Howard’s Appliance, a nearly 80-year-old retail chain in Southern California that closed its doors Saturday, Dec. 6, is expected to file for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, blaming tariffs and declining consumer spending for its collapse.

“Despite our best efforts to overcome tariffs, declines in consumer spending, and other macroeconomic challenges — we have made the difficult decision to file for bankruptcy and close our doors,” David Goodrich with the law firm Golden Goodrich in Costa Mesa told the Southern California News Group on Monday. “This was not a decision made lightly, but one that became necessary given the current economic landscape.”

President Donald Trump has made his battle over tariffs with foreign nations a major administration policy to raise revenue for the country and revitalize the economy and create jobs domestically.

Goodrich said the company plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles. In Chapter 11, the company continues to operate under the supervision of a court-appointed trustee with the goal of emerging from bankruptcy as a viable business.

The company’s attorney declined to say what kind of debt Howard’s is carrying or whether there is a possibility the chain might emerge from bankruptcy protection at a later date.

Dozens of consumers have reached out to SCNG to find out how they can recover thousands of dollars paid to Howard’s to buy appliances that have yet to be delivered.

Goodrich said there will be partial refunds available for consumers who made payments on undelivered products, as well as possibly picking up some appliances that were in stock and not delivered. The procedures for recovery will be outlined in the bankruptcy filing, he said.

Howard’s was based in La Habra before consolidating operations in December 2024 to a new headquarters in City of Industry. It was acquired in April by S5 Equity, a private equity firm based in Newport Beach, to help with the cash-starved company’s turnaround.

A week after Black Friday sales, the chain suddenly closed all of its Southern California stores, offering only two days’ notice to employees on Dec. 4, and nothing to customers with orders in limbo. Roughly 100 employees were notified of their pending layoffs during a Zoom video conference call on Thursday afternoon. During the call they were told that business operations would cease Saturday, Dec. 6.

Goodrich said in a statement that Howard’s expresses its “deepest gratitude” to its team of “employees who have worked tirelessly” with the community’s support. “We are currently working through the legal process to ensure a distinct and orderly closure,” he said.

The company began in 1946 as a radio repair shop in San Gabriel and later evolved into one of Southern California’s leading independent appliance retailers, expanding into televisions and mattresses.

Howard’s, whose website went down beginning Friday, operated at least 17 stores before it was acquired. That store count was down to eight as of last week. Those stores are in Tustin, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Laguna Hills, Long Beach (Marina Pacifica neighborhood along Pacific Coast Highway), Alhambra, Covina and Riverside.

Several customers in recent days have been frantically trying to either get their appliances — delivered or picked up at a store — or get reimbursed for payments made as long ago as October.

“We ordered and paid for a washer and dryer eight weeks ago,” said Greg Bingham, sales manager with the Tim Smith Real Estate Group in Newport Beach. “We called on the status, but the phone was never answered. We went to the store to see, but they had closed.”

La Habra Heights resident Karin Shoup bought a $16,000, 48-inch Signature Kitchen Suite French-door refrigerator for her remodeled kitchen.

“I’m insane. Why would I do that? I got a hair-brained idea to redo our kitchen and buy a fancy refrigerator after I convinced my husband,” Shoup said. “You can imagine what kind of hell I’m in now.”

On Monday, Shoup said that a salesman with Howard’s attempted to get the appliance rescheduled for delivery after thinking it would be trucked to her home on Saturday. It never showed up. By noon Monday, she received word from that same salesman that the appliance was locked up at the company’s City of Industry warehouse.

“He dashed all my hopes,” said Shoup, who plans to work through her credit card company to dispute the charge. “You got to laugh.”

S5 Equity, an investment firm led by the Steinhafel family, made its first acquisition in 2022, when it partnered with Prelude Wine Holdings to buy Wiens Cellars in Temecula. In March 2025, it bought Minnesota-based Heartland America, a discount catalog and online retailer for consumers seeking to buy electronics, houseware and apparel.

The Steinhafel family has connections with Steinhafels Furniture in Wisconsin, as well as Gregg Steinhafel, who resigned as president and chief executive officer of Minnesota-based Target Corp. in 2014 following a data breach that exposed 40 million credit and debit card accounts.

S5 Equity is led by managing partner and founder David Steinhafel.

