THIS WEEK’S TOP FOOTBALL GAMES

SOUTHERN SECTION

Huntington Beach Edison (5-1, 1-0) vs. Los Alamitos (5-1, 1-0) at Cerritos Gahr, 7, tonight

This Sunset League game would normally be a classic any season, but with Edison’s stonewall defense charged with facing the Griffins’ wide-open offense, interest has grown. Los Alamitos, ranked No. 6 in the Southland by The Times, is averaging over 40 points a game, and Alabama-bound quarterback Jim Barnes surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in last week’s 56-7 victory over Huntington Beach Marina. Third-ranked Edison shut out its third opponent last week, when it defeated Huntington Beach, 49-0. The Chargers are giving up only seven points a game and have forced 11 turnovers. As much as Edison is recognized for its defense, junior quarterback Brian Shrock has thrown for 62 more yards than Barnes has this season.

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Chino (5-1, 1-0) vs. Glendora (5-1, 1-0) at Citrus College, 7, tonight

Chino is averaging just under 40 points a game. A big part of its offense is running back Shawn Oatis, who scored three touchdowns last week in a 48-22 victory over Diamond Bar. Oatis, a Division I college prospect at safety, is headed to Ohio State on a recruiting trip this weekend. Oatis might be asked to carry an even bigger load against Glendora because quarterback Aaron Garcia injured his non-throwing shoulder while making a tackle after an interception last week. His status remains uncertain. Glendora probably is counting on quarterback Jacob Crook, who sat out two games after injuring a knee in Week 2 but came back last week to throw the game-winning touchdown pass with 14 seconds left in a 22-15 victory over Chino Hills.

-- Dan Arritt

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El Monte Arroyo (6-0, 1-0) vs. San Gabriel Gabrielino (6-0, 1-0) at Alhambra Keppel, 7, tonight

The Mission Valley League championship should come down to this game involving teams with high-scoring offenses and stingy defenses. The tougher job belongs to two-time defending champion Arroyo, which must prepare for two game plans by Gabrielino: one features a passing attack powered by Paul Zuniga, who has missed the last two games because of an injury but has completed 85.2% of his passes; the other is a running attack featuring Jonathan Omar, who is averaging 6.5 yards and has 10 touchdowns. Arroyo has balance on offense with quarterback Dominic Salmon and tailback Raul Ramirez. They will be up against a defense that has four shutouts and has given up only 26 points -- 20 in one game.

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Lake Elsinore Temescal Canyon (6-0, 1-0) at Temecula Valley (5-1, 1-0), 7 p.m., Friday

Defending Southwestern League co-champion Temescal Canyon is undefeated, but the Titans have three victories by four points or less. Only once have they scored fewer than 31 points behind efficient option quarterback Myles Eden, who has thrown for 720 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception. Running back Jared Zinda, with 620 yards and nine touchdowns, is averaging 6.1 yards a carry. Temecula Valley is no stranger to pressure -- the Golden Bears have won three times by seven points or less. Melvin Blackmon has passed for nine touchdowns with four interceptions, and Antonio Williams has rushed for 11 touchdowns.

-- Martin Henderson

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Santa Fe Springs St. Paul (4-2, 1-0) at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (6-0, 1-0), 7:30 p.m., Friday

Notre Dame has a 14-game winning streak, but the last team to beat the Knights was St. Paul, 24-21, last season. St. Paul put a scare into Long Beach Poly earlier and certainly has the running game, with tailback Dwight Tardy, to threaten the Knights. In big games, No. 8 Notre Dame turns to junior quarterback Garrett Green, whose running and passing puts lots of pressure on opponents. Kicker Kai Forbath has made his 12 field-goal attempts.

-- Eric Sondheimer