Trinity League gets ready to tear it up

It’s called Trinity League madness, and it begins Thursday night with the league football opener between Santa Ana Mater Dei and Bellflower St. John Bosco at Santa Ana Stadium.

What separates the Trinity League from virtually all other leagues is how tough, competitive and intense each game is played.

“You have to come to play every week,” said Anaheim Servite Coach Troy Thomas, whose team has won or shared the last five Trinity League titles.

This season, the six teams have a combined record of 24-6 going into league play. Servite (5-0) deserves the favorite’s role, but after that, it’s anyone’s guess among Mater Dei (3-2), St. John Bosco (4-1), San Juan Capistrano JSerra (5-0), Santa Margarita (4-1) and Orange Lutheran (3-2).

On Friday, Orange Lutheran plays Santa Margarita at Orange Coast College, and JSerra faces Servite at Saddleback College.

There’s no doubt Mater Dei has improved since starting the season with losses to Carson and Corona Centennial. And the Monarchs got even better last week after Todd Hunt, a fullback/defensive lineman from Connecticut, was declared eligible.

The big question is, will the schools with new head coaches be ready for the grind of the Trinity League? St. John Bosco, under Jason Negro, and Santa Margarita, under Harry Welch, face tough tests early on.

Servite’s Thomas can’t wait to face Welch. Both are graduates of Encino Crespi, some 20 years apart.

“I think it will be fun,” Thomas said. “He’s a master coach. I’m excited to learn from him.”

It should be pointed out there are no at-large playoff berths in the Pac-5 Division this season, so only the top three finishers in the Trinity League will earn playoff berths. That means three schools that are pretty good will be left out. That’s pressure.

Baker rises up

It had been a quiet season for running back Los Angeles Loyola’s Jared Baker, considered one of the top ball carriers before the season. The Arizona commit finally broke loose last week with a 240-yard, four-touchdown performance against Valencia.

The Cubs will need more from Baker for this week’s Serra League opener against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame because quarterback Jerry Neuheisel is expected to miss a third consecutive game. He is still having headaches from a concussion. The Cubs have relied on their running game without Neuheisel, though the new quarterback, Andrew Magana, has played mistake-free football.

Burks to USC

Charles Burks, a defensive end at Huntington Beach Edison, has committed to USC. The Trojans, with limited scholarships because of NCAA sanctions, appear to be renewing focus on recruiting players from Southern California.

Burks, 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, could end up playing linebacker or fullback for the Trojans.

Unsung running backs

Two running backs hardly known before the season are putting up big numbers.

Senior Jonathan Mesa, from Montebello Cantwell Sacred Heart, has rushed for 1,145 yards and 17 touchdowns in leading his team to a 5-0 record. He has games of 365 yards against Montebello Schurr, 125 yards against Baldwin Park, 190 yards against Bell Gardens, 294 yards against St. Bernard and 171 yards against Whittier Christian.

Another running back off to a terrific start is junior Giovanni Rivera from Baldwin Park Sierra Vista. He has rushed for 1,309 yards and seven touchdowns.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

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