Football: Games this week will tell us more

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There are a couple of games this week that will better tell us just how good the teams are.

First up is Gardena Serra (2-0) playing Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (0-1) on Thursday night at El Camino College. Mira Costa’s offense was not ready to go in a 10-7 loss to Los Angeles Loyola, but the defense played well. The only problem is there are few teams capable of outscoring Serra in a game.

Santa Ana Mater Dei (0-1) plays at Corona Centennial (1-0) on Friday night. The Monarchs’ offense also didn’t perform well in its opener against Carson and faces a similar athletic team.

Losses by Mira Costa and Mater Dei wouldn’t mean the two teams can’t become factors in divisional play, but they can’t be considered top 25 material until improvement takes place.

The good news is that the only way to get better is playing top competition, and that’s what Mira Costa and Mater Dei are doing.

Another school facing questions is Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (0-2), which plays Woodland Hills Taft (0-1) on Thursday. The Knights have been picked apart by veteran quarterbacks Conner Preston (Serra) and Alex Bishop (Valencia), and it won’t get any easier facing Michael Bercovici (Taft).

-- Eric Sondheimer