Santa Barbara High will be hosting its third annual Super Soccer Showdown against crosstown rival San Marcos on Friday at Peabody Stadium.
Four games will be played, starting with the JV boys at 2 p.m. The JV girls follow at 3:30, the varsity boys at 5 p.m., and the varsity girls at 7 p.m.
The event is a fundraiser for the soccer program at SBHS.
“Fundraising is crucial to the success of our program and we are very pleased to receive the financial support from so many local businesses this year,” said Dons girls coach Jill Wolf. “The money raised during this one day ‘Soccer Showdown’ is used to purchase equipment, uniforms, and cover tournament travel expenses.”
Said longtime boys coach Todd Heil: “Community support for our high school sports programs in Santa Barbara has never been stronger. District funding is tight, so having the financial support from the community allows us to continue building on the success of our sports programs.”
Santa Barbara’s boys are in first place in the Channel League at 4-0-1 (17-4-2 overall) and ranked eighth in Division 1 of the CIF-Southern Section. San Marcos will be looking for its first league win under first-year coach Daniel Torres, who is returning to the field where he played in high school.
The Santa Barbara girls team is in a second-place tie with Buena (2-1-2), four points behind league-leading San Marcos (4-1-0). The Dons handed the Royals their only league loss, 3-1.
Admission to the showdown is $5 adults and $3 for students and children. The snack bar will be open for business.
Built in 1926, time is winding down for the current Peabody Stadium, with demolition and reconstruction scheduled to begin before the end of the school year. Commemorative t-shirts to celebrate this historic venue will be available for purchase, with proceeds to benefit the boys & girls soccer programs.