Dan Albano addresses hot topics in Orange County football entering the start of league play this week. A few of the questions below were submitted by readers:
1. Who will finish second in the Alpha League?
A fun question to ponder for a few reasons.
The Alpha League ranks as the toughest, all-public schools league in California, according to HSratings. The league is too small (four teams) and too far away from starting (Week 8) for all the entertainment value it holds. Thankfully, the league’s size and schedule will change next season.
Should we assume that Mission Viejo wins the Alpha League? Probably. The Diablos (5-1) haven’t done too much to weaken their status as the favorite.
But after a recent 25-14 loss at McCallie of Tennessee, Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson offered this insight: “We are very banged up right now and missing multiple starters and all of our backups are playing at other schools.”
OK, Mission Viejo is concerned about depth but it still has the skill and matchups to defend the league title.
Los Alamitos (7-0) will finish second in the Alpha if it can somehow survive a double bye week and beat Edison (4-2) in its Alpha League opener at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 16.
The Griffins are united, playing fast on offense and limiting mistakes on both sides of the ball. But two weeks is a long time to be off.
2. How is Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins playing so far?
The Wisconsin commit might have surprised some by grabbing the No. 5 spot in the OCVarsity Hot 150.
As expected as a newcomer to Mater Dei, the senior has endured his ups and downs. Think about the first half against St. Thomas Aquinas (a highlight) and the loss to Centennial (a low).
But the JSerra transfer showed that he deserved his ranking with his play in a 27-24 victory at Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas.
He completed 15 of 18 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, and also rushed for a team-high 67 yards.
Hopkins is trending in a positive direction heading into the Monarchs’ Trinity League opener against Orange Lutheran on Friday at Orange Coast College.
3. What breakout team could be headed to a higher league when the Orange County Football Conference realigns for 2026-27?
Dana Hills (5-0) is certainly a team to watch as it opens the Foxtrot League at rival Aliso Niguel (4-1) in one of the best games Friday.
With its sizzling start and 10-win season in ’24, the Dolphins project to jump to the Bravo League —- the conference’s No. 2-rated league — if the season ended today, according to Dana Hills coach Tony Henney.
The Foxtrot started the current cycle as the No. 5-ranked league in the conference.
4. Who are the favorites for offensive and defensive player of the year in Orange County? And how about coach of the year?
Mission Viejo quarterback Luke Fahey is the frontrunner on offense. The Ohio State commit has completed 73 percent of his passes for 1,464 yards and 15 TDs, and rushed for 231 yards and three scores.
The Diablos could sweep the player awards because of the continued rise of defensive lineman JD Hill. The uncommitted senior leads Mission Viejo with 68 tackles, including 16 for losses, and has 8.5 sacks.
Santa Margarita linebacker Dash Fifita, Orange Lutheran defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou and Los Alamitos safety/linebacker Lenny Ibarra are other intriguing candidates.
Mission Viejo’s Chad Johnson and Los Alamitos’ Ray Fenton are the early contenders for coach of the year.
5. What league race is flying under the radar but worthy of attention?
It might sound strange but it’s the Bravo League.
With all the attention the Trinity and Alpha leagues receive, the Bravo can be overlooked.
But with a composite record of 20-10, the Bravo ranks as the ninth strongest league in California, and could climb higher. The league offers top contenders such as San Juan Hills (4-1) and Yorba Linda (4-1), and and one of the county’s most improved teams in Corona del Mar (5-0).
Corona del Mar plays host to San Juan Hills on Friday at Newport Harbor High in one of the best games of the week.
Orange County football Top 25: Mater Dei, Mission Viejo in top two spots
Orange County high school football: This week’s games, Oct. 2-4
