Here’s this week’s 2012 week by week football schedule, with my early predictions of what should be the top games each week in the area. It was a tough call with some weeks having three or four featured games. But a decision had to be made going into the season, and I made it. Of course, as the season transpires and surprises happen, adjustments are always made.
NOTE: I’ve gone with the criteria of week 1, week 2, etc. I find calling it week zero, like the CIF-SS office does, confusing, so I’m going to the traditional beginning of week 1. Think of it like the NFL allows for byes, giving teams 18 weeks to play 16 games, and like NCAA FBS gives schools 14 weeks to play 12 games.

RAMIREZ’S GAMES OF THE WEEK PROJECTIONS
Week 1: St. Paul at La Mirada, Aug. 24
Week 2: Mater Dei at St. Paul, Aug. 31
Week 3: La Habra at St. Paul, Sept. 7
Week 4: La Serna at Westlake, Sept. 14
Week 5: St. Paul at Bishop Amat, Sept. 21
Week 6: Servite at St. Paul, Sept. 28
Week 7: Santa Fe vs. Whittier at Cal High, Oct. 5
Week 8: Whittier vs. La Serna at Cal High, Oct. 12
Week 9: Maranatha vs. Whittier Christian, Oct. 19
Week 10: St. Paul at Serra, Oct. 26
Week 11: La Serna at Cal, Nov. 2

WEEK BY WEEK SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
Friday, Aug. 24
Non-league
El Dorado (Placentia, CA) at La Habra (CA), 7:00pm
El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA) vs. Marina (Huntington Beach, CA) at Westminster (CA), 7:00pm
Godinez (Santa Ana, CA) vs. Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at TBA (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Rancho Christian (Temecula, CA) vs. La Serna (Whittier, CA) at Fallbrook (CA), 7:00pm
St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at La Mirada (CA), 7:00pm
Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) at Mammoth (Mammoth Lakes, CA), 7:00pm
Wilson (Hacienda Heights, CA) at Bosco Tech (Rosemead, CA), 7:00pm
Roosevelt (Los Angeles, CA) at Montebello (CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 2
Non-league
Thursday, Aug. 30
La Mirada (CA) at La Habra (CA), 7:00pm
Pioneer (Whittier, CA) vs. Glenn (Norwalk, CA) at Excelsior Adult School (Norwalk, CA), 7:00pm
Schurr (Montebello, CA) at Buena Park (CA), 7:00pm
Friday, Aug. 31
Nonleague
Artesia (Lakewood, CA) vs. Whittier (CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
California (Whittier, CA) at Montebello (CA), 7:00pm
Diamond Ranch (Pomona, CA) at El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA), 7:00pm
La Serna (Whittier, CA) at Downey (CA), 7:00pm
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) at St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA), 7:30pm
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) vs. Esperanza (Anaheim, CA) at Yorba Linda (CA), 7:00pm
Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) vs. Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA) at Whittier College (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 3
Thursday, Sept. 6
Nonleague
California (Whittier, CA) vs. Troy (Fullerton, CA) at Fullerton (CA), 7:00pm
Friday, Sept. 7
Nonleague
Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA) at La Mirada (CA), 7:00pm
Bonita (La Verne, CA) vs. La Serna (Whittier, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Downey (CA) at Schurr (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA) at Bell Gardens (CA), 7:00pm
El Segundo (CA) at Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
La Habra (CA) at St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA), 7:30pm
Montebello (CA) at South El Monte (CA), 7:00pm
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) vs. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) at TBA, 7:00pm
Pioneer (Whittier, CA) vs. Rancho Alamitos (Garden Grove, CA) at Bolsa Grande (Garden Grove, CA), 7:00pm
Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) vs. Whittier (CA) at Whittier College (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 4
Friday, Sept. 13
Nonleague
Diamond Ranch (Pomona, CA) at Schurr (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA) at Montebello (CA), 7:00pm
Fullerton (CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
La Serna (Whittier, CA) at Westlake (Westlake Village, CA), 7:00pm
Lutheran (Orange, CA) vs. La Habra (CA) at Orange Coast College (Costa Mesa, CA), 7:30pm
Norwalk (CA) vs. Whittier (CA) at Excelsior Adult School (Norwalk, CA), 7:00pm
Pioneer (Whittier, CA) at Mountain View (El Monte, CA), 7:00pm
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) vs. Santiago (Corona, CA) at TBA (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
St. Francis (La Canada, CA) at La Mirada (CA), 7:00pm
Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) at St. Margaret’s (San Juan Capistrano, CA), 7:00pm
Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA) at Roosevelt (Los Angeles, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 5
Thursday, Sept. 20
Nonleague
Montebello (CA) vs. Pioneer (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Schurr (Montebello, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Friday, Sept. 21
Suburban League
Norwalk (CA) at La Mirada (CA), 7:00pm
Nonleague
Cathedral (Los Angeles, CA) at Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
Gahr (Cerritos, CA) at La Habra (CA), 7:00pm
La Serna (Whittier, CA) vs. Norco (CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Salesian (Los Angeles, CA) vs. Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) at Whittier College (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA), 7:00pm
