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(Photo: OC Sports Zone, Fernando M. Donado)
Pacific Coast Conference football teams are heading into week nine action with games that will have a bearing on league titles in the two four-team leagues, the upper tier Pacific Coast League and second tier Pacific Hills League and on the CIF playoffs which start the first week of November.
Three Irvine teams will host games Friday night, but two of the squads will not be playing in their home stadiums.
Woodbridge Athletic Director and assistant football coach Rick Gibson confirmed Tuesday that Woodbridge (4-4, 1-0) will be hosting Portola (2-6, 1-0) in a Pacific Hills League game Friday night at Irvine Stadium, which is the home of Irvine High School and Northwood High School.
Woodbridge’s home stadium at University High School was not available because University will be hosting Beckman. Woodbridge used to play home games at Irvine Stadium before the Uni stadium was built.
In addition, Pacific Coast League leader Northwood, which plays most of its home games at Irvine Stadium, will have its home game vs. Irvine Friday night at Portola.
The other Pacific Coast League game has Dana Hills playing at Laguna Hills (7-1, 0-1). Dana Hills (6-2, 1-0) captured a wild 50-49 victory in overtime over Irvine (4-4, 0-1) Friday night.
Gibson added that league officials decided against having any of the games on Thursday night because attendance drops significantly from Friday games. Irvine schools have scheduled Thursday night games in the past.
In a four-team league with just three league games, a lot can happen in two weeks but Northwood (7-1, 1-0) took the inside track on a Pacific Coast League title with a 21-17 road victory over Laguna Hills.
In the Pacific Hills League, Woodbridge defeated Beckman 21-0 and Portola (2-6, 1-0) topped University 42-7. So Woodbridge and Portola are tied for first going into Friday’s game at Irvine Stadium.
The Pacific Hills League game between Beckman (2-6, 0-1) and University (2-6, 0-1) Friday also could have a bearing on the CIF playoffs with two teams from each league expected to earn the automatic berths.
All the games start at 7 p.m.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS:
Northwood 21, Laguna Hills 17
Dana Hills 50, Irvine 49 (OT): CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS AND STORY
Woodbridge 21, Beckman 0
Portola 42, University 7
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
