Oilers move to 5-0 with 29-25 win over Yorba Linda

The Huntington Beach Oilers are 5-0 after holding off Yorba Linda 29-25 at home on Sept. 18, keeping their perfect start intact as nonleague play came to a close.

The four-point margin was the tightest of the Oilers' season. Huntington Beach had won its first four games by double digits: 42-14 at Millikan on Aug. 20, 31-15 over Los Alamitos on Aug. 27, 31-6 at Woodrow Wilson on Sept. 4 and 28-14 at Redondo Union on Sept. 10. Through five games the Oilers have outscored opponents 161 to 74.

A high school football game under the lights in Miami. Huntington Beach had won its first four games by double digits.

Ven-Lib, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

The unbeaten start has drawn statewide attention. National recruiting outlet On3 lists Huntington Beach at No. 32 in its rankings entering league play, with the Oilers favored in their upcoming matchup against El Modena on Oct. 2.

That Oct. 2 game, scheduled for 7 p.m., opens the league slate for Huntington Beach and presents a meeting of undefeated teams: El Modena carries a 5-0 record into the matchup as well. After that, the Oilers travel to Dana Hills on Oct. 9, visit Western on Oct. 15, host Troy on Oct. 22 and close the regular season at home against Laguna Beach on Oct. 30.

The 5-0 nonleague run sets up what looks like the game of the season in the city. The Oct. 2 home game against El Modena matches two undefeated teams, both entering at 5-0, with the Oilers favored by national outlets. On3's schedule listing marks the remaining games as league play, and the predictions make Huntington Beach the heavy favorite through October, with the closest projected test coming at Dana Hills on Oct. 9.

Edison, the city's other varsity program, sits at 1-3 after nonleague losses to Pinnacle, Corona del Mar and Palos Verdes. The Chargers opened with a 41-27 win at Iolani in Hawaii before dropping three straight, and face Summit at home on Sept. 25 before league play begins at Mission Viejo on Oct. 2.

A night homecoming game at a high school stadium in Kent, Ohio. The league opener against El Modena kicks off at 7 p.m. on Oct. 2.

JonRidinger, CC BY 3.0 · Source

Ocean View has been the city's other surprise, starting 4-1 with a four-game winning streak after an opening 27-21 loss to Fountain Valley. The Seahawks won at Gahr 19-9 on Sept. 17 and open league play at Costa Mesa on Oct. 2.

The Oilers' schedule was last updated on MaxPreps on Sept. 21, and every remaining game carries the league designation. If the nonleague form holds, Huntington Beach will be playing for seeding deep into November.

With three Huntington Beach schools carrying winning momentum into October, league play should settle where the city stands in one of Southern California's most competitive football corridors.