boys Jesuit prep school having been established in 1865 is older than the University of California system or the Los Angeles public schools.
The Cubs are highly competitive at most sports including basketball and football. On paper the Saints have the advantage but throw in a long bus ride to Los Angeles (just west of downtown) with the home field advantage for Loyola and this will be a tough road test.
Another big San Diego-Southern Section game has Oceanside traveling to Chaparral Temecula.
Mission Hills will host Sabino of Tucson, AZ while Jerry Ralph’s El Camino Wildcats will host Perris Citrus Hills.
Crenshaw of Los Angeles who lost to Mission Hills two weeks ago 21-20 at home will travel to the border to play at San Ysidro. The Cougars will try to get their first win after losing to Coronado 39-12 and Serra 41-0.
The Mariners of Mar Vista will make the longest road trip of the weekend as they face Decatur of Federal Way, Washington. Mar Vista will be the favorites in the game but will have a big test next week when they host Valhalla which will be their toughest game on paper for the season.
Metro-South Bay League Looking Good Early
Chula Vista, Hilltop and Mar Vista are all 2-0 to start the season while Sweetwater is 0-2.
The Spartans defeated Mt. Miguel 35-30 and Hoover 55-0.
The Lancers opened with a home rivalry win vs. Castle Park 38-6. Hilltop then traveled to La Jolla for the Vikings first home game at their newly renovated stadium and left with a 24-21 comeback win.
The Mariners opened with a 30-0 road win at San Diego and defeated Castle Park 37-14 in their home opener.
The Red Devils have the toughest non-league schedule in the South Bay League having lost to University City 43-27 and Olympian 44-0. Sweetwater gets a much needed rest this week with a bye before facing Grossmont and Scripps Ranch the next two weeks. SuHi may be 0-4 going into their road game at Serra on September 30.
Rivalry Watch: Vista at RBV, LJCD at La Jolla
Any rivalry that features a two-school city is great and the Vista-RBV rivalry is no different. Sadly the two teams have been separated from league play so the matchup is placed early in the season schedule.
Bishop’s vs. La Jolla may be a bit more heated because that is the La Jolla backyard brawl and aptly named “Pearly Street Rivalry” but La Jolla Country Day wants the two other schools to know that the Torreys intend to claim La Jolla as their own.
And it doesn’t hurt that LJCD claims the best quarterback in San Diego, Arizona bound Braxton Burmeister.