Are the Barons for real?

The Fountain Valley Barons never stopped believing that they could still contend for a title in the stout Sunset League, not even after dropping a heartbreaker to Esperanza on opening night of league play two weeks ago.

A transforming and dramatic 22-21 victory last week over Newport Harbor has thrust the Barons back into the title chase. How that last-minute triumph over the Sailors seven days ago will manifest itself this week remains to be seen. But Fountain Valley shouldn’t be lacking any motivation when it takes on this week’s opponent.

The foe is none other than Los Alamitos who, at 2-0, shares the Sunset League lead with Esperanza atop a tight-knit bunch of Sunset teams. The Griffins are 7-0 overall and come into Friday’s 7 p.m. clash at Orange Coast College ranked third in the CIF Pac-5 Division poll.

Fountain Valley is 5-2 overall and, along with Edison, is 1-1 and a game back of the two leaders.

The Barons also control a great portion of their season’s destiny: following Friday’s showdown with Los Alamitos comes a meeting with archrival Edison on Nov. 7.

“Our guys know that at this point,” Fountain Valley Coach John Shipp said of his team’s position and destiny. “That Esperanza loss was a big letdown for us and we thought, ‘Here we go again.’ But, the kids know they have the ability and believed that they could still win this league. The win over Newport put us right back in it.”

The victory over Newport Harbor was noteworthy in that the Barons hadn’t beaten the Sailors in the four previous years of the Shipp regime, including the last two years as Sunset League opponents.

Fountain Valley, in fact, has had three league wins the last three years, all against Marina.

On Friday, the Barons have the opportunity to turn another corner when they take on Los Al.

“They are a talented football team with an explosive offense,” Shipp said of the Griffins. “John Barnes and his staff do a tremendous job with that program.

“I think the keys for us Friday will eliminating turnovers, be consistent on offense and try to control the ball and the clock.”

Shipp said his defense has been playing “very consistently” this year and that the offense found some spark last week against Newport Harbor. The Barons took a 10-0 lead in that game on a sneak by quarterback Dominic Ragland but ended up trailing, 21-13, heading into the fourth quarter.

The Barons went on a 9-0 run in the final 12 minutes to win the game, stunning the Sailors when running back Kyle Middlebrooks broke free on a draw play for a 52-yard touchdown run with 30 seconds left. They then had to hold their breath as Dillan Freiberg set up for a 44-yard field goal attempt on the game’s final play. The kick fell short as time expired and the Barons broke into a wild celebration.

Shipp praised the leadership of Ragland, who has been elevated to the role of starting quarterback after previous starter Steven Santana broke his collar bone in the second week and is out for the season.

Middlebrooks, meanwhile, did the things he normally does.

“Kyle is the type of player who wants the ball in crunch time,” Shipp said of the junior who blitzed the Sailors for 222 yards on 21 carries. “But this was a great, all-around team effort. Our kids did an excellent job setting up blocks downfield to set up his winning touchdown run.

“It was a great win for our football team, but now we have an even bigger game with Los Al. Our kids know what’s at stake.”

In other games involving local teams:

  TONIGHT

Marina (2-5, 0-2) vs. Edison (5-2, 1-1) at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.:

Turnovers plagued Edison last week in a 23-19 loss to Los Alamitos and the Chargers need a win here to stay in contention for the Sunset League championship. Matt Viles threw touchdown passes to Will Andrew and Jeff Trojan and Lucas Vandeman kicked a 35-yard field goal for the Chargers.

Marina nearly pulled off its first league win of the season last week but fell in overtime to Esperanza, 17-14. Fullback Chris Fiscus scored on a pair of one-yard runs to pull the Vikings even after they trailed, 14-0. Zach Couey threw for 207 yards for the Vikings.

Edison has won the last eight games in the series and has held Marina to seven points or less in each of those wins.

Northwood (2-5, 0-2) vs. Huntington Beach (2-5, 0-2) at Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.: Two teams hoping to get into the win column in Sea View League square off at Newport Harbor High.

Huntington Beach dropped its second league game last week, 53-14, to Trabuco Hills. Sean Guite threw touchdown passes to Kendall Ivey and Kaller Roemer for the Oilers.

Northwood has lost a pair of close games in league play, the most recent was last week’s 28-23 loss to previously winless El Toro.

