Prep football season makes its debut

Four local prep football teams launch their 2003 schedules this

weekend, with Ocean View kicking off the new season tonight against

Santiago.

Edison, Huntington Beach and Marina each play Friday.

A look at this week’s season-opening matchups:

TONIGHT

Ocean View vs. Santiago

(at Garden Grove High, 7 p.m.)

Ocean View launches its season against a Santiago squad that’s new

to the Seahawks’ nonleague schedule.

Santiago went 4-6 overall in 2002 and finished fifth in the Garden

Grove League.

Running back/linebacker is a key two-way starter for the

Cavaliers.

Ocean View went 2-8 last year in Harold Eggers’ return to the

school as head coach.

The Seahawks have several key returners, including quarterback

Alex Hickerson and running back Aaron Gonya.

Last year’s score: teams did not meet.

FRIDAY

Huntington Beach vs. Los Amigos

(at Garden Grove High, 7 p.m.)

Huntington Beach opened its 2002 season with a victory over Los

Amigos but later had to forfeit that win.

The Oilers will be looking to snap their winless streak at five

games against a Lobos team that returns several key players from last

year’s 10-3 team that won the Garden Grove League championship and

reached the Division IX semifinals.

Maopu Tuato, who plays quarterback and defensive back, returns to

the Lobos lineup.

Last year’s score: Huntington Beach, 35, Los Amigos 29

Marina vs. Paramount

(at Paramount High, 7 p.m.)

Marina won three games a year ago and one of those wins was a

34-point victory over Paramount.

The Pirates struggled last fall, going 2-8 overall and placing

fourth in the San Gabriel Valley League.

Marina dropped its final three games last fall.

Last year’s score: Marina 48, Paramount 14

Edison vs. San Clemente

(at San Clemente High, 7:30 p.m.)

This is one of the county’s marquee matchups in the opening week

of the season.

Edison is looking to rebound from last year’s 4-7 record, that

included a berth in the Division I playoffs, with a young team and,

for the first time in three years, won’t have the school’s

multi-record holder, Tommy Grady, at quarterback.

San Clemente is an experienced team. The Tritons went 9-4 overall

last year, finished second in the South Coast League standings and

reached the Division II semifinals.

The Tritons also lost their standout quarterback, Beau Budde, to

graduation.

Budde is the schools’ career passing leader.

San Clemente defeated Edison in the second week of the 2002 season

but later had to forfeit that victory.

Last year’s score: San Clemente 13, Edison 10