The clock started ticking to the start of the high school football season on Monday.
Teams officially started practicing for their season openers on Friday, Aug. 19.
The local teams face a challenging season as they enter new and expanded leagues.
With Lompoc, Santa Ynez and Cabrillo switching to the CIF Central Section, Santa Barbara High, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos will join Ventura, Buena, Oxnard, Rio Mesa, Pacifica and Channel Islands in a nine-team Channel League for football.
“Channel League will be tough,” said Ralph Molina, who enters his second season as head coach at San Marcos. “It goes though Pacifica and Rio Mesa. Oxnard will be big. Then you have Ventura, who is always solid, followed by Santa Barbara. Buena graduated a lot of seniors. Dos Pueblos and Channel Islands have some key players.
“I believe that we will compete with the big schools. We will surprise a few if we can stay healthy.”
For Dos Pueblos coach A.J. Pateras, the realigned Channel League is a return to a circuit he remembers as a player and a coach at Ventura High.
“A nine-team league with old traditional rivalries are back, which means every week becomes a playoff game,” said Pateras.
(Gary Kim / Noozhawk photo)
“Eight league games means each team will need to be sharper earlier in the season, which will allow for some upsets and interesting playoff storylines as the season pushes into late October.
“It should be fun to have this league back together in its almost original form.”
Santa Barbara coach JT Stone, who played in the old Channel League during his prep days at Dos Pueblos, said he expects “every week to be a fight. But our goal is to try to remain healthy and win a league title.”
Bishop Diego will be in tough battles every week. The Cardinals will play in the rugged Marmonte League with powerhouse programs Oaks Christian, St. Bonaventure, Simi Valley, Calabasas and Westlake.
Coach Tom Crawford’s Cardinals will be prepared for the challenge as they have another talented squad and play a tough non-league schedule.
Carpinteria remains in the five-team Citrus Coast League.
Here is the week-by-week 2022 high school football schedule.
Friday, Aug. 19
North Torrance at Santa Barbara
Dos Pueblos at Burbank
San Marcos at Morro Bay
Righetti at Bishop Diego, at SBCC
Carpinteria at Calvary Chapel
Friday, Aug. 26
Santa Barbara at Righetti
Nordhoff at Dos Pueblos
San Marcos at Santa Maria
Bishop Diego at Capital Christian, Sacramento
Morro Bay at Carpinteria
Friday, Sept. 2
Santa Barbara at Pacifica
Buena at Dos Pueblos
San Marcos at Rio Mesa
Garces Memorial at Bishop Diego, at SBCC
Carpinteria at Channel Islands
Friday, Sept. 9
Santa Barbara at Oxnard
Dos Pueblos at Ventura
Pacifica at San Marcos
Cabrillo at Carpinteria
Saturday, Sept. 10
Bishop Diego vs. Central,Fresno at SBCC, 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 16
Ventura at Santa Barbara
Pacifica at Dos Pueblos
Buena at San Marcos
Bishop Diego at St. Pius-St. Mathias Academy (Downey)
Brentwood at Carpinteria
Friday, Sept. 23
Rio Mesa at Santa Barbara
Dos Pueblos at Channel Islands
San Bernardino at Carpinteria
Friday, Sept. 30
Oxnard at Dos Pueblos
San Marcos at Ventura
Bishop Diego at St. Bonaventure
Carpinteria at Santa Paula
Friday, Oct. 7
Channel Islands at Santa Barbara,
San Marcos at Dos Pueblos
Oaks Christian at Bishop Diego
Carpinteria at Glendale-Hoover
Friday, Oct. 14
Dos Pueblos at Santa Barbara
San Marcos at Oxnard
Bishop Diego at Calabasas
Fillmore at Carpinteria
Friday, Oct. 21
Santa Barbara at Buena
Dos Pueblos at Rio Mesa
Channel Islands at San Marcos
Carpinteria at Nordhoff
Saturday, Oct. 23
Westlake at Bishop Diego, at SBCC
Friday, Oct. 28
Santa Barbara at San Marcos
Bishop Diego at Simi Valley
Hueneme at Carpinteria