Every local high school football team is back in action this week as the Channel League season rolls on and Bishop Diego and Carpinteria wind down non-league play.
The Santa Barbara Dons are coming off a dominant 35-0 Big Game win and will play host to the Oxnard Yellow Jackets in a Thursday night showdown.
Coming off a bye week, Dos Pueblos will look for its first Channel League win as they play host to Ventura also on Thursday.
San Marcos, meanwhile, will look to come back from the loss strong but will face a tough test on the road against an undefeated Pacifica team that has yet to allow more than 15 points in a game this season.
In non-Channel League action, both Bishop Diego and Carpinteria will look to bounce back from losses at home on Friday.
Here is a capsule look and a prediction for each game this weekend.
Oxnard (1-2, 1-1) @ Santa Barbara (2-2, 1-1), Thursday at 7 p.m.
The Dons dominated almost every facet of the Big Game last week for a much-needed win coming off back-to-back tough losses to elite programs in Valencia and Pacifica. In the victory over San Marcos, the Santa Barbara defense shined, allowing just 78 total yards of offense.
The Santa Barbara offense, meanwhile, has gotten solid play from quarterback Abel Renteria and consistent rushing production from senior running back Koa Herrera, giving the offensive attack some much-needed balance.
The Oxnard Yellow Jackets are coming off a dominant 57-0 victory against Channel Islands, who is 0-3 and has scored just 12 points on the season. Earlier in league play, Oxnard fell to Ventura by a score of 35-0.
If the Dons defense plays to the level that it played last week, Santa Barbara shouldn’t have many problems with the Oxnard offense and should be able to put up points on the side of the ball behind Renteria and Herrera.
The Pick: Santa Barbara
Ventura (3-1, 2-0) @ Dos Pueblos (2-1, 0-1), Thursday at 7 p.m.
The Chargers are a week behind the other local Channel League schools, as they took their bye week last week after a 39-12 loss to Buena. Senior quarterback Ryan Marsh was injured in the second game of the season and is out for the season, and the offense struggled to move the ball without Marsh under center.
The running back tandem of Danny Vidaure and Kaleb Williams has been getting the job done for Dos Pueblos, combining for 482 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. However, they may find some trouble against a strong Ventura defense.
Through two games of league play, the Cougars have outscored opponents 52-14 and came away with a big win over Rio Mesa last week, 17-14. Senior quarterback Logan Scarlett has thrown for 621 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions en route to his team’s strong start.
However, it’s the Ventura defense that could be the difference in this matchup. The Cougars have been a turnover machine, tallying four interceptions and six fumble recoveries to go along with nine sacks.
The Pick: Ventura
San Marcos (2-2, 0-2) @ Pacifica (4-0, 2-0), Friday at 7 p.m.
The Royals were given the tough task of facing Rio Mesa, Santa Barbara and Pacifica to open Channel League play, the three teams that shared the league title last season. In the first two weeks of league play, San Marcos has been outscored 81-7, struggling on both sides of the ball.
Through the first four games, quarterback Danny Diaz has thrown for 322 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions while Diego Pedroza has been the team’s leading rusher at 50 carries for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Pacifica has been a consistent force all season en route to an undefeated record one month in. The Tritons took down the Dons 28-15 and defeated Buena last week by a score of 24-8. The offense is led by quarterback Dominic Duran, who has accumulated 725 passing yards and two touchdowns.
However, Pacifica’s biggest strength on offense may be on the ground, where senior Josh Joyner has accumulated 440 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 61 carries. The Tritons shouldn’t have trouble scoring on the Royals, and the San Marcos offense hasn’t shown that it can compete with one at the level of Pacifica.
The Pick: Pacifica
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy (0-4) @ Bishop Diego (1-3), Friday at 7 p.m.
The Cardinals are coming off a 20-point loss to Central High in which Bishop Diego did not have its starting quarterback, Tua Rojas, due to a shoulder injury. Despite the final score, the Cardinals competed and led 14-7 at halftime against the strong Grizzlies squad.
It is unknown who will be under center for Bishop Diego, as the offense has struggled to find production through the air with Rojas sidelined. However, the running game was led by Gabe Villa last week, who had 22 carries for 147 yards and took the pressure off of quarterback John Michael Flint.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias has had a rough start to the season, as they have been outscored 132-54 in their four losses. In 2022, the Warriors had an impressive 8-2 record but lost plenty of impact seniors and have found themselves feeling the consequences of an inexperienced team this year.
Both of these squads are young, but the Cardinals have gotten better as the season has progressed and have a good chance to inch closer to .500 before heading into Marmonte League play.
The Pick: Bishop Diego
Grace Brethren (2-2) @ Carpinteria (2-1), Friday at 7 p.m.
Carpinteria is coming off a tight one-point loss to Calvary Chapel last week after opening the season with back-to-back dominant wins. The Warriors have been a solid defensive team so far, allowing just 26 points, 20 of which came last week.
They have leaned on Talon Trumble for most of their passing and rushing production while getting solid all-around performances from the rest of the roster, most of whom play on both sides of the ball.
Grace Brethren, meanwhile, is in its first season back playing 11-man football after playing 8-man for the past two seasons. The Lancers opened the year with a pair of losses before picking up a close win over Santa Rosa Academy and blowing out Verbum Dei Jesuit.
The Grace Brethren offense has been dominated by running back Ethan Lasecla, who has rushed 44 times for 468 yards and seven touchdowns in three games played. If the Warriors’ scrappy defense can manage to limit Lasecla, they have a solid chance to walk away with a win.
The Pick: Carpinteria
