Top high school football games for Friday and Saturday

Top high school games

Santa Ana Mater Dei at Carson, 7 p.m., Friday: Last season, Carson upset the Monarchs in the debut of new Coach Elijah Asante. The Colts have offensive fire power with USC-bound receiver Darreus Rogers and new quarterback Kevin McMahon, a transfer from South Torrance. But Mater Dei won’t take the Colts lightly this time, and new quarterback Ryan McMahon was impressive in summer competitions. The pick: Mater Dei.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Gardena Serra, 7 p.m., Friday: Notre Dame lost several close games last season en route to an uncharacteristic 2-8 record. Young players who got a chance to play should use that experience to make the Knights much improved. Junior quarterback Kelly Hilinski and junior running back Khalfani Muhammad are highly regarded college prospects. Serra, which has been to consecutive bowl games, was hit hard by graduation but will turn to a talented group of young players. One veteran to count on is receiver-defensive back Raymond Ford, a UCLA commit. The pick: Notre Dame.

Long Beach Poly at Sacramento Grant, 8 p.m., Saturday: Grant opened its season with a 43-16 victory over Folsom last week, putting the pressure on Poly to be ready for a top performance. The Jackrabbits are strong in the skill positions, but there are lots of questions about the offensive and defensive lines. The pick: Poly.

Washington Bellevue vs. Westlake Village Oaks Christian at Mission Viejo, 8:30 p.m. Saturday: Oaks Christian is loaded with experienced players, except at the quarterback position, where Utah transfer Luke Falk will be asked to supply some consistency to the Lions’ attack. The pick: Oaks Christian.