Pigskin Picks

The 2002 prep football season officially kicks off tonight, and

two local teams open their campaigns with home games.

TONIGHT’S GAMES

Los Amigos vs. Huntington Beach

(at Huntington Beach High, 7 p.m.)

The Mike Groscost era begins at Sheue Field when the Oilers battle

a tough Los Amigos squad.

The Lobos are coming off a 9-3 season, which included a Garden

Grove League championship and a quarterfinal appearance in the CIF

Southern Section Division IX playoffs.

Groscost is in his first year as head coach at his alma mater.

Huntington Beach is looking to improve upon last year’s record of

2-8, and end a losing streak at five games.

The teams did not meet in 2001.

Paramount vs. Marina

(at Westminster High, 7 p.m.)

Marina launches its season and a tough non-league schedule with a

date against Paramount at Boswell Field.

Coach Mike Dodd’s Vikings went 5-6 last year and reached the

CIF-SS Division I playoffs where they took a 10-0 and second-seeded

Redlands team to the wire in a 17-14 first round defeat.

Paramount is trying to rebound from a 3-6-1 year and the Pirates

will attempt to do so with a new system and new coach in place for

the first time in 21 years.

Gone is veteran coach Ken Sutch, who resigned following 20 years

on the job. In his place is new coach Steve Collins, who welcomes

back several key starters from last year’s team.

Last year’s game: Marina 40, Paramount 26

FRIDAY’S GAME

San Clemente at Edison (0-1)

(at Huntington Beach High, 7 p.m.)

Edison opened the season last week in Hawaii and is coming off a

34-20 loss to Lolani.

The Chargers will attempt to regroup against a talented San

Clemente team that went 6-4 a year ago and missed the Division I

playoffs by a coin flip.

The Tritons feature a strong rushing game and a sound defense.

It is the first meeting between the two teams since Edison took a

14-7 win from the Tritons in 1994.

SATURDAY’S GAME

Downey vs. Ocean View

(at Westminster High, 7 p.m.)

Harold Eggers returns for his second go as head coach at Ocean

View following one year at Norwalk.

The Seahawks were 3-7-1 in 2001 under Sean Simpson, reached the

Division VI playoffs by virtue of a forfeit victory, and were

eliminated in the first round by Newport Harbor.

Downey finished third in the San Gabriel League and reached the

Division II playoffs. The Vikings dropped a first round game to

eventual division runner-up Chino.

The teams did not meet in 2001.