Unbeaten Carlsbad opens Avocado League play Friday, Oct. 2, at Torrey Pines as the No. 1-ranked team in the San Diego Section.

The Lancers (5-0) are ranked No. 16 in California, according to MaxPreps. Kickoff at Torrey Pines is 7 p.m.

La Costa Canyon (3-2) hosts No. 19 Mission Hills (4-1) of San Marcos in its own league opener at the same time. The Mavericks are ranked No. 34 in California.

Both games mark the first week of Avocado League play for all four teams.

@WBKsports: "Top 10 @sdut Prep Football Poll after Week 6: 1. Carlsbad (24) 5-0; 312 ... 3. Mission Hills 4-1; 241 ... 5. La Costa Canyon 3-2; 173"

San Diego-area football reporter Eric Williams posted the San Diego Union-Tribune county poll on Monday, Sept. 28, showing Carlsbad atop the rankings with all 24 first-place votes. Mission Hills landed at No. 3 and La Costa Canyon at No. 5.

Carlsbad at Torrey Pines

Carlsbad coach T. Mac Neal's Lancers have won by wide margins all season, including a 49-12 victory over Valley Center on Sept. 18 and a 35-7 win over Poway on Sept. 11. Carlsbad opened the year ranked No. 23 in the state and has climbed seven spots to No. 16 through five weeks.

Senior running back Darian Webb has been the engine. Webb leads Carlsbad with 791 rushing yards, 11 total touchdowns and 158.2 rushing yards per game through five contests. Senior receiver Elijah Fudge adds 53.0 receiving yards per game, and junior defensive end Mario Anguiano has recorded four sacks.

On defense, senior tackle Conner Nichols averages 8.0 tackles per game. Junior safety Nehemiah Bynoe has two interceptions.

Torrey Pines (4-1) enters on a two-game winning streak and has outscored opponents 180-46 this season. The Falcons' lone loss came to Rancho Bernardo, 21-14, on Sept. 4. Their wins include a 45-0 shutout of Radford and a 44-6 rout of Mount Miguel.

La Costa Canyon vs. Mission Hills

The Mavericks bounced back from a 31-21 loss to San Clemente on Sept. 11 with a 31-12 win over Murrieta Mesa on Sept. 18. La Costa Canyon's two losses came to Clovis West (44-28) and San Clemente (31-21).

Mission Hills brings a 4-1 record and the No. 19 state ranking into Carlsbad, per the MaxPreps Week 7 primer. The Grizzlies are the highest-ranked opponent either Carlsbad-area team will face Friday night.

What's next

Carlsbad hosts Mission Hills on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. La Costa Canyon travels to San Marcos the same night. The Lancers and Mavericks meet each other Oct. 23 at La Costa Canyon.