Week 5 is a light one for the local high school football teams, as the big three public schools in the area will take the week off to prepare for upcoming league action.
However, Bishop Diego and Carpinteria High will remain in action with non-league road matchups against Bishop Alemany and Santa Paula, respectively.
Next week, Dos Pueblos will host its Tri-County League opener while San Marcos and Santa Barbara High will kick off league play on the road.
Here is a quick preview and predictions for the two games this week. Through five weeks of action, my picks are 16-4.
Bishop Diego (4-0) @ Bishop Alemany (1-3), 7 p.m.
The Cardinals are off to a great start to their 2025 campaign, outscoring opponents 146-66 en route to an undefeated record through four weeks of play.
After dominating on the offensive end in its first three games, Bishop Diego pulled out a gritty win over Etiwanda last week while showcasing some of its defensive playmakers.
Meanwhile, Bishop Alemany has stumbled a bit to begin the season and has had problems moving the ball against stronger opponents.
However, the Warriors bounced back with a 34-6 win over San Fernando last week after scoring a combined 41 points in the previous three matchups.
Bishop Diego has been a road warrior this season, with three of its four wins coming on the road, and I don’t see that changing this week. Give me the Cardinals to complete their non-league schedule at 5-0.
The Pick: Bishop Diego
Carpinteria High (1-2) @ Santa Paula (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Warriors have struggled in back-to-back weeks following their season-opening win over Santa Clara, dropping matchups with San Gabriel and Fillmore by a combined score of 74-13.
Carpinteria’s lack of depth has come back to haunt it in recent weeks, as the team has been able to keep games close in the early stages before fatigue sets in and allows its opponents to pull away in the second half.
On the other sideline, Santa Paula has found some success to begin the season and has scored 34 or more points in each of its three victories this season.
The Cardinals have leaned on the running back duo of Sebastian Alcantar and Ryan Luna, who have combined for 646 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in four games.
I think Santa Paula runs away with this one, with its rushing attack wearing down the Carpinteria defense throughout the night.
The Pick: Santa Paula