U-T Multimedia: Poway enters this season riding a 12-game winning streak. Feel the vibe of the Titans' excitement at
uniontrib.com/more/video
U-T Multimedia: Video highlights from some of tonight's games will be available tomorrow afternoon at utprepsports.com/football
Online: Expanded season previews and players to watch for the 95 teams in the San Diego Section are available at uniontrib.com/more/preview08
Online: Team pages, schedules, rosters and statistics are available for the schools in our region at utprepsports.com/football
GAMES TO SEE
No. 1 Oceanside vs. Eastlake at Southwestern College, tonight, 7: An early-season showdown of Division II powerhouses could have playoff implications down the line. The Pirates are coming off a Division II state bowl game championship. A good warm-up for the Titans, the defending Mesa League champs.
No. 9 Mira Mesa at No. 8 Vista, tonight, 7:30: One of two opening night matchups of Top 10 teams. The Marauders are going for their third straight victory over a Panthers club that returns big numbers. Vista's defense will have to get after the high-powered Mira Mesa passing attack.
San Pasqual at No. 10 Valley Center, tonight, 7:30: Contrasting offensive philosophies take center stage with these former Valley League rivals. VC's high-flying act of Tyler Bernard to James Johnson was North County's top passing threat last season. San Pasqual answers with an always efficient option attack.
No. 6 Rancho Buena Vista at No. 2 Helix, tonight, 7: Pitting two of the section's most respected teams, this game will be the section debut of Scotties coach Troy Starr, who developed some of the most feared teams statewide while compiling a 139-36-1 record at Woodland Hills Taft.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Derrick Rhone, RB-DB, Orange Glen: Two-way threat looks to get the Patriots off to a quick start vs. Sweetwater.
Gerald Kendall, RB, El Cajon Valley: Elusive 5-foot-9 185-pounder will provide an early test for the Clairemont defense.
Cesar Pedrin, OL-DL, San Ysidro: A big guy (6-2, 265) with a big smile, Pedrin will contribute on both lines for the Cougars.
Mike Samson, OL-DL, Patrick Henry: The mammoth 6-foot-2 300-pounder will try to dominate up front against West Hills.
TRENDS TO TRACK
The streaks: Three teams enter the 2008 season with 12-game winning streaks – Oceanside, Poway and Bishop's.
Set your clock: Most City Conference night games begin at 6:30, and all but three North County Conference schools will start at 7. That's 30 minutes earlier than last year in both cases.
Home Sweet Home: Because of trouble with the football stadiums at their schools, Carlsbad, Chula Vista and Sweetwater have had to juggle their schedules. Sweetwater will play two home games – tonight against Orange Glen and on Sept. 26 against Christian – but the rest, like Carlsbad and Chula Vista, will be on the road.
Study your standings: It has been a number of years since this many leagues changed their makeup between seasons. Each league in the City Conference (Central, Eastern, Western), Metro Conference (Mesa, South Bay) and North County Conference (Avocado, Palomar, Valley) changed its lineup. That's in addition to the usual shuffling among the small leagues.
NUMBERS
5: State Championship Bowl games this season at The Home Depot Center in Carson after the California Interscholastic Federation OK'd an expansion from three. The new two-day format has the Small School Division (enrollment of 500 and below) scheduled to play at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 19. That will be followed by Division I (2,400-above) at 8 p.m. The Dec. 20 schedule has Division III (1,100-below) at noon, Division II (1,101-2,399) at 4 p.m. and the Open Division at 8 p.m. The 10 bowl teams – five from Northern California and five from SoCal – will be selected by the CIF's 10 section commissioners.
4: Consecutive San Diego Section Division II titles for Oceanside.
17: Head coaches in their first year in charge of their current program.
26: Head coaches in their second year in charge of their current program.
2004: Last year any school from the desert reached a football championship game – Brawley in Division III and Palo Verde in Division IV.
SCHEDULE
TODAY
Temecula Prep at Maranatha Christian, 4
Midway Baptist at Calvin Christian, 4:30
Warner at West Shores, 6
Poway at Scripps Ranch, 6:30 (Web: KBCsports.com)
Santana at Kearny, 6:30
No. 3 Cathedral Catholic at Steele Canyon, 7
Patrick Henry at West Hills, 7
No. 9 Mira Mesa at No. 8 Vista, 7 (Web: hitekradio.com)
St. Augustine vs. No. 5 Carlsbad at Oceanside High, 7 (Web: KBCsports.com; radio: 1700-AM)
Hoover at Mater Dei, 7
Clairemont at El Cajon Valley, 7
Mission Bay at Granite Hills, 7
Madison at Mar Vista, 7
Hilltop at Horizon, 7
Calexico at Escondido, 7
No. 1 Oceanside vs. Eastlake at Southwestern College, 7 (Web: KBCsports.com)
Orange Glen at Sweetwater, 7
Grossmont at Otay Ranch, 7
San Marcos at San Ysidro, 7
No. 6 Rancho Buena Vista at No. 2 Helix, 7
Mount Miguel at SD Southwest, 7
Chula Vista at Castle Park, 7
Mountain Empire at Olympian, 7
Parker (Ariz.) at Palo Verde, 7
Yuma Catholic at EC Southwest, 7
Julian at Calipatria, 7
Tijuana Federal Prep at Christian, 7 (Web: KBCsports.com)
Murrieta Valley at Fallbrook, 7
No. 4 La Costa Canyon at Dixie (Utah), 7
El Camino at San Clemente, 7
Mt. Carmel at Heritage, 7
LA Roosevelt at Torrey Pines, 7
Brawley at Desert Hot Springs, 7
Yucca Valley at Central, 7
Vincent Memorial at Yuma Gila Ridge, 7
La Jolla Country Day at Las Vegas Meadows, 7
Temecula Great Oak at No. 7 Mission Hills, 7
Francis Parker at Westview, 7
University City at Montgomery, 7:30
Crawford at Ramona, 7:30
San Pasqual at No. 10 Valley Center, 7:30
Laguna Beach at Coronado, 7:30
Serra at Kauai Kapa'a (Hawaii), 10
Bonita Vista at Hilo Kamehameha (Hawaii), 10
TOMORROW
El Capitan at Morse, 1:30
La Jolla at Santa Fe Christian, 2 (Web: KBCsports.com)
Temecula Mountain View Christian at Army-Navy, 2
Monte Vista at Point Loma, 3
St. Joseph vs. Lutheran at Monte Vista High, 4
Tri-City Christian vs. Capistrano Valley Christian at San Clemente High, 7
Tijuana Instituto Mexico at Bishop's, 7