Notable this week: Santa Margarita remains the top-ranked team in the county, having gone 2-1 in a challenging tournament on the road. … Corona del Mar moves up after winning the Diablo Inferno tournament. … El Dorado defeated last week’s No. 8 team, La Habra, in the Gary Raya Classic tournament at El Dorado. … Pacifica Christian also rises after winning a tournament title. … Esperanza climbs into the rankings after a win over Servite, which beat Cypress. … Los Alamitos is 1-5 against a very rugged schedule.

1. Santa Margarita 9-1: The Eagles went 2-1 in the Xavieren Classic tournament in Maryland, concluding with a 71-54 win over legendary DeMatha.

Previous ranking: 1

2. JSerra 5-3: The Lions lost to Crespi, one of the CIF Southern Section’s better teams.

Previous ranking: 2

3. Crean Lutheran 7-1: The Saints extended their winning streak to six games with wins over Farrington of Hawaii, Carlsbad and Village Christian.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Fairmont Prep 5-1: The Huskies did not play last week. They will play in the Bosco Classic at St. John Bosco this week, starting out against Palos Verdes on Tuesday and St. John Bosco on Wednesday.

Previous ranking: 4

5. Corona del Mar 6-0: The Sea Kings won the championship of the Diablo Inferno Invitational.

Previous ranking: 6

6. Pacifica Christian 6-2: The Tritons won the Meet in the Middle Classic at Bakersfield Christian.

7. Orange Lutheran 6-2: The Lancers beat Austin Peace Academy, play in the North Orange County Championships this week at Sonora.

Previous ranking: 7

8. Mater Dei 2-3: The Monarchs did not play last week. They play in the San Juan Hills Invitational this week.

Previous ranking: 5

9. Canyon 3-2: It did not play last week. It is in the North Orange County Championships at Sonora this week.

Previous ranking: 10

10. Tesoro 8-2: The Tritons advanced to the final of the Diablo Inferno tournament and lost to Corona del Mar.

Previous ranking: 13

11. El Dorado 9-1

Previous ranking: 16

12. La Habra 8-2

Previous ranking: 8

13. Los Alamitos 1-5

Previous ranking: 12

14. Edison 6-2

Previous ranking: 15

15. San Clemente 6-3

Previous ranking: 16

16. Esperanza 7-1

Previous ranking: Not ranked

17. Servite 7-2

Previous ranking: 14

18. Cypress 5-3

Previous ranking: 9

19. Sonora 7-1

Previous ranking: 18

20. Woodbridge 8-3

Previous ranking: 20

21. Villa Park 8-3

Previous ranking: 21

22. Aliso Niguel 7-4

Previous ranking:

23: Foothill 3-4

Previous ranking: 23

24. Beckman 7-4

Previous ranking: Not ranked

25. Laguna Hills 5-4

Previous ranking: 24

In Mission Viejo, elections will start being staggered again and in Laguna Hills, the city is set to transition to by-district elections with voters choosing a councilmember from their geographic area, versus the at-large elections that have been traditionally held.

The Laguna Hills City Council is scheduled on Tuesday to hold a final public hearing to adopt the map for how the city should be divided into five council districts and set the sequencing for rolling out the new seats.

The city is the latest to have been challenged that its at-large voting process disenfranchises minority voters, and in September the council voted to transition the city to the district-style of voting. A majority of Orange County cities have made the switch in recent years, facing similar election equity challenges.

“I considered myself lucky that I didn’t represent a district, that I represent the whole city,” Councilmember Don Caskey said. “Because I see Laguna Hills as being a town, a little town, even though we are 30,000 people. But I really believe, if you live in a community and you have some kind of a connection with a councilmember who serves your district, I don’t see anything wrong with that at all, as long as we come together as a council and serve the whole town, our whole community.”

City leaders say the chosen Map 108, which is expected to be finalized next week, creates the geographic council districts that align neighborhoods, major thoroughfares and communities of interest most closely.

District 1 encompasses the city’s northern area, starting a tad north of Los Alisos Boulevard. District 2 stretches south to Paseo de Valencia and La Paz Road. District 3 picks up communities west of Alicia Parkway and pushes into District 2 a bit north of Laguna Hills Drive. District 4 is a strip across the city’s middle, filling in south to La Paz Road, including a bit more on the western side to Oso Parkway, and District 5 takes in the remainder of the city’s southern area.

“It provides contiguous, compact districts that align with our neighborhoods and major roadways and communities of interest,” Mayor Joshue Sweeney said at the last council meeting when the map was settled on. “It does an excellent job of respecting our neighborhood integrity, while ensuring equal representation across the city.

