HS FOOTBALL: Are you ready for the rematches?

If you like dramatic sequels, you should love the upcoming championship weekend in high school football.

It's all about rematches, revenge and turnabout.

Oaks Christian plays host to Marmonte League rival Westlake on Friday in a Northern championship -- one year after Oaks Christian's dramatic 29-28 win over the Warriors in last season's final.

In the East Valley Division, Alpha League rivals Sierra Canyon and Paraclete meet Saturday in the championship game at Antelope Valley College, as the visiting Trailblazers look to make amends after losing to Paraclete 14-7 in last year's championship.

To make matters more compelling, last year's losers are heavy favorites this weekend. Westlake (13-0) has steamrolled everyone - including a 43-21 win over the Lions on Oct. 6. Sierra Canyon has won by an average of nearly 37 points, the only relatively close game a 36-26 victory over Paraclete on Nov. 5.

Oaks Christian (11-2) has won seven titles over the past eight seasons, though six of them came at the lower levels. The Lions moved up last season from the lightly regarded Northwest Division, proving they could succeed against top programs -- and this year's team is eager to pull an upset Friday.

"We all know the first game against Westlake was really early in the season, and now we've all grown more as a team, and we've all matured," Oaks Christian quarterback Brandon Dawkins said. "If we come out pumped up and play like we're capable of, we're going to be happy with the end result."

That's not the way Westlake sees it. The Warriors are ranked No. 2 in California behind Concord De La Salle, and a win Friday all but assures a CIF State Bowl berth - either in Div. I or the most prestigious Open division.

"My thoughts are, this game is for all the cookies," Westlake defensive back Dashon Hunt said. "It's for everything, winner take all. This is the game we've wanted all year. We knew we would face Oaks Christian in a championship rematch, and we plan to rally as a team, a band of brothers.

"It's going to be a battle for four quarters, and we're going to lay our hearts out and leave everything on the field."

Sierra Canyon (13-0) is 25-2 over the past two seasons, yet both of the losses have been to Paraclete (11-2). It's hard to consider yourself a favorite in such circumstances, and Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse already has his game face on.

"I am more than excited. I can't wait," Ellinghouse said. "We've been working all year to put ourselves in the right position for this game. I think my teams lives for these types of moments. It should be one heck of a football game."

The temperatures in Lancaster have been dipping into the low 20s with high winds this past week, and there's a good chance it can be even cooler this weekend. The colder and windier, the better for teams from the Antelope Valley because they're used to it while San Fernando Valley programs are not.

"We're not going to let a few degrees make a difference. We've worked too hard," Ellinghouse said. "We know what to do. We've got a game plan, and we're excited."