Orange County high school football teams capped off their regular seasons with a series of decisive victories and dramatic finishes, as Orange County Register reported. Many local programs clinched automatic berths for the CIF-SS playoffs, while others concluded strong seasons or positioned themselves for at-large consideration, reflecting the competitive spirit across the region.
Huntington Beach and Orange High School notably completed perfect regular seasons. The Huntington Beach Oilers achieved a 10-0 record, dominating Laguna Beach with a 35-14 win. Key plays included a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown by Dylin Bruce and a 95-yard kick return touchdown from Skylar Robinson. Quarterback Brady Edmunds added a touchdown pass to Nicolas Navarette, while Dallas Miller and Kye Crump each contributed rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, Orange High (10-0) secured a high-scoring 57-31 victory over El Toro. Panthers quarterback Star Thomas III led his team with 289 passing yards and four touchdowns, along with 92 rushing yards and two scores. Dylan Stone posted 137 receiving yards and two touchdowns, supported by touchdown catches from Malahki Allen and Kaleb Fisher. Freshman Jeremiah Dunklin added 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Cameryn Chambers had an interception, and Isaac Harrison recorded a team-high 10 tackles.
Several games came down to the wire, providing exciting conclusions for local fans. Servite secured a narrow 38-35 victory over JSerra, propelled by Gino Wang's touchdown run with just 20 seconds left. Wang, who was JSerra's starting quarterback last season, orchestrated an 86-yard drive in only 44 seconds. Jorden Wells contributed three rushing touchdowns, Benjamin Harris added another, and Eli Gonzalez made a field goal. On defense, Caleb Ota, Isaiah Leilua, and Keston Jiles each had an interception. For JSerra, Luca Deleon scored on a punt return and a touchdown reception, while Hayes Cloutier threw two touchdown passes and ran for another. Fullerton also captured a dramatic 37-34 win against St. Margaret’s, with Liam Bengard kicking a game-winning field goal with 35 seconds remaining. Cyrus Aviles powered Fullerton's offense with five rushing touchdowns, including a go-ahead 58-yard score in the fourth quarter. Daniel Ramos secured an interception for the Red Hawks, who claimed the outright league championship.
A number of Orange County teams secured automatic berths into the CIF-SS playoffs through strong league finishes. San Clemente clinched third place in the Alpha League with a 21-14 home win over Edison. Quarterback Jaxson Rex, traditionally a receiver and safety, threw a touchdown pass to Joey Kenney and ran for a touchdown. San Clemente's Rex and freshman Koston James combined to complete 100 percent of their passes. Dana Hills clinched the third automatic qualifying spot from the Delta League with a 28-10 win over Troy, highlighted by Noah Carter's fumble return touchdown after Cody Richardson's forced fumble and sack. Foothill also secured third place and an automatic spot by defeating Aliso Niguel 28-10, with Aidan Feraj rushing for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Segerstrom, Marina, Westminster, Corona del Mar, and Canyon also qualified automatically for the playoffs. Segerstrom's Adrian Cervantes ran for four touchdowns in a 42-28 win over Beckman. Marina shut out Kennedy 28-0, with Ben Ramos rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown and Maverick Coverick catching two touchdown passes. Westminster secured the Lambda League’s third guaranteed playoff berth with a 26-15 win over Woodbridge, led by Nathan Bernal’s 120 rushing yards and two touchdowns and Alim Hopwood’s 145 rushing yards and a touchdown. Corona del Mar clinched a playoff berth with a 29-24 win against La Habra, where John David Annett threw three touchdown passes. Canyon defeated Sunny Hills 40-0, with Kayden Phillips throwing for 277 yards and five touchdowns, earning the Kappa League’s third automatic spot. Cypress finished 5-0 in league, with Justin Hall throwing for 157 yards and a touchdown in their 35-21 win over Northwood.
Several teams will apply for at-large spots in the CIF-SS playoffs, including Servite, Edison, Brea Olinda, St. Margaret’s, and Troy. Yorba Linda wrapped its season with a 17-0 shutout victory over Los Alamitos, though as the fourth-place team in their league, they do not meet the three-win threshold for automatic playoff qualification. Sonora concluded its regular season with a 9-1 overall record after a 33-7 win over Valencia.