“The boundaries are easy to understand they are logical and align with our growth areas,” he added.

The council agreed 3-1 on the map, with Councilmember Dave Wheeler opposed because he felt it divided up too many of the city’s communities and another map was more consistent. Councilmember Erica Pezold recused herself from the discussion.

The council has also decided how to stagger the election process for the transition, and will vote Tuesday to confirm that districts 1, 2, and 4 would be up for election in 2026, and that districts 3 and 5 would be up for election in 2028.

Councilmembers in Laguna Hills are limited to two consecutive four-year terms.

Mission Viejo last had staggered elections in 2020; in 2022, all five seats ended up on the ballot as the city transitioned to district elections, and in 2024, no councilmember appeared on the ballot as a result of an earlier judge’s decision.

All five council district seats will appear on the 2026 ballot, but the council in November decided the winners in districts 1, 3, and 5 will serve four-year terms and those representing districts 2 and 4 will serve two years, thus getting future elections back on a staggered schedule.

In 2026, three of the council members, Brian Goodell in District 2, Trish Kelley in District 4 and Wendy Bucknum in District 5, will be termed out. Mission Viejo city code allows three terms served.

Current Mayor Bob Ruesch, representing District 1, and Councilmember Cynthia Vasquez, District 3, who has already declared she intends to run again, are in their first terms. Both of their districts will get four-year terms.

The city initially looked at a cumulative voting system following a lawsuit that argued the city’s at-large elections diluted the community’s Latino vote, with officials saying it would be hard, given the city’s population distribution, to draw districts that would have impact.

But state election leaders objected, so the city instead started the process for switching to by-district elections.

In 2022, the city was sued over term limits as part of that transition and an Orange County Superior Court judge ruled that council members improperly extended some terms and all five should appear on that year’s ballot.

The recent decision on staggering term limits was made so there wouldn’t be an entirely new council with no prior knowledge, said Ruesch. Some residents questioned the council on which seats were chosen for shorter terms.

The council followed the previous rotation of two seats in one election, followed by three in the next election, in place since 1988, Ruesch said.

“The majority of us saw no reason to change that stagger,” he said. “There was some thought that we should reverse that because it would give an opportunity to have three seats up during the general election, with the thought that there might be more voters. History said there was no reason to change, and the preponderance of city members agreed, and that’s how we moved forward.”

The council decided that Districts 1, 3, and 5 would have four years, he added, so there would be more representation across the entire city.

“The north end is District 1, the central and south end is District 3 and the middle is District 5,” Reusch said. “So you had what seemed to be the best way to represent the entire city. The worst thing would be having only one half of the city having a complete change and one half not, so would you have good representation across the board? We took the route that we thought was the fairest and the most consistent with what we had done in the past.”

Corona del Mar’s girls tennis team overcame weather delays, the absence of its coach and a strong opponent to capture its first CIF-SS title since 2019.

Senior Polina Briggs swept at singles and senior Emilie Lew and sophomore Julia Cross each won twice as the top-seeded Sea Kings defeated No. 2 Portola 10-8 in the Division 1 final at the University of Redlands on Wednesday.

The girls tennis team championships, originally scheduled for Nov. 14, were pushed back several days because of a strong storm that drenched Southern California.

Corona del Mar (21-0) played Wednesday without veteran coach Jamie Gresh, who was recovering from hip surgery on Tuesday. He praised assistant Tyler Gaede for guiding the team in his absence.

“(He) did an amazing job,” Gresh said.

While Corona del Mar earned seven points in singles, it claimed three vital points in doubles.

Freshman Brynn Patterson and sophomore Madi Jackson collected two wins and the team of seniors Sasha Briggs and Isabel Roytman added one.

Portola (17-3) racked up six points at doubles. The Bulldogs’ pairs of Alycia Lee-Sarah Sumida, Payton Nguyen-Emily Roman and Evelyn Wang-Shailikunverba Chudasama each won matches.

The final score was slightly closer than the 11-8 victory Corona del Mar posted in the teams’ early-season match season on Sept. 3.

“So exciting,” Portola coach Natasha Schottland said. “Such a bummer not to have Jamie there but great energy, top-notch performances on both teams and it came down to the third round, which is what a final should be.”

Corona del Mar and Portola could collide again this weekend at the CIF SoCal Regional at The Claremont Club.

The event, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, also includes Mater Dei and Mira Costa from the Southern Section.

