Just one slate of games remains until the start of Foothill League play in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Golden Valley is one win away from entering league play unscathed while Valencia is looking to end its non-league schedule on a high note with its first 2024 win. Both local private schools will also look to go 3-0 this week.
Here’s a look at week four high school football in the SCV:
Golden Valley travels to South Pasadena
The Golden Valley Grizzlies (3-0) eked out a 7-6 win last week at home to move to 3-0 for the first time since 2019 last week.
On Friday, they take that perfect record to South Pasadena as the Grizzlies take on the Tigers (2-1).
Defense has been the calling card for the Grizzlies through three weeks, allowing just 8.7 points per game. The Tigers have averaged 16.7 points per game but that includes getting shut out in week one.
Senior Jamison Torres will likely be leaned on once again for the Grizzlies. He’s averaging 131 yards per game and has scored three times on the ground, adding seven catches for 74 yards and two scores through the air.
Golden Valley can expect to defend the run on Friday as the Tigers have two running backs in junior Trey Freking and senior David Ortega who have rushed for more than 200 yards.
The Tigers have had three different quarterbacks under center this year, none throwing for more than 95 yards.
Friday’s game is set to kick off at 7 p.m. in South Pasadena.
Hart takes on Birmingham in true-home game
The Hawks are in for a fun one on Friday. Hart will host its first true-home game in over 50 years as fires in the Riverside area changed the Hawks’ destination and opponent.
Hart was set for a road game at Eisenhower but will now host the Birmingham Patriots, the reigning four-peat champion of the L.A. City Section’s Open Division. The Patriots are off to a slow start after losses to St. Bonaventure and Oak Park.
Birmingham is led by freshman quarterback Daniel Kakooza, a smaller signal caller who has impressed coach Jim Rose to get the starting job.
The Patriots will need to slow down the Hawks’ aerial attack for starters. Hart quarterback Jacob Paisano and wideout Parker Maxwell have been on a tear since week two and have connected for over 250 yards and three touchdowns in that span.
Paisano has improved steadily in every game and will look to dazzle fans yet again up against a tough Patriots defense.
Hart welcomes Birmingham to Larry Fiscus Field on Friday at 7 p.m.
West Ranch faces Thousand Oaks
The Wildcats (2-1) are looking to end their non-league stretch on a three-game win streak. West Ranch can hit this feat should it best another tough opponent in the Thousand Oaks Lancers (2-1).
The Lancers will look to slow down Cats running back Luke DePerno, who is hot off his second-career 200-yard rushing day in a win over Antelope Valley.
Thousand Oaks also enters the home battle on a two-game win streak, with a pair of interceptions in each victory. The Lancers have also shown grit in the trenches and have allowed just 2.8 yards per carry in their last two outings.
West Ranch will take its bye in the opening week of Foothill League play following its bout with Thousand Oaks.
The Lancers and Wildcats kick off Friday at 7 p.m. at Thousand Oaks High School.
Canyon closes out preseason with Palm Springs
The Cowboys (1-2) are looking to add one more win before heading into league play in just a week.
Canyon will host the Palm Springs Indians in its non-league finale in what could be a defensive battle.
Palm Springs has won two straight outings on the heels of solid performances from its defense. The Indians picked off Eisenhower three times last week and also finished with a pick and three sacks two weeks ago in a win over Grand Terrace.
Canyon’s defense is looking to bounce back after giving up over 300 yards passing at Cathedral. The Cowboys will lean on Evan Watts and Luis Prado to disrupt the Palm Springs offense while Ritchy Toscano and the back seven cover the field.
The Cowboys will look to get back in the win column and the scoreboard after last week’s loss at Cathedral kept the team from either. Look for Canyon to grind out some run plays in the trenches with some occasional shots down the field from quarterback Sebastian Martinez.
Canyon takes on Palm Springs on Friday at 7 p.m.
Saugus looking to rebound against Simi Valley
The Centurions (1-2) return home with another tough test after a rough go-around with the Camarillo Scorpions.
