The Vista Murrieta Broncos pictured here honoring 13 United States service members killed in Afghanistan in 2021, welcome Great Oak as their Week Zero matchup Friday, August 19. Valley News/David Canales photo
– – Somehow, the first official week of high school football in California has arrived, which means, yes, summer is on the way out, making way for fall, but it also means…Zero Week games. Friday, August 19, will mark the start of prep football in the Southwest Riverside County region, and that can be equally as exciting, as it stressful to a coaching staff for any number of reasons.
Whether it is scheduling issues, paperwork, transfers, physicals, etc., anything can make for a huge scramble to get ready for the season. According to the rules laid down by the Southern Section of the California Interscholastic Federation, players are required to have nine days of practice before scrimmaging or playing in a game. Zero Week games are becoming increasingly popular since this first game results in a bye-week somewhere during the preseason, leading up to a breath of fresh air in the grand scheme of things.
It gives the banged-up guys a chance to heal, and it gives teams an extra week of preparation for the next week’s football game. Most coaches and players always prefer getting the season started early since they have been working out all summer together and would much rather be lining up across from someone else other than their own teammate.
With the Friday Night Lights taking precedence all over the area, the Valley News Sports Department will be focusing on the school’s and sports solely inside our coverage area this year. Those schools include Great Oak, Temecula Valley, Chaparral, Murrieta Valley, Murrieta Mesa, Vista Murrieta, Linfield Christian, Rancho Christian, Elsinore, Paloma Valley, Liberty, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, Heritage, Temecula Prep, Hamilton (Anza), Cornerstone Christian, Temescal Canyon, Lakeside, and the River Springs Charter Schools.
Here is a schedule of Week Zero high school football games involving area teams. Games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise indicated.
8/18 (Thursday)
Liberty @ Valley View
8/19 (Friday)
Murrieta Mesa @ Beaumont
Vista Murrieta vs. Great Oak
Temecula Valley @ Colony
Linfield Christian vs. Loara
Elsinore vs. Grand Terrace
Lakeside @ Arlington
Heritage @ Steele Canyon
Temescal Canyon vs. Paloma Valley
Rancho Christian @ Cathedral City
8/20 (Saturday, games at 7 p.m. unless noted)
Nonleague
Hamilton (Anza) vs. St. Jeanne de Lestonnac at Linfield Christian, 6 p.m.
Chaparral at Mission Hills
Army-Navy vs. Temecula Prep at Heritage HS
This week’s attention for our sports department will be aimed at Vista Murrieta where the Broncos, who went 8-4 last season, welcome Great Oak for their home opener. The Wolfpack, who have brought back coach Scott Strosnider (started the program back in 2004), went 3-7 last season in the Southwestern League, which no longer exists. The two teams have now been put in opposite halves of the new Big West Conference this year. Vista Murrieta has won 15 of their previous 16 matchups with Great Oak’s only victory coming in 2017.
Players to watch:
Vista Murrieta: Grant Wayne (12) WR- 527 yards, 10 TDs last season. On defense look for the Poyer brothers, Andrew, and Caleb, to lead the way.
Great Oak: Linebacker Ryder Chapin (83 tackles) and senior safety Troy Bean (58 tackles) are two players to watch on defense for the Wolfpack. The offensive leaders will start to take shape after Zero Week for sure.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