The other entries are Palisades, San Diego’s Del Norte and Canyon Crest and Stockdale from the Central Section.

Last season, Portola lost to undefeated Palos Verdes in the section and regional championships.

In other finals Wednesday at The Claremont Club:

In Division 6:

Village Christian 10, Villa Park 8: Junior Anika Guniganti swept at singles and the doubles pair of Eve Benson and Emily Nguyen won twice to lead the Spartans (11-8).

In Division 7:

Oakwood of North Hollywood 12, Laguna Hills 6: Nora Kohan and Alexa Simon swept as Oakwood (15-6) won seven of nine matches at singles to defeat the Hawks (11-6). Laguna Hills’ doubles teams of Arielle Tal-Keira McDermott collected two victories.

In Division 8:

Bishop Diego 9, Santiago 9 (78-71 games): The Cavaliers (9-9) lost 78-71 on games in a final that produced three doubles matches that went to tie-breakers. The doubles pair of Tammy Hua and Emily Dau swept to lead Santiago, which reach its first section final.

Corona del Mar, Portola, Villa Park, Laguna Hills and Santiago each won semifinal matches Wednesday or Thursday to advance to the CIF-SS girls tennis finals. The question now is when will the teams play for their titles?

The Southern Section has rescheduled the team championships from Friday to Monday, Nov. 17 because of the storm expected to bring heavy rain to Southern California, section spokesman Thom Simmons said.

“The weather forecast has dictated the change,” Simmons said.

The finals are scheduled to be played at either The Claremont Club or the University of Redlands, Simmons said.

The forecast calls for rain through Tuesday in Claremont and Redlands.

Simmons said if weather prevents the finals from being played on Monday, the matches would move to the next available day.

Corona del Mar and Portola reached the Division 1 final. The top-seeded Sea Kings (20-0) beat Mater Dei 13-5 in the semifinals Wednesday while No. 2 Portola (17-2) edged Mira Costa 68-67 on games after being tied 9-9 in sets.

In the Division 6 semifinals Wednesday, Villa Park (117-7) beat Flintridge Sacred Heart 10-8 to reach the championship against Village Christian of Sun Valley.

Laguna Hills (11-5) defeated Malibu 10-8 in the Division 7 semifinals Thursday to advance to play Oakwood of North Hollywood.

In Division 8 on Wednesday, Santiago (9-8) beat Oxnard 10-8 to make the finals against Bishop Diego. The Cavaliers reached their first championship.

The Division 1 final is set for Redlands while the county’s other three finals will be in Claremont.

The much-anticipated venue will also focus on boozy cocktails as well as low-ABV and zero-proof drinks. In addition to a dining room and bar space, patrons are welcome to pop in to visit the bottle shop and deli for grab-and-go items. Hence the name Bardega, a portmanteau of “bar” and “bodega” (the term New Yorkers often use for their corner stores).

“We wanted to create a place that feels instantly familiar yet completely unlike anywhere else,” said Sharp, in a written statement. “From the design to the drinks, Bardega celebrates individuality and connection.”

ALSO READ: These high school pals created bar/bodega hybrid Bardega coming to Laguna Hills

Menu highlights, created by chefs Kiel Anderson and Ted Fleury, at Bardega will include a Chicago Red Hot featuring an all-beef frank served on a poppy seed bun and topped with Chicago-style yellow mustard, diced onions, sweet relish, tomato slices and sport peppers; Glazed Ribs, riblets lacquered with a sweet-and-spicy reduction; and a Beef Dip sandwich with tender beef layered with caramelized onions and melted provolone on a toasted baguette, served alongside horseradish sauce and au jus.

Bardega beverages will include a Spiked Root Beer Float featuring a root beer reduction, bourbon, vanilla cream and chocolate bitters and the Royal Wednesday, a citrusy gin paired blended with royal butterfly cordial and elderflower foam, to name two.

Danger and Sharp, who met years ago while attending Aliso Niguel High School, wanted to open a venue that combines bar, market and restaurant, but also a space that’s inclusive for those who either do not want or cannot drink booze. “The palette for drinkers is changing,” said Danger in a June 2025 interview, “and we’ve seen it happening in recent years. They want to drink healthier. If that means no alcohol or lower ABV [alcohol by volume], or even less sugar, we want to fill that niche.”

