Freeway’s Playoff Picture Still Too Crowded to Call

Some county high school football teams already are gearing up for next week’s playoffs while others are looking ahead to next season. In the Freeway League, five teams don’t know what to expect.

After Friday’s games, Troy, Sonora, La Habra, Sunny Hills and Buena Park could finish tied for the league championship with 3-2 records, but only three would get automatic playoff berths.

“There’s a million possibilities, so I’ve just stopped thinking about them,” Buena Park Coach Bob Rau said.

Troy (6-2-1, 3-1 in league) and Sonora (6-3, 3-1) are tied for first and control their playoff destinies.

If Troy defeats Sunny Hills (4-5, 2-2) at Buena Park High, the Warriors clinch a share of the league championship and the league’s No. 1 playoff seeding. Troy defeated Sonora, 24-20, earlier this season.

Sonora can clinch at least the league’s No. 2 seeding and a share of the league championship with a victory over La Habra (3-6, 2-2) at La Habra High. It would be Sonora’s first playoff berth since 1985 and its first football league title since 1975.

“The feeling is real positive, the kids are excited, the whole community is involved,” Sonora Coach Mark Takkinen said. “Friday’s game is also the city championship game, but for 13 years in a row or so, La Habra has beaten us, so we’re trying to snap that.”

Sunny Hills and La Habra need victories or ties to have any playoff hopes. Losses would eliminate both teams from playoff contention.

Buena Park (2-7, 2-2) appears to have the easier game, facing Fullerton (3-6, 0-4). The Coyotes have an edge if they tie in the standings with Sunny Hills and La Habra because they have beaten both teams.

Fullerton will be trying to break a 14-game league losing streak against Buena Park at Fullerton High.

Any ties that cannot be broken by head-to-head matchups will be decided by coin flips Saturday.

According to Takkinen, in the event of a five -way tie, the schools will draw lots to determine the three playoff seedings. The Nos. 4 and 5 teams can only hope for a wild-card berth.

Other games to watch this week:

TODAY--In the Orange League, Anaheim (5-4, 2-2) meets Savanna (7-2, 2-2) at Glover Stadium with the winner earning an automatic Division VI playoff bid with at least a third-place finish. . . . Villa Park (6-3, 3-1) and Canyon (6-1-2, 2-1-1) will play at El Modena High with second place in the Century League at stake. . . . Los Amigos (8-1, 5-1) plays Pacifica (5-4, 4-2) at Bolsa Grande High, and the Lobos could lock up second in the Garden Grove League with a victory. Pacifica needs a victory to keep alive any Division VII playoff hopes.

FRIDAY--Valencia (8-1, 4-0), ranked fifth in Orange County, plays host to Western (6-2-1, 3-1) for the Orange League championship and top seeding for the Division VI playoffs. . . . Sixth-ranked San Clemente (8-1, 3-1) plays host to 10th-ranked Capistrano Valley (6-3, 3-1) in a second-place showdown in the South Coast League. . . . Newport Harbor (7-2, 4-2) and Santa Margarita (7-2, 4-2) will battle at Saddleback College for one of the Sea View League’s automatic Division IV playoff berths.