Week 0 predictions, storylines in LA City Section high school football

Oklahoma commit, Jaden O'Neal, of Narbonne High will make his debut at QB for the Gauchos against Garfield, the 2023 City Section Open Division runner-up.

Carson High defense surrounds and brings down the ball carrier. /

California high school football is finally here.

Week 0 in the CIF Southern Section and LA City Section will kick off this week (Aug. 22-24) highlighted by big-time matchups within the SBLive CIF-SS preseason Top 25 and City Section preseason Top 10 rankings.

• WEEK 0 FRIDAY CITY SECTION SCOREBOARD
• SBLive's 2024 preseason All-LA City Section team
• Best LA City Section football games to watch in 2024

Each week, SBLive will predict winners of the top matchups and provide notable storylines to keep an eye on Friday night.

Here are the top games to watch and storylines to keep an eye on in Week 0.

PREDICTIONS FOR WEEK 0 TOP GAMES

(All games at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise)

Franklin at Granada Hills (Thu.), 7:30 p.m.

Franklin's Eduardo Cuevas returns for his senior season as one of the top QBs in the City after throwing for 1,939 yards and 19 TDs as a junior.

Granada Hills Charter lost Darrell Stanley (Birmingham) and Pharrell Stanley (Lancaster) to transfer. The Highlanders have run-heavy offense but will be without its leading rusher in 2024.

THE PICK: Franklin

No. 9 Garfield at No. 1 Narbonne

A Top 10 matchup in Week 0 will serve as a litmus test for both teams.

Garfield will rely on Mr. Do-it-All Jayden Garcia while Narbonne will trot out its new shiny toy in transfer QB Jaden O'Neal, an Oklahoma commit, who has been deemed eligible by the City Section office.

One thing seems sure, Garfield is unlikely to see athletes like Narbonne's the rest of the season.

THE PICK: Narbonne

El Camino Real at No. 10 Kennedy

Finally, El Camino Real baseball coach Josh Lienhard doesn't have to stress about the football team practicing in the outfield. ECR's football field is complete and ready for the season, but its first home game will have to wait.

The Royals don't have any big-time playmakers, but could make up with it with resilient seniors.

Kennedy is looking to make strides in the Division I playoffs, and it starts in Week 0, led by QB Diego Montes and four other All-City returners. The Cougars are poised for a big season.

THE PICK: Kennedy

Roosevelt at Venice, 7:30 p.m.

Venice QB Jaiden Noel; is expected to make a big sophomore leap after throwing for 1,304 yards as a freshman. Nathan Santacruz and Aaron Minter will need to step up at the wide receiver position.

Roosevelt is the early sleeper of the 2024 season, returning a lot of experience and four All-City performers from 2023, including QB Manny Madrigal and RB Alan Ortiz.

THE PICK: Roosevelt

LA Jordan at No. 7 King/Drew

Athletes will be on display, and maybe some of the best in the City.

David Sandy of LA Jordan will get plenty of opportunity to make plays, but he'll have to elude Chinedu Onyeagoro, the SMU commit on the edge. King/Drew coach Joe Torres believes QB Keenan Jackson is set for an All-City-type season.

THE PICK: King/Drew

JADEN O'NEAL SET FOR NARBONNE DEBUT

Jaden O'Neal of Narbonne /

The most highly-touted prospect in the City Section. Jaden O'Neal transferred from Newport Harbor and will be eligible immediately to kick off his junior campaign. O'Neal will have a lot of weapons at his disposal, like Xavier Owens and Allen Blaylock. O'Neal threw for 2,475 yards and 27 TDs as a sophomore at Newport Harbor. He threw 10 interceptions, but completed 61% of his passes.

The numbers are impressive, but what pops off the page is the junior standout is a 4-star rated recruit and committed to Oklahoma. It's not often that top-level recruits play in the City Section nowadays with the rise of private schools - but here we are.

O'Neal's presence, however, adds pressure. The Gauchos are expected to contend for a City Section Open Division title, and that all starts on Friday night when Narbonne takes on Garfield. Though Week 0 results can be fleeting because good teams tend to get better as the season goes on, this early matchup could be an indicator of what's to come.

Garfield was the 2023 Open Division runner-up.

BIRMINGHAM WITHOUT STANLEY

One of the City Section's top running backs Darrell Stanley (class of 2025) transferred to Birmingham from Granada Hills over the summer, but Birmingham coach Jim Rose said Stanley hasn't been to one football-related activity.

"I haven't seen him," Rose said.

SBLive reached out to Stanley via Twitter/X to ask about his status.

"I still go to (Birmingham). I just do online school," Stanley said, who hopes he can play football at some point this season.

Stanley rushed for 1,208 yards and18 TDs at Granada Hills last season. Birmingham's opener is against St. Bonaventure at Ventura College on Aug. 30.