Danger is best known as the founder of Golden Crown Barber Shop and former co-producer of MUSINK, billed as the nation’s largest tattoo and music festival, while Sharpe is a noted restaurateur, bar consultant and owner behind hospitality agencies like Intelligent ABV Holdings and Lifted Spiritz Agency.

Bardega will be open daily from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Find it: 24781 Alicia Parkway, Suite A, Laguna Hills; 949-484-9980

The situation began late Friday, Sept. 19, when Carlsbad police were called to an apartment complex in the 2300 block of Rising Glen Way after reports of gunfire. Officers arrived around 9:53 p.m. and found a woman who had been shot. She died at the scene. Detectives said her vehicle had been stolen during the attack.

The victim was identified in broadcast reports as April Moore, 50, of Carlsbad.

Just after midnight, a license plate reader in Laguna Beach detected the stolen vehicle. Shortly before 1 a.m. on Sept. 20, Newport Beach officers located it near Newport Coast and Pacific Coast Highway and tried to pull the driver over, authorities said. When the driver sped off, officers from Newport Beach and Irvine joined in pursuit.

The chase continued into Laguna Hills, ending near Avenida De La Carlota. Video released by police shows the suspect, identified as Andre Anthony Matijasevic, making a sharp turn and stopping in the roadway, before getting out of the car and firing repeatedly at officers. Several patrol vehicles were struck by gunfire.

The footage then shows Matijasevic running toward a nearby In-N-Out Burger while continuing to shoot. Officers returned fire, and he is seen falling to the ground in the restaurant’s parking lot. In the video, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Oberon says the suspect continued firing from the ground. Matijasevic is seen aiming his gun toward officers, but because of the sound of police gunfire, it is unclear when the suspect fires again.

Officers approached and, after separating the suspect from his handgun, began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived. Matijasevic was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where he was pronounced dead. No officers were injured.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the attempted murder of the officers, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the officer-involved shooting. In the video, Newport Beach Police Chief Dave Miner says the investigation could take up to a year.

Below is a list of some bakeries and markets in Orange County where you can get your hands on pan de muerto for the holiday, which falls on Saturday, Nov. 1 and Sunday, Nov. 2. Keep in mind that many of these spots will either sell out or carry their holiday bread closer to Día de Muertos.

Anaheim: Brizuela’s Bakery (1721 W. Katella Ave.), La Reina Market (508 N. East St.), Max’s Baked Goods (3414 W. Ball Road), Northgate Market (929 S. Euclid St.), Panadería La Pequena (888 W. Lincoln Ave.), Panadería Los Volcanes (2659 W. Lincoln Ave.)

Buena Park: Panadería Indio (8204 Commonwealth Ave.), Northgate Market (1120 S. Bristol St.)

Costa Mesa: La Espiga De Oro (805 W. 19th St.), Mercado González (2300 Harbor Blvd.), Panificadora Bakery (2200 Harbor Blvd.)

Dana Point: Buena Vista Market (34065 La Plaza)

Fullerton: Cafe Cultura (907 W. Orangethorpe Ave.), El Trigal Dorado (2230 W. Orangethorpe Ave.), Panadería y Pasteleria (2230 W. Orangethorpe Ave.)

Garden Grove: Estrella De Mexicali (12859 Chapman Ave.), Mi Perlita Bakery (12111 Garden Grove Blvd.)

Huntington Beach: Chelos Panadería (18029 Beach Blvd.)

La Habra: La Central Bakery (764 W. La Habra Blvd.), My Bakery (350 N. Harbor Blvd), Northgate Market (1305 W. Whittier Blvd.), Panadería y Pasteleria la Mexicana (1951 E. La Habra Blvd.)

Laguna Niguel: Mucho Mucho Market (28985 Golden Lantern)

Lake Forest: Efren’s Bakery (24601 Raymond Way, #7), El Molino de Oro (23532 El Toro Road)

Orange: El Molino De Oro (728 N. Tustin St.), La Espiga De Oro (1177 N Tustin St), La Reina Market (909 N. Tustin St.),

Placentia: Mil Hojas (642 W. Chapman Ave.)

San Juan Capistrano: El Molino De Oro (31886 Plaza Drive), Mercado El Rey (32252 Camino Capistrano) and El Campeon Bakery (31921 Camino Capistrano)

Santa Ana: Cafe Cultura (324 W. Fourth St.), Chelo’s Bakery (5403 W 1st St.), El Gallo Giro (1442 S. Bristol St.), El Metate Panadería (1338 W. First St.), El Panadero (1818 S. Standard Ave.), La Rancherita Bakery (2709 Westminster Ave.), Northgate Market (230 N. Harbor Blvd., 1120 S. Bristol St., 1010 South Main St., 2603 Westminster Ave.), Panadería Paloza (1701 E. McFadden Ave.), Rosas Pasteleria y Panaderia (1009 S. Fairview St.), Tlaxcala Bakery Panadería (1208 S. Standard Ave.)

