Top games

A look at some of the Southland’s top high school football games:

No. 3 Encino Crespi (3-0) vs. No. 6 Ventura St. Bonaventure (3-0)

Tonight at Ventura High, 7:30

* Crespi handed St. Bonaventure its only loss last season, when the Seraphs won the state Division III bowl game. To do it again, the Celts must contain a loaded backfield that includes Devon Blackledge (294 yards in three games), Isaiah Burton (174 yards), Patrick Hall (143) and lead blocker Marcus Langkilde, whom St. Bonaventure Coach Todd Therrien describes as “the guy that makes everything go.”

The pick: Crespi.

No. 11 Huntington Beach Edison (3-0) vs. No. 7 Anaheim Servite (2-1)

Tonight at Cerritos College, 7:30

* After averaging 51 points during three easy victories over teams from seaside locales, Edison’s season will no longer be a day at the beach. First up during a stretch in which the Chargers play consecutive games against Trinity League powers is Servite, which has a balanced offense featuring quarterback Cody Fajardo and running back Greg Portis. The duo combined for 309 yards last week in a 21-20 loss to Crespi.

The pick: Servite.

No. 15 L.A. Loyola (2-1) at No. 23 Bellflower St. John Bosco (3-0)

Tonight at 7:30

* For St. John Bosco, playing a resurgent Loyola team that nearly knocked off state power Concord De La Salle last week is “an opportunity for us to legitimize if we’re really as good a team as we think we are,” Coach Kiki Mendoza said. While the Braves must try to stop powerful Cubs running back Anthony Barr, Loyola will have its hands full with quarterback Keith Price, who has thrown for 657 yards and seven touchdowns with only one interception.

The pick: St. John Bosco.

No. 16 Orange Lutheran (2-1) vs. Riverside North (1-1)

Tonight at Orange Coast College, 7:30

* Lutheran has hardly resembled the Orange County power many envisioned. The Lancers committed five turnovers during a season-opening victory over Fresno Bullard and then committed five more during the second half of a loss against La Puente Bishop Amat. Last week, Lutheran struggled to defeat winless Tustin. North shut out Fontana Kaiser, 17-0, last week as linebacker Maurice Cox had 10 tackles and a sack and safety Alex Garcia contributed several pass breakups and open-field tackles.

The pick: North.

-- Ben Bolch