Week 12 High School Football Preview: Fountain Valley vs. Santa Clarita Golden Valley

When/where: Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Canyon Country Canyon High

Key Barons: Sr. QB Nick Welch (135 of 245 passing for 2,158 yards, 18 TDs and 10 INTs; 118 carries for 906 yards and 10 TDs; Sr. RB-LB Benn Vallier (120 carries for 841 yards and 10 TDs; 16 catches for 168 yards and one TD); Jr. RB-WR Kishaun Sykes (24 catches for 568 yards and five TDs; 15 carries for 112 yards and two TDs)

Key Grizzlies: Jr. WR-DB De’Gabriel Floyd (50 carries for 393 yards and eight TDs; 31 catches for 501 yards and four TDs; 47 tackles, two INTs, one fumble recovery); Sr. WR-CB Jalin Lewis (30 carries for 300 yards and four TDs; 51 catches for 792 yards and five TDs; 42 tackles, two INTs, one forced fumble); Sr. OL-DE Cameron Ravenell (67 tackles, 12 sacks, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, two blocked field goals)

Breakdown: Fountain Valley (7-4) travels 72 miles to play No. 2-seeded Golden Valley (6-5) in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 6 playoffs … Facing the stingy defenses of Edison and Los Alamitos is enough to send most offenses into a rut. Fountain Valley, which had scored 20 points against the Chargers and Griffins as its final two opponents in the Sunset League, bounced back in a big way … The Barons offense powered its way to a 38-23 victory over visiting Wildomar Elsinore in the first round last week. Welch threw for four touchdowns in the game, including a pair of scores to Brandon Krause. The junior wideout topped 100 yards receiving for the second consecutive game, and it was his third time accomplishing the feat this season … Golden Valley’s defense presents a stiff challenge. The Grizzlies, playing without their top player in Floyd, a USC commit, shut down host Nipomo 15-2 in the opening round. Golden Valley, an at-large entry from the Foothill League, has allowed 18.2 points per game. Junior linebacker Derrese Morganfield leads the Grizzlies with 99 tackles.

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