Stanton: Leobardo’s Bakery (11841 Beach Blvd.), Panadería El Cortez (7506 Cerritos Ave.)

Kalé Murphy threw for 197 yards with two touchdowns for Servite in a 43-26 win over JSerra in a Trinity League game Friday at Cerritos College.

Jorden Wells ran for 109 yards with a touchdown for Servite (5-2, 1-1), and Steele Holcomb had two rushing touchdowns. Luke Sorensen and Judah Clark added touchdown receptions.

Isaiah Danns had an interception for Servite’s defense.

The Friars jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first half.

Clark Cokley caught 9 passes for 127 yards with three touchdowns for JSerra (3-4, 0-2). Gino Wang threw two touchdown passes and ran for a touchdown. Zacarias Nickerson and Rocco Tompkins had interceptions for the Lions.

In other games Friday:

In the Delta League:

Capistrano Valley 42, Cypress 0: Capistrano Valley returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a rout of Cypress.

Chris Fields and Evan Eidenmuller had the two interceptions for the Cougars. Talon Spencer completed 11 of 13 passes for 126 yards with two touchdowns for Capistrano Valley (6-1, 2-0).

Abel Gherasin and Cartyr Quartucy had touchdown receptions for the Cougars. Quartucy threw a touchdown pass to Spencer on a trick play.

Tustin 42, Trabuco Hills 14: Ayden Edwards threw three touchdown passes for Tustin in a home win over Trabuco Hills.

Jeremiah Salvant had two touchdown receptions for the Tillers and Hayden Koo had a touchdown catch. Khalil Terry ran for two touchdowns for Tustin (5-2, 2-0) and Elijah Robinson added a touchdown run.

Tristan Zale threw for 217 yards with a touchdown for Trabuco Hills (3-4, 0-2). Everett Schweer had a touchdown reception and Luke Hoffman had a touchdown run for the Mustangs.

In the Foxtrot League:

Laguna Beach 63, Fountain Valley 18: Jack Hurst threw for 294 yards with seven touchdowns for Laguna Beach in a blowout win over Fountain Valley.

Grant Regal had three touchdown receptions for Laguna Beach (7-0, 2-0) and Brady Stringham led the Breakers with 98 yards receiving with a score. Charlie Christian ran for 75 yards with a touchdown.

Stringham and Garrett Byerly blocked two field goals for Laguna Beach and Will Kimball blocked a punt.

Dana Hills 49, Orange 28: Carter Anderson threw for 159 yards with four touchdowns for Dana Hills.

James Leicester had 68 yards receiving with two touchdowns for Dana Hills (7-0, 2-0). Leicester has 22 career touchdown receptions which is a school record for Dana Hills. Jack Norman and Trevor Dean had touchdown receptions and Radley Geiss had two rushing touchdowns. William Reardon had 12 tackles with an interception to lead the defense.

Star Thomas threw for 255 yards with three touchdowns for Orange (4-3, 1-1). Benjamin Lafferre ran for 131 yards with a touchdown. Dylan Stone caught five passes for 152 yards with two touchdowns.

In the Kappa League:

Brea Olinda 36, St. Margaret’s 35: Brea Olinda scored the game-winning touchdown and 2-point conversion in the final minute to edge St. Margaret’s.

Carson Tracey threw for 164 yards with three touchdowns for Brea Olinda (5-2, 2-0). Ryan Nero led the Wildcats in receiving with 86 yards and Jio Kang had a touchdown reception.

Kai Letcher had three rushing touchdowns for St. Margaret’s (3-4, 0-2) and threw a touchdown pass to Nathan Smith. Sammy Grant-Lewis threw a touchdown pass to jack Klausner and Cameron White had an interception for the Tartans.

In the Omicron League:

University 10, Buena Park 2: Zion Barreto ran for 95 yards with a touchdown for University (3-4, 1-1).

Cruz McMullens had an interception for the Trojans and Jacob Najar had two sacks.

Portola 38, Katella 0: Timothy Grettenberg ran for two touchdowns for Portola in a dominant win over Katella.

