ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / PREP EXTRA : SCORECARD: County Highlights From Week 9

FIRING UP

Mater Dei honored members of its 1965 Southern Section Major Division championship football team Thursday night, which brought a cheer from the Capistrano Valley fans. One cheer anyway.

When Greg Patton, former Monarch linebacker, was announced, the Cougar crowd gave a loud cheer. Patton was the Capistrano Valley coach from 1988-94. He led the Cougars to the 1990 Division II title.

Just how badly did Mater Dei want to win this game? Well, besides honoring the 1965 team, it was senior night and homecoming. Hard not to get fired up.

Mater Dei won, 24-10.

PLAYOFF-BOUND

They were screaming “Valley, Valley, Valley” and “CIF, CIF, CIF” Friday night at El Modena High as a sea of blue and white-clad boosters and players gathered at midfield. Santa Ana Valley had clinched its first playoff berth since 1978 with a come-from-behind, 21-20 victory over Villa Park.

“I’m so proud of our kids,” Falcon Coach Scott Orloff said. “I can’t describe the feeling.”

BAD GEOGRAPHY

Esperanza was stuck with a third down on its own three-yard line. At that moment, a Fountain Valley defender shouted to his teammates: “Come on guys, let’s make a goal-line stand.”

Yes, the Barons managed to keep the Aztecs from going 97 yards on the next play.

VICTORY SHOWER

A little water Friday couldn’t dampen the mood for Capistrano Valley Christian at Saddleback College. The Eagles, who qualified for the playoffs with a 34-20 victory over L.A. Ribet Academy, played the final 26 seconds with the field sprinklers spraying from the 35-yard line to the end zone.

ON THE RECORD

‘Everything we ran worked. The only time we didn’t score was when we fumbled.’

--Doug Case, Rancho Alamitos coach after his team piled up 411 yards of offense and beat Garden Grove, 41-17, despite three fumbles.

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How Top 10 Fared

Results of games involving teams in the Orange County Sportswriters’ Poll:

1. Esperanza (7-2)

beat No. 7 Fountain Valley (6-3), 25-8.

2. Los Alamitos (8-1)

beat Huntington Beach (3-6), 49-6, Thursday.

3. Capistrano Valley (7-2)

lost to No. 4 Mater Dei (8-1), 24-10, Thursday.

4. Mater Dei (8-1)

beat No. 3 Capistrano Valley (7-2), 24-10, Thursday.

5. San Clemente (7-2)

beat Dana Hills (2-7), 49-21.

6. El Toro (7-1)

vs. Irvine (5-3), tonight.

7. Fountain Valley (6-3)

lost to No. 1 Esperanza (7-2), 25-8.

8. Servite (7-2)

beat Ocean View (3-6), 34-20.

9. Western (9-0)

beat Savanna (6-3), 31-0, Thursday.

10. Santa Margarita (6-3)

lost to Corona del Mar (6-3), 18-17.