Santa Barbara High School will take a three-game win streak down Highway 101 on Friday for its final nonleague football game against a Ventura team that has won two straight.
It’s always a fierce battle when the two teams meet. Santa Barbara has won the last three meetings, 21-14 in 2019, 32-24 in the 2018 and 10-9 in 2017.
The Dons’ offense, which has displayed good balance in its three wins, will be challenged by an aggressive Ventura defense, which forced a couple of turnovers to spark a 48-35 comeback win over Newbury Park last week.
The Cougars stepped up on offense in the second half of their wins. They rallied from a 35-26 deficit against Newbury Park. The previous week, they beat Dos Pueblos 32-14 after tying the game at 14-14 just before halftime.
This will be a good test for Santa Barbara heading into its Channel League opener in two weeks at Lompoc. Expect a close game.
The Pick: Santa Barbara
The game is being broadcast on AM 1290 and AM1290KZSB.com.
Nordhoff (2-1) at San Marcos (2-1), 7 p.m. — Josh Engel will start at quarterback for the Royals as Joaquin Sandoval suffered an ankle injury in the loss at Santa Barbara last week. San Marcos will need to clean up its mistakes and be more physical up front against a Nordhoff squad that has some playmakers in running back/receiver Zac Sheets, power running back Eli Dvortcak and slick quarterback Carlos Bautista. The Pick: Nordhoff.
Royal (2-1) at Dos Pueblos (0-3), 7 p.m. — The Chargers found a playmaker last week in running back Cameron Lee, who rushed for 185 yards and scored both touchdowns in a 37-12 loss at Buena. The team is still trying to find consistency on both sides of the ball. With the emergence of Lee, DP becomes more of a threat on offense. If the defense steps up, the Chargers should celebrate their first W. The Pick: Dos Pueblos.
Carpinteria (0-3) at Brentwood (2-2), 6 p.m. — Carpinteria’s defense will have its hands full against the pass-happy Eagles, who have thrown for nearly 900 yards and 10 touchdowns in four games. The Pick: Brentwood.
Lompoc (3-1) at Santa Ynez (3-1), 7 p.m. — The Santa Ynez offense clicked last week in a 48-7 win over Santa Maria. Lompoc got six touchdowns from Sheldon Canley Jr., but the Braves gave up 48 points in a 48-47 shootout loss at Arroyo Grande. Santa Ynez played Lompoc tough in their spring season meeting, but they face a speedy Braves team determined to turn things around. The Pick: Lompoc.
Santa Maria (1-2) at Cabrillo (0-4) (Huyck Stadium), 7 p.m. — The Saints find their offense against the undermanned Conquistadores, who have been outscored 201-6. The Pick: Santa Maria.