Orion Suttle had two touchdown passes for Portola (4-3, 2-0). Jamal Abdelkarim and Blaise WIlliams had touchdown receptions for the Bulldogs.

Brandon Baltazar had an interception for Katella (3-4, 0-2).

In the Sigma League:

Ocean View 28, Santa Ana Valley 0: Ocean View ran for 240 yards in a shutout win over Santa Ana Valley.

Dereon Oliney ran for 92 yards with a touchdown and Trevor Luapo ran for 48 with a score. Dean Northam threw for 103 yards with a touchdown pass to Zack Zentgraf for Ocean View (6-1, 2-0). Luapo also returned a fumble 50 yards for a touchdown.

Rancho Alamitos 17, Los Amigos 6: Vincent Gentile threw a 67-yard touchdown pass to Joe Vazquez on the first play from scrimmage for Rancho Alamitos (4-3, 1-1).

Jacob Vazquez had a rushing touchdown for the Vaqueros and Jacob Molina made a 32-yard field goal.

Kevin Centeno ran for a touchdown for Los Amigos (3-4, 0-2).

— Michael Huntley

In the Bravo League

Villa Park 42, Tesoro 24: Sean Byrnes, Luvie Clark and Cooper Nagle returned interceptions for touchdowns for the Spartans who are 4-3 overall and 1-1 in league.

Clark also had a touchdown reception. Matt Smith, in his first full game as the Villa Park quarterback, threw two touchdown passes and ran for a touchdown.

Tesoro is 3-4 overall, 1-1 in league.

Villa Park plays Corona del Mar on Friday, Oct. 17, at El Modena High.

In the Epsilon League

Foothill 24, Laguna Hills 21: Aidan Faraj rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns for the Knights (2-5, 1-1).

Paxton Patterson had a team-high seven tackles including five solo tackles for Foothill.

The Knights’ Ford Wooton had six receptions for 51 yards and Derek Simecek had four receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown.

Laguna Hills is 3-4 overall, 0-2 in league.

Crean Lutheran 50, El Dorado 7: Junior quarterback Caden Jones completed 25 of 37passes for 211 yards and five touchdowns as the Saints improved to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in league.

Bryce Coleman had eight receptions including one for a touchdown. Dillon Booth and Ty Johnson caught two touchdown passes each.

El Dorado is 3-4 in league and 0-2 overall.

Crean Lutheran is home against La Habra in a league game Friday, Oct. 17.

In the Iota League

Troy 48, Santa Ana 19: Junior quarterback Mason Mays completed 12 of 14 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns as the Warriors improved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in league.

Warriors running back Ethan Mundt, averaging 172 rushing yards a game, did not play for the second straight week. Troy coach Michael Echaves said Mundt could have played Friday but that Mundt is being held back as a precaution.

Jackson Hintz was Troy’s leading rusher Friday with 114 yards and a touchdown. Riley Billington had three receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

Santa Ana is 3-4 overall and 0-2 in league.

In the Tango League

Costa Mesa 37, Anaheim 14: Gavin Garza rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries for the Mustangs (6-1, 2-0).

The Mustangs have won five in a row. Anaheim is 3-4 overall, 1-1 in league.

Costa Mesa quarterback Andrew Waiss completed 12 of 18 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Costa Mesa is home Friday against Bolsa Grande, which is also 2-0 in the Tango League.

— Steve Fryer

Here is a league-by-league look at which teams have asserted themselves as league championship contenders, and the dates of the bigger games in each league:

Alpha League: This four-team group still has a couple more weeks of nonleague games before league action begins Oct. 17. Mission Viejo’s top challenger is Los Alamitos.

Bravo League: San Juan Hills is the best team in this six-team group. Yorba Linda at San Juan Hills on Oct. 10 is going to be a doozy. Yorba Linda-Villa Park on Oct. 3 at El Modena High will be a fine league opener.

Delta League: The in-person viewing of Tustin’s wins over San Clemente and Yorba Linda were impressive. There will be a battle for second and third place with the leaders there Capistrano Valley, Trabuco Hills and Western. Capistrano Valley plays at Western on Oct. 3 in a league opener.

Epsilon League: La Habra at Crean Lutheran on Oct. 17 will be for the league championship. Huntington Beach is a dangerous team. La Habra-El Dorado next week at Valencia High is the best Epsilon opener.

