ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / PREP EXTRA : SCORECARD: COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEEK 7

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Those colorful placards and signs that have been popping up on streets throughout Rossmoor and Los Alamitos on game days recognizing the Griffins as the nation’s top-ranked football team (according to USA Today) are compliments of a school booster group called The Griffin Chicks of ‘96, according to Principal Carol Hart.

But in Huntington Beach, home of the nation’s top-ranked girls’ volleyball team (according to the same publication), there has been hardly a whisper about the Oilers, let alone signs. The reason? Coach Rocky Ciarelli is superstitious and thinks it will bring his team bad luck, a school spokesman said.

Maybe there’s something to that. On Friday, Esperanza upset Los Alamitos, 21-17.

DING-DONG

Edison fans were chanting, “We’ve got the bell, we’ve got the bell,” late in the second half Friday when the Chargers were clinging to a one-point lead.

But the Chargers, who had won five of the previous six “victory bell” games in their rivalry with the Barons, fell victim to a late rally and Fountain Valley won, 27-22.

The game-winning touchdown catch by Joey Vazquez with 19 seconds remaining sent Barons’ fans into a frenzy. “We want the bell, we want the bell,” they yelled, and at game’s end flooded the field. A mob of Fountain Valley players crossed the field to claim their prize.

LOOKING AHEAD

University will put its undefeated record on the line Thursday night when the Trojans play host to Laguna Hills at Irvine High.

Laguna Hills, the defending Pacific Coast League champion, has won six in a row since its season-opening, 39-28 loss to Sonora. University has opened its season with a school-record seven consecutive victories, including a 25-14 defeat of Sonora in Week 4.

At Veterans Stadium Thursday, Fountain Valley will be the latest Sunset League team to face Los Alamitos, which is coming off a shocking, 21-17 loss to Esperanza.

On Friday, El Toro meets Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in a game that could go a long way toward deciding the Sea View League championship.

Two surprising teams meet Saturday, when Santa Ana Valley plays host to El Modena in a Century League game at Santa Ana Stadium.

PLAYING IT SAFE

Corona del Mar canceled its junior varsity football game with El Toro on Thursday to save its players for Friday’s varsity game.

“We’ve only got 45 in the varsity and JV programs,” Sea King varsity Coach Dick Freeman said Friday. “We only had about 14 players; everyone else was either hurt or on the varsity. And some of those 14, if someone gets hurt [in the varsity game], will play tonight.

“Playing [the JV] game before the varsity game got us a little bit nervous.”

MASTER THIEF

Kennedy defensive back Garrett Sabol picked off his sixth pass of the season in Friday’s 25-0 victory over Century, keeping him on pace to reach his preseason goal of 10 interceptions.

The county record is 13, set by Santa Ana Valley’s Reggie West in 1975 and tied by Steve Stocking of Pacifica in 1978.

ON THE RECORD

‘We’re just not a very good football team, but we keep working hard at it. These kids have a lot of guts just to keep showing up every day.’

--Earl Graves, varsity coach at Bolsa Grande, whose Matadors are 0-7 and have been outscored, 288-32, this season.

HOW TOP 10 FARED

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

1. Los Alamitos (6-1)

lost to Esperanza (5-2), 21-17.

2. Mater Dei (7-0)

beat Trabuco Hills (1-6), 24-6, Thursday.

3. San Clemente (5-2)

lost to Capistrano Valley (6-1), 19-10.

4. El Toro (6-1)

beat Corona del Mar (5-2), 40-35.

5. Capistrano Valley (6-1)

beat No. 3. San Clemente (5-2), 19-10.

6. Esperanza (5-2)

beat No. 1 Los Alamitos (6-1), 21-17.

7. Fountain Valley (6-1)

beat Edison (4-3), 27-22.

8. Santa Margarita (5-1)

vs. Woodbridge (5-1), tonight.

9. University (7-0)

beat Laguna Beach (2-5), 35-0.

10. Servite (5-2)

beat Westminster (4-3), 43-28.

County Leaders

CAREER RUSHING

1. Ray Pallares

Valencia, 1983-85

5,397 yards

2. Derek Brown

Servite, 1986-88

4,878 yards

3. Reuben Droughns

Anaheim, 1993-95

4,557 yards

4. Scott Seal

Irvine, 1990-92

4,473 yards

5. Jeff Byrd

Rancho Alamitos, 1991-92

4,459 yards