Clovis East (Clovis, CA) at El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA), 7:30pm
Saturday, Sept. 22
Sweetwater (National City, CA) vs. Whittier (CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 6
Friday, Sept. 28
Del Rey League
Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA) at Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, CA), 7:00pm
Suburban League
La Mirada (CA) at Bellflower (CA), 7:00pm
Nonleague
California (Whittier, CA) at Warren (Downey, CA), 7:00pm
Pioneer (Whittier, CA) at Laguna Beach (CA), 7:00pm
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at Chaparral (Temecula, CA), 7:00pm
Servite (Anaheim, CA) at St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA), 7:30pm
Whittier (CA) vs. Schurr (Montebello, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) at South Region #2 (Los Angeles, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 7
Friday, Oct. 5
Almont League
Montebello (CA) at Keppel (Alhambra, CA), 7:00pm
San Gabriel (CA) at Schurr (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rey League
Mary Star of the Sea (San Pedro, CA) at Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rio League
California (Whittier, CA) at El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA), 7:00pm
La Serna (Whittier, CA) vs. Pioneer (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) vs. Whittier (CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Freeway League
Troy (Fullerton, CA) vs. La Habra (CA) at Fullerton (CA), 7:00pm
Mission League
Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, CA) at St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA), 7:30pm
Olympic League
Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) vs. Village Christian (Sun Valley, CA) at Whittier College (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Suburban League
La Mirada (CA) at Artesia (Lakewood, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 8
Thursday, Oct. 11
Del Rio League
Pioneer (Whittier, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Friday, Oct. 12
Almont League
San Gabriel (CA) at Montebello (CA), 7:00pm
Schurr (Montebello, CA) at Bell Gardens (CA), 7:00pm
Del Rey League
Bosco Tech (Rosemead, CA) at Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rio League
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) vs. El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA) at TBA (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Whittier (CA) vs. La Serna (Whittier, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Freeway League
Sunny Hills (Fullerton, CA) at La Habra (CA), 7:00pm
Mission League
Chaminade (West Hills, CA) at St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA), 7:30pm
Suburban League
Glenn (Norwalk, CA) at La Mirada (CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 9
Thursday, Oct. 18
Suburban League
La Mirada (CA) vs. Cerritos (CA) at Gahr (Cerritos, CA), 7:00pm
Friday, Oct. 19
Almont League
Bell Gardens (CA) at Montebello (CA), 7:00pm
Schurr (Montebello, CA) vs. Alhambra (CA) at Moor Field (Alhambra, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rio League
La Serna (Whittier, CA) at El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA), 7:00pm
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Whittier (CA) vs Pioneer at TBA (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Freeway League
Fullerton (CA) at La Habra (CA), 7:00pm
Mission League
St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at Cathedral (Los Angeles, CA), 7:00pm
Olympic League
Maranatha (Pasadena, CA) vs. Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) at Whittier College (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 20
Del Rey League
Verbum Dei (Los Angeles, CA) vs. Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA) at Los Angeles Southwest College (Los Angeles, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 10
Thursday, Oct. 25
Almont League
Keppel (Alhambra, CA) at Schurr (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rio League
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) vs. La Serna (Whittier, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Friday, Oct. 26
Almont League
Alhambra (CA) vs. Montebello (CA) at Moor Field (Alhambra, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rey League
Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA) at La Salle (Pasadena, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rio League
El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA) vs. Pioneer, at TBA, 7:00pm
Whittier (CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Freeway League
La Habra (CA) at Buena Park (CA), 7:00pm
Mission League
St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at Serra (Gardena, CA), 7:00pm
WEEK 11
Friday, Nov. 2
Almont League
Montebello (CA) at Schurr (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rey League
St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, CA) at Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello, CA), 7:00pm
Del Rio League
La Serna (Whittier, CA) at California (Whittier, CA), 7:00pm
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, CA) vs.Pioneer at TBA, 7:00pm
Whittier (CA) at El Rancho (Pico Rivera, CA), 7:00pm
Freeway League
Sonora (La Habra, CA) at La Habra (CA), 7:00pm
Mission League
St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA) at St. Francis (La Canada, CA), 7:30pm
Olympic League
Whittier Christian (La Habra, CA) at Valley Christian (Cerritos, CA), 7:00pm
Suburban League
Mayfair (Lakewood, CA) at La Mirada (CA), 7:00pm