Foxtrot League: Laguna Beach and Dana Hills are the best teams in the league. They play each other at Dana Hills on Oct. 24. Dana Hills has a good test in its league opener Oct. 3 at Aliso Niguel.

Iota League: El Toro, Irvine and Troy might be competitively close. Canyon will try to outscore everyone. Irvine is home against Troy on Oct. 24.

Kappa League: Segerstrom’s game at St. Margaret’s on Oct. 3 is a huge league opener.

Lambda League: It looks like Marina could go 5-0 here. The Vikings play one of their top challengers next week, Sunny Hills, at Westminster High.

Omicron League: None of the six teams in this league exit nonleague play better than .500. Which means, it’s a wild and wide-open league. Pacifica at Portola on Oct. 30 could be for the league title.

Sigma League: Calvary Chapel and Estancia are undefeated going into this week. Estancia vs. Calvary Chapel at Segerstrom High on Oct. 9 could be the big one.

Tango League: Costa Mesa went 4-1 in nonleague games and just might go 5-0 in league. Bolsa Grande could be a challenger if the Matadors can get the offense going. Bolsa plays at Costa Mesa on Oct. 17.

Trinity League: Mater Dei and St. John Bosco play each other Halloween nigh in a league finale. Orange Lutheran and Santa Margarita likely will battle for third place and the league’s final guaranteed playoff berth. But don’t overlook a Servite team that has improved immensely weekly. JSerra also is on the rise.

Zeta League: Saddleback might go 4-0 in this five-team league, as the Roadrunners did last year. Century could be their top challenger. Century at Saddleback is Oct. 24.

NOTES

• CIF Southern Section commissioner Mike West acknowledged Thursday that, yes, the CIF-SS office is taking a harder and longer look at the paperwork for transfer athletes these days. “I think it’s accurate to say we’re getting a little more aggressive this year,” West said. “We’re tired of seeing the volume that’s coming through. We’re hoping we can stem the tide.” …

• At the CIF-SS Council meeting Thursday, the Council, made up of CIF-SS league representatives, denied the league-placement appeals of five Irvine public schools (Irvine, Northwood, Portola, University and Woodbridge) and all-girls Catholic school Rosary. The Irvine schools wanted out of the Pacific Coast Conference in order to join the Coast View Athletic Association and Rosary wanted out of the PCC so it could return to the Trinity League. The only league changes made for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years is that Pacifica Christian, a small, private school in Newport Beach, joins the Pacific Coast group. …

• Those appeals and changes apply only to non-football leagues for those two school years. Orange County football leagues will be reconfigured for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years when the current season is over. One change to football leagues will be the growth of the top league, the Alpha League, from its current four-team membership to a six-team group. …

• With the Woodbridge Classic cross country meet held last weekend, Saturday’s 41st Laguna Hills Invitational is not as deep as the Woodbridge meet but it still is a strong meet. Among the Laguna Hills meet entries is San Clemente’s deep boys team that features Yohan Anderson and Mattheus Dos Santos of San Clemente. …

• Among the Orange County runners that competed in the Woodbridge Classic, the highlights were: Irvine senior Summer Wilson finished fourth in the Bob Day Sweepstakes girls race; JSerra’s girls team showed exceptional depth by winning the sweepstakes team title; and Woodbridge junior Aidan Antonio finished fifth in the Doug Speck Sweepstakes boys race. …

• Trabuco Hills freshman quarterback Jackson Verplancke completed 23 of 28 passes for 296 yards with six touchdowns last week in the Mustangs’ 43-36 win over Brea Olinda. Verplancke also is a fine pitcher. “He has great arm talent and he’s really smart,” Trabuco Hills coach Mark Nolan said. “He’s a humble, hard-working kid.” …

• Orange Lutheran’s girls flag football team is 17-0 and No. 1 in MaxPreps.com’s national rankings for the fall season. JSerra is No. 2, Newport Harbor is No. 3 and Santa Margarita is No. 5. Orange Lutheran is also No. 1 in the Orange County rankings. …

• Mater Dei’s girls volleyball team this past weekend finished in third place at the Durango Fall Classic, a prestigious national-level tournament in Las Vegas. Mater Dei junior Westley Matavao and senior Layli Ostovar were named to the all-tournament team. …

• Orange County veteran football public-address announcers: Harvey Ohman, in his 43rd season at Mission Viejo (he says this is his final season); Tim Brundige, 35 seasons at Servite; and Bob Ruddy, 29 seasons at El Modena. Three great ones.