Prepped for Football

The clash and clatter of helmets and padding colliding sounds the kickoff of the 2000 high school football season.

Three Orange County teams began their seasons a week early--and far away from home. Calvary Chapel traveled to Hawaii to score a victory; Cypress headed north to Canada to win, and Aliso Niguel visited Florida, where the Wolverines lost.

The majority of teams began their seasons last Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

Immediate standouts included Villa Park’s Bryan Arguello, who led the Spartans to a 21-14 victory over Valencia, and Costa Mesa’s Nick Cabico, who rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the Mustangs’ 48-23 victory over Saddleback.

The Times’ preseason rankings put Mater Dei at No. 1. The Monarchs got an early season test on Saturday, when they played host to Fallbrook, San Diego County’s top-ranked team. Last season, Mater Dei won a share of the Southern Section Division I title for its second consecutive championship.

Edison, ranked No. 2, is pinning its Sunset League championship hopes on tailback Darryl Poston, who averaged 170 yards rushing per game last season, and quarterback Richard Schwarz, who threw for 1,933 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.

Other county teams with 10 or more victories last season--Newport Harbor, Orange Lutheran, Los Alamitos, Loara, Brea Olinda and Irvine--will look to repeat that success this season in order to reach the Southern Section championships.

After 10 weeks of regular-season competition, four rounds of playoffs begin Nov. 17. Championship games will be played Dec. 8-9.