Key Points
  • Mater Dei concluded the 2023 Orange County football season with a 35-0 win over San Mateo Serra in the CIF State Open Division championship game, asserting its dominance as the top team in the county.
  • The team's standout moments included a 35-7 win over St. John Bosco in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship game.
  • Elijah Brown, Mater Dei's quarterback who signed with Stanford, exhibited an impressive pocket passing style similar to Bryce Young II.
  • JSerra had a strong season under first-year coach Victor Santa Cruz, finishing 5-6 and securing wins in Trinity League games.
  • Servite, under first-year coach Chris Reinert, improved significantly from a 1-9 record in 2022 to an 8-6 season, with notable success in the Division 2 playoffs.
  • Los Alamitos showcased an entertaining offense, led by junior quarterback Alonzo Esparza, and secured its fourth straight Sunset League championship.
  • Mission Viejo claimed victories in the CIF-SS Division 2 and CIF State Division 1-AA championships, with a commendable performance from the two-quarterback platoon of Luke Fahey and Draiden Trudeau.
  • Corona del Mar made a late-season resurgence, winning three straight Division 4 playoff games driven by a strong defense led by senior linebacker Christian Brooks.
  • Various teams and leagues in Orange County delivered compelling performances, including San Clemente, Villa Park, Tustin, La Habra, Sonora, and teams in the Garden Grove League and the Orange Coast League.
  • El Dorado and Western showcased improvement, while Laguna Beach's junior quarterback Jackson Kollock committed to Washington, and Dana Hills secured the Pacific Coast League championship.
  • The article also mentions the formation of new football leagues in the 2024 season based on county team rankings and presents a 2024 preseason Top 10 ranking.
  • A call for respecting officials in the upcoming 2024 season is emphasized, acknowledging the imperfections and importance of officials in county football.