Week 4 predictions, storylines in California Southern Section high school football

SBLive takes a look at SEVEN big games in Week 4, picking winners for each game of the seven in the CIF Southern Section.

Gardena Serra football coach Scott Altenberg before Week 0's home opener against Orange Lutheran. / Tarek Fattal

The landscape of high school football in the CIF Southern Section is beginning to take shape.

Week 4 presents pivotal nonleague games that will reveal a lot about certain teams, especially with most squads having played three or four games. Common opponents and scorelines can help see a team for what they might be with more accuracy.

Bishop Amat's game against Rancho Cucamonga ... Inglewood taking on Oxnard Pacifica ... Oak Hills hosting St. Bonaventure in its toughest game yet. These are compelling matchups to keep an eye on.

• TOP 25 SCOREBOARD, NOTABLE STATS (from Week 3)
• Latest SBLive CIF-SS Top 25 rankings

As we head into Week 4, there are questions that arise after Week 3 performances. Each week, SBLive's Tarek Fattal will predict winners of the top matchups and provide notable storylines to keep an eye on Friday night.

TAREK'S TALLY (prediction W-L record)

• Week 0: 4-1
• Week 1: 4-1
• Week 2: 3-0
• Week 3: 3-0

Here are the top games to watch and storylines to keep an eye on in Week 4.

PREDICTIONS FOR WEEK 4 TOP GAMES

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

CJ McBean of Gardena Serra. / Tarek Fattal

No. 10 Gardena Serra (2-1) at No. 19 Oaks Christian (2-2), Thursday

Serra is off a bye week heading into a Thursday night tilt with one of Ventura County's top programs in Oaks Christian, which has been without its top weapon in Deshonne Redeaux due to injury and is being led by a freshman at QB in Tre Towns Jr.

WHO WILL WIN?

Oaks is coming off a lopsided loss to Santa Margarita, a likely Division 1 playoff team this fall. Next up: it's a very talented, dynamic Serra team led by CJ McBean and a bevy of ultra-talented defensive backs.

Despite Serra's lack of depth, the Cavs are a very good football team with senior Jimmy Butler at the controls under center.

THE PICK: Serra

St. Bonaventure (3-1) at No. 14 Oak Hills (4-0)

Oak Hills' toughest game this fall comes this Friday against a disciplined St. Bonaventure team led by running back Koen Glover. But Oak Hills has a workhorse of its own in the backfield in UCLA-commit Karson Cox, who's up to 13 touchdowns in four games.

WHO WILL WIN?

St. Bonny won this game last year, 23-21, in Ventura. But this one is in Hesperia where Oak Hills hasn't lost a regular-season home game since April of 2021 (COVID spring season). Bulldogs have won 17 straight regular-season home games.

THE PICK: Oak Hills

Oak Hills running back Karson Cox (middle). / Jose Huerta / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mira Costa (3-0) at San Juan Hills (3-1)

San Juan Hills' only loss is to out of state Higley of Arizona by less than one score. The Stallions like to air it out with junior QB Timmy Herr, who's tossed for 701 yards and seven TDs - and run for three more scores - in four games.

WHO WILL WIN?

Mira Costa beat St. Francis (without QB John Sanders) and Damien this past week, so are the Mustangs legit? Can they handle the dynamic offense of San Juan Hills? Time will tell.

THE PICK: San Juan Hills

Basha (AZ) (3-0) at No. 3 Mission Viejo (4-0)

Basha is among the top three teams from the state of Arizona with a nice balance of pass and run. Junior QB Broderick Vehrs has nine TD passes in three games.

WHO WILL WIN?

Mission Viejo has been heralded the best public school in SoCal, and it's proven that with a stellar offense and defense through four games, including a win over Santa Margarita.

Junior wideout Vance Spafford has 338 yards receiving and six touchdowns for the Diablos.

THE PICK: Mission Viejo

Mission Viejo is 4-0 this season. /

Rancho Cucamonga (2-1) at Bishop Amat (2-1)

This is a big nonleague game for both teams because the result could potentially shed light on where each program sits as it pertains to their respective leagues.

WHO WILL WIN?

If Rancho Cucamonga can beat Bishop Amat, maybe it shows the Cougars are ready to content for a Baseline League tiltle. If Amat wins, maybe it shows they're capable of a top-half finish in the very-challenging Mission League.

Amat showed character in its bounce-back win over Vista Murrieta last week.

THE PICK: Bishop Amat

No. 20 Inglewood (4-0) at Oxnard Pacifica (3-1)

Inglewood has come on strong lately. Junior tailback Victor Santino has given the Sentinels a foundation with his 303 yards and five scores in four games. Linebacker Venilaite Wolfgramm has already piled up 66 tackles.

WHO WILL WIN?

Last time Pacifica had a marquee game, it was blown out by Newbury Park (36-3). This is another chance for the Tritons to show it can perform in a step-up game - especially at home.

Inglewood defeated St. Bonaventure - a Marmonte League foe of Pacifica's - last week, 47-7.

THE PICK: Inglewood

No. 5 Orange Lutheran (3-1) at No. 7 Sierra Canyon (2-2), Saturday

This is another Saturday big boy game in the Southland.

Both teams are coming off losses to juggernaugts. Orange Lutheran lost to Bishop Gorman and Sierra Canyon fell to St. John Bosco (two weeks ago).

WHO WILL WIN?

Sierra Canyon is coming off a bye week, which could mean it's more rested, but will Orange Lutheran lose a second time in a row?

This is a toss up, but until Sierra Canyon proves it can take down a heavyweight, the Lancers get the slight edge.

THE PICK: Orange Lutheran

Orange Lutheran lineman Sam Utu. / Tarek Fattal

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