Woodbridge may be favored but Northwood, Beckman and Portola could be in hunt too

Woodbridge Coach Rick Gibson meets with his players after a victory over Santa Ana. (Photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Woodbridge High’s football team captured the Pacific Coast League title last season after being the clear cut favorite going into league play.

This season, it looks like Northwood (4-1), Portola (4-1) and Beckman (3-2) are all ready to give the Warriors (1-4) a challenge for the top spot.

Irvine (0-5) and University (0-5) are looking for fresh starts beginning Friday.

Woodbridge Coach Rick Gibson said that based on records, Northwood, Portola and Beckman all look to be in the league title hunt and that “Uni and Woodbridge are probably not at the top of that list.”

“If you ask me, your defending PCL champion Woodbridge Warriors are the team to beat, as the title stays with them until someone takes it away,” said Portola Coach Peter Abe. “I haven’t been able to get out to see the Warriors much this pre-season, but after them, the (Beckman) Patriots look like the next most physical team, but in this league, you never know until Friday night.” 

“I believe the Pacific Coast League is wide open this season,” said Northwood Coach Paige Nobles. “I think we are all evenly matched and it will probably go down to the last game of the season for all of us to determine who will win the PCL. “

Woodbridge is coming off a bye week last week so has had two weeks to prepare for Friday’s opener with Irvine at University. Also on Friday, Portola hosts Beckman and Northwood hosts University at Irvine Stadium.

Gibson said his team needs “consistent play and really limit turnovers. It’s about doing the right football things and you got to stay healthy too. None of us in the Pacific Coast League have any depth, so that will always be an issue. Whoever stays the healthiest and makes the least amount of mistakes is probably going to come out on top.”

Gibson said that Tate Smith, who has rotated at quarterback with Ethan Assayag, has earned the start for Friday’s game.

“He didn’t have as many opportunities as Ethan did but we felt consistency was the determining factor,” Gibson said. “Even when he was in the first two plus games, he showed some consistency. But what I’m really excited about is that Ethan has taken that news and still competes hard in practice and we told him, ‘you’re one play away from being the starter’ and the competition isn’t over. Obviously, if we faulter in areas, then I’ve got somebody who has some game reps under them.”

Gibson said Irvine’s record is deceiving.

“They’ve had a super tough schedule,” Gibson said. “I thought our’s was difficult but I think Irvine’s has been the toughest of any Pacific Coast League team.”

Irvine’s losses have come to Canyon 37-28; Sunny Hills 55-20, Huntington Beach 42-14, Dana Hills 30-15 and Orange 60-14. Canyon is 2-3, Sunny Hills and Orange are 4-1, Dana Hills is 6-0 and Huntington Beach is 1-4.

“I think they’re a good football team,” Gibson said of Irvine. “We’re 1-4 and they’re 0-5. I would have to say we’re both looking forward to a challenge and competing.”

Irvine is led by junior quarterback Beck Moss who has passed for 1,129 yards and 10 touchdowns but thrown eight interceptions. The top receiver has been Kade Zimmerman, who has 45 receptions for 603 yards and four touchdowns. Jacob Sears has 24 catches for 297 yards and four touchdowns.

“We’re having a lot of kids who didn’t play varsity last year now starting to look like serious varsity contenders,” said Irvine Coach Tom Ricci after the Vaqueros last game with Orange. “And I think they’re going to be able to show some of that in league.

“The kids knew the moment that clock hit zero, it’s Woodbridge week and that’s important to them.”

A LOOK AT TWO BIG GAMES IN THE PCL