Week 0 High School Football Preview: Huntington Beach vs. Henderson (Nev.) Green Valley

When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Huntington Beach High

Key Oilers: Sr. TE/OLB Christian Moore; Sr. DT Michael McCormick; Sr. FB/DE Brandon Bova; Sr. DE Joshua Toafa; Sr. QB Brady Gardner

Key Gators: Sr. QB Garrett Castro; Sr. RB/WR Noah Hawthorne; Sr. RB/CB Maaliek Duncan; Sr. DE/DT Traden Gusman; Sr. FB/DE Zane Maningo

Breakdown: In an intriguing Week 0 matchup, Huntington Beach and Green Valley could pit strength against strength. The Gators return their top two rushers from last season in Hawthorne and Duncan, but all four of the Oilers’ returning All-Sunset League performers from a year ago line up along the defensive front — Moore, McCormick, Bova and Toafa … Huntington Beach will look to forge an identity offensively. Gardner is the returning starting quarterback, but he did not play a full season as a junior due to a knee injury. Nor did senior Brandon Ferrin, a running back making his way back from a torn ACL … Huntington Beach begins the season ranked No. 6 in the CIF Southern Section Division 7 poll. As a member of the highly competitive Sunset League, though, it is crucial that the Oilers pick up their share of nonleague wins.

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