Brethren Christian (2-5) at St. Margaret’s (7-0), 7 p.m.: Brethren Christian comes into its Academy League opener on a two-game high but takes on a highly-regarded St. Margaret’s team that is favored to win the league crown.

The Warriors won their second straight game by defeating Arrowhead Christian, 22-15. Running back Drew Fabrigas ran for 210 yards and pair of scores to key the victory.

St. Margaret’s enters the game ranked No. 1 in the CIF East Valley Division. The Tartans of San Juan Capistrano Valley have scored no fewer than 37 points in a game.

The defense has five shutouts to its credit. St. Margaret’s is coming off a 58-7 rout of Western Christian, a team that handed Brethren Christian a 28-12 defeat earlier this month.

  FRIDAY

Orange (2-5, 1-1) at Ocean View (3-4, 0-2), 7 p.m.: Ocean View will attempt to right the ship in Golden West League play in this Halloween tussle with Orange.

The Seahawks came into league play on a two-game win streak but have struggled the past two weeks against Segerstrom and Santa Ana, which last week capitalized on four Ocean View turnovers for a 37-15 victory. Nolan Tippy and Kenny Tarpley hooked up on two touchdown passes for the Seahawks.

Orange also has a loss to Segerstrom, which last week shut out the Panthers, 49-0.

Los Amigos (3-4, 2-0) at Garden Grove (7-0, 2-0), 7 p.m.: Los Amigos has won three of its last four games and now goes up against a Garden Grove team that is ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Division poll.

The Lobos claimed league win No. 2 last week by keeping Rancho Alamitos to a season-low three points in a 17-3 victory. Ricky Vu rushed for 154 yards and a score and Jose Gonzalez and Antwon Castaneda teamed on an 80-yard touchdown pass.

Garden Grove pummeled La Quinta, 49-21. Jonathan Lopez rushed for two touchdowns and Sean Young had two interceptions for the Argonauts.

LOCAL FOOTBALL LOGS

EDISON (5-2)

Lahainaluna…43-10W

LB Cabrillo…63-8W

Dana Hills…48-20W

Servite…29-17L

Mater Dei…24-14W

Newport Harbor*…14-7W

Los Alamitos*…23-19L

Tonight: vs. Marina*, at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY (5-2)

Foothill (Nevada)…49-14W

Tesoro…29-13L

Pacifica…27-13W

Aliso Niguel…48-14W

Palos Verdes…17-3W

Esperanza*…17-14L

Newport Harbor*…22-21W

Friday: vs. Los Alamitos*, at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.

HUNTINGTON BEACH (2-5)

JSerra…24-17L

Villa Park…24-14W

Marina…21-14L

Westminster…36-26W

Gardena…24-7L

Foothill*…27-3L

Trabuco Hills*…53-14L

Tonight: vs. Northwood*, at Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.

MARINA (2-5)

Capo Valley…23-14L

Westminster…35-28L

Huntington Beach…21-14W

Orange…41-0W

Western…14-13L

Los Alamitos*…42-7L

Esperanza*…17-14(OT)L

Tonight: vs. Edison*, at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.

OCEAN VIEW (3-4)

Calvary Chapel…15-14W

University…14-7L

Northwood…31-7L

Costa Mesa…26-14W

Estancia…27-8W

Segerstrom*…38-14L

Santa Ana*…37-15L

Friday: vs. Orange*, at Ocean View High, 7 p.m.

BRETHREN CHRISTIAN (2-5)

Riverside Christian…46-6L

Calvary Chapel (Downey)…24-14L

Saddleback Valley Christian…76-32L

St. Anthony…35-6L

Western Christian…28-12L

Hamilton…30-13W

Arrowhead Christian…22-15W

Tonight: vs. St. Margaret’s*, at St. Margaret’s High, 7 p.m.

LOS AMIGOS (1-4)

Norwalk…...58-14L

Loara…27-24L

Savanna…17-14L

Santa Ana…17-7W

Northwood…34-20L

La Quinta*…31014W

Bolsa Grande*…1703W

Friday: vs. Garden Grove*, at Garden Grove High, 7 p.m.

* denotes league game

MIKE SCIACCA covers sports. He can be reached at (714) 966-4611 or by e-mail at [email protected].