HS FOOTBALL: Big games this week

All games Friday

Valencia (4-3) vs. Hart (5-2) at College of the Canyons, 7:30 p.m. - This is always an intense rivalry, but lately the gap is widening, as Valencia has won two Foothill League titles in a row, while Hart, coming off an upset loss to Saugus, missed the playoffs last season for the first time in 22 years and could be in danger of again falling out of postseason contention.

"Hart is our cross-town rivals, and they're in for a tough game," Valencia LB Ryan Gorman said. "We will bring our best."

Crespi (6-2) at Alemany (5-2), 7 p.m. - Two of the San Fernando Valley's proudest private-school programs go head to head in a key Serra League showdown, and Crespi needs to pull a road win to stay in the title hunt after losing to Bishop Amat.

"We need to eliminate our mistakes and not only want to win in our hearts but also show it on the field," Crespi LB Lawrence Wilkerson said.

St. Francis (6-1) at Chaminade (6-1), 7:30 p.m. - Some of the luster was removed after St. Francis lost a Mission League game Friday to Serra, but there is still a lot on the line in this attractive matchup pitting Chaminade star RB Terrell Newby (981 yards, 16 TDs) against St. Francis' swarming defense.

"We know St. Francis has a lot of veteran guys, and they're physical, so we are going to have to have a good week of practice."