Ray Pallares

County teams that have qualified for the Southern Section playoffs: Division I: Mater Dei (Angelus); Huntington Beach, Ocean View, Edison (Sunset). Division III: Villa Park, Santa Ana, El Modena, (Century); Los Alamitos, Loara, Esperanza (Empire); Capistrano Valley, El Toro, Mission Viejo (South Coast). Division VI: Sunny Hills, Troy, Fullerton (Freeway); Pacifica, La Quinta, Kennedy (Garden Grove); Valencia, Savanna, Western (Orange); Estancia, Tustin, Newport Harbor (Sea View).

Bolsa Grande High School shut down county rushing leader Dana Riddle and shut out Rancho Alamitos, 26-0, in a Garden Grove League game in front of 800 at Bolsa Grande Friday night. The loss knocked Rancho Alamitos out of playoff contention. Had Rancho Alamitos won, it would have earned the third playoff spot in the league behind Pacifica (7-0) and La Quinta (5-2). Bolsa Grande tied Kennedy (4-3) for third place, but Kennedy beat Bolsa Grande earlier this season to earn the third playoff spot.

Michael Jones moved into fourth place on the Orange County career rushing list with 169 yards Friday to help third-ranked Laguna Hills to a 42-6 nonleague victory over Sonora at Mission Viejo High. But the game's unexpected story was the impressive play of Laguna Hills quarterback Tommy Banning, who was making his first varsity start. Banning was six for six for 176 yards, including three touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown.

With county rushing records broken for a single game, a single season and a career, 1997 was a season perhaps unparralleld for county running backs. Here are some of the imprints left on the record books during the season past: CAREER ORANGE COUNTY 1. Michael Jones, Laguna Hills, 1995-97: 7,190 2. DeShaun Foster, Tustin, 1995-97: 5,808 3. Ray Pallares, Valencia, 1983-85: 5,397 4. Reuben Droughns, Anaheim, 1993-95: 4,887 5. Derek Brown, Servite, 1986-88: 4,878 6.

1. Anaheim-Downey: 1956 Coliseum: 41,383 2. Anaheim-Mater Dei: 1966 Anaheim Stadium: 33,374 3. Mater Dei-Eisenhower: 1991 Anaheim Stadium: 33,204 4. Bishop Amat-Lakewood: 1970 Coliseum: 31,012 5. St. Paul-Colton: 1981 Anaheim Stadium: 29,728 Single-Season Passing Leaders With 257 passing yards Friday night, Mater Dei's Billy Blanton set an all-time Orange County record. 1. Billy Blanton: Mater Dei 1991: 3,545 2. David Lowery: Trabuco Hills 1988: 3,325 3.

For the first time since 1981, the Valencia football team will not play in the postseason. Anaheim defeated the Tigers, 19-7, in an Orange League finale Friday night. Valencia (3-7, 2-3) needed a victory over the Colonists (3-7, 2-3) to finish in a three-way tie for second with Savanna and Brea Olinda. A Tiger victory would have forced a coin flip for second place. Instead Valencia is heading home for the first time since Coach Mike Marrujo took over 15 years ago.

It wouldn't have been nearly as dramatic if Laguna Hills running back Michael Jones had broken Ray Pallares' Orange County career rushing record with a two-yard plunge over right tackle. So Jones decided to race into the county record books in style. Needing 23 yards to eclipse Pallares' 12-year old mark, Jones dashed through a huge hole on the left side of the line and sprinted untouched, 77 yards to the end zone on the opening scrimmage play of the second half.

Rancho Santiago College opened its football season for the third consecutive year with an upset of Fullerton College. The Dons defeated Fullerton, 27-17, Saturday in a nonconference game at Santa Ana Stadium in front of 1,500 spectators. Rancho Santiago, which defeated Fullerton, 26-23, last season and 27-24 in 1985, evened the series between the schools at 30-30-4. Rancho Santiago's two big plays came in the fourth quarter.

Oh, oh. Mr. Marrujo is wearing his "I'm-taking-care-of-business-so-keep-your-questions-to-a-minimum" face. Tight lipped, eyes grounded, Mr. Marrujo always gets this way about 2 p.m., as he makes his way toward the Valencia High School football practice field. Mr. Marrujo has been the coach at Valencia since 1981, and in that time he has turned a very poor program into one of Orange County's best.