Saugus allowed over 500 yards of offense and will look to tighten the screws in Friday’s non-league finale with the Simi Valley Pioneers.
The Centurions will need to slow the freight train that is the Pioneers offense, which is currently averaging just under 50 points a game.
Simi senior Brice Hawkins has punished opposing defenses on the ground and has racked up 460 rushing yards in just three games. On defense, Izak Simpson and Gavin Hammond each have four quarterback sacks.
Saugus will need another great performance from quarterback Jake Nuttall and receiver Landon Lattimore to get by the Pioneers on Friday. The two have connected for a score and big play in every game this season.
The Centurions host the Simi Pioneers on Friday at 7 p.m. at College of the Canyons.
Valencia aiming to break winless start at home
A quick look at the record for the winless Valencia Vikings would indicate this year shouldn’t end with a second Foothill League title in two years.
But a closer look shows two of those losses have come by one possession, and both of those losses were on the road, while the other came against a Santa Barbara team that has won each of its three games by at least three scores.
On Friday, the Vikings (0-3) will look to put all of that behind them when they host the Rancho Cucamonga Cougars (1-2) in their homecoming game.
Valencia has run a balanced offense thus far, with junior quarterback Brady Bretthauer throwing for 761 yards and three touchdowns and junior running back Brian Bonner running for 363 yards and six touchdowns. Bretthauer has added 147 yards and four scores on the ground.
Bonner has also led all Vikings with 16 receptions, just ahead of senior Nick Seymour’s 13 for 322 yards and a touchdown.
The Cougars have a junior quarterback in Jacob Chambers who has thrown for 440 yards and four touchdowns. He’s hit seniors Cameron Sermons and Daniel Wimbush for 10 receptions each. Sermons has three touchdowns while Wimbush has two.
Senior Keyonn Chatman has added 133 yards on 34 carries, while Chambers has scrambled for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Friday’s game is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Valencia High School.
Castaic wraps up non-league in Compton, faces Dominguez
The Coyotes are looking for their second win of the season after dropping two in a row. Standing in Castaic’s way is a road test with the Dominguez Dons.
Dominguez enters week three unscathed to say the least. The Dons are undefeated and are also yet to allow an opposing point, with back-to-back shutouts opening up their season.
Castaic will need to slow down the Dominguez run game, which averages over 9 yards per carry, led by running back Stephen Alfereze. The Dons also boast a dual-threat quarterback in MJ Fitu-Ahkui, who has registered nearly 350 all-purpose yards in just two games.
The Coyotes are still rolling with two quarterbacks and will need big showings from Khanai Langford and Jayden Broderick to bounce back before league play begins.
Castaic heads down to Compton to face Dominguez on Friday at 7 p.m.
Trinity heads to Monroe after heat waves canceled game last week
Last week’s heat postponed a handful of games by 30 minutes to an hour. With both Monroe and Trinity having week three byes, both teams opted to postpone and take the week off early.
The Knights head down to North Hills on Saturday to take on the Monroe Mustangs on Saturday at 10 a.m.
SCCS hosts Las Vegas team
The Santa Clarita Christian Cardinals (2-0) scrambled to find an opponent after Valley Christian Academy dropped out of the game. The Cardinals found their answer in an opponent from out of state and will host Awaken Christian Academy out of Las Vegas at COC on Saturday.
The Cardinals have been dominant through two weeks of the eight-man football season, outscoring their two opponents 104-28, including a 61-0 win over Milken in the team’s Heritage League opener last week.
Senior quarterback Cayden Rappleye has been impressive thus far, throwing for 197 yards and four touchdowns. He’s added 161 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Senior receiver Eli Duhm hasn’t found the end zone yet but leads all Cardinals with eight catches for 79 yards. Senior Wyatt Shields is just behind with six catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.
The run game has worked as well. Senior Jonathan Boelter is leading the way with 167 yards and two scores, while Shields has 123 yards and three touchdowns.
Saturday’s game is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. at COC’s Cougar Stadium.
