It’s week nine in the high school football season and this week’s slate of Foothill League matchups holds major playoff implications, including this season’s league champion.
After its win over Golden Valley in week eight, followed by a bye week, Saugus returns to play and Canyon is set to return in week 10 following a loss to Hart at home.
As for the private schools, both Trinity and Santa Clarita Christian are coming off big road wins in their respective leagues and will look to carry that momentum into this week.
Here’s a look at this week’s matchups:
Hart vs. Valencia
It’ll be a heavyweight matchup this week between two unbeaten Foothill League teams in Valencia (7-1, 4-0) and Hart (7-2, 5-0).
And just like last season, this year’s matchup between the Hawks and Vikings will decide the Foothill League title in what is shaping up to be a high-intensity game.
Both squads are coming off big wins on the road with both teams putting up standout offensive and defensive performances.
The Hawks’ offense had its sixth straight 40-point-plus performance and has outscored its opponents 289-124.
The Vikings have won their fifth game in a row and, since league competition began, have outscored their opponents 193-24 in four games.
There is no doubt that both teams’ offenses are going to show out. The game likely will be decided on the other end of the ball, defense.
The Vikings have handled their opponents with ease and are considered one of the premier teams in the Southern Section with signature wins over Paraclete and Chaminade earlier in the season.
But if Hart wants to win its first Foothill League title since 2007, it all starts with limiting the likes of quarterback Brady Bretthauer and running back Brian Bonner, who’s also a commit to the University of Washington.
Hart’s defense may not be the only one in for a long night, as the Vikings will need to cover Hawks quarterback Jacob Paisano and his most trusted target, Matix Frithsmith, who leads the league in rushing yards, receiving yards and total touchdowns.
Both teams have all the momentum behind them to win on Friday, but only one can come out on top for the elusive league crown.
Friday’s game between the Hawks and Vikings is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Valencia High School.
Signal Staff Pick:
Ryan Romero: Valencia wins in a thriller, 42-35 Vikings
Golden Valley vs. West Ranch
The Grizzlies (3-5, 2-2) have had an up-and-down start to the season with a 1-4 record going into league competition.
Since league play began, the team has gone 2-2 and is tied for third in the standings, which grants an automatic playoff berth.
And this week, Golden Valley has a tough matchup to make it three wins in league with a road game against West Ranch (2-6, 1-3)
The Wildcats won their first league game of the season last week over Castaic, and this week they’ll look to carry that performance over at home for senior night.
West Ranch defeated Castaic 21-19 and had its best performing offense since its last win in week three over Antelope Valley.
The Wildcats will look to make it two straight wins in what will be a must-win for both teams.
Friday’s game between the Grizzlies and Wildcats is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at College of the Canyons’ Cougar Stadium.
Signal Staff Pick:
Ryan Romero: GV win on the road, 35-14 Grizzlies
Castaic vs. Saugus
The Centurions (6-2, 2-2) return following their bye with a must-win situation over the Castaic Coyotes (0-8, 0-4).
And although the record doesn’t indicate it being a must-win for Castaic, the game is still important for Saugus, which is tied for third with Golden Valley in the Foothill League standings with a playoff berth on the line.
With a win over Castaic in week nine, the Centurions go into week 10 with all the momentum behind them as they host Golden Valley in what could be a playoff decider for both teams.
As for the Coyotes, it has been a season to forget for the Sirr Guy Shakir-led team as they suffered their eighth loss of the year to West Ranch.
Looking at the positive, it was the best total performance from the team as they lost 21-19 and were competitive for all four quarters.
The competition will only get tougher for the Coyotes as they’ll face Saugus on the road and Valencia for the final game of the season.
Friday’s game between the Coyotes and Centurions is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Canyon High School.
Signal Staff Pick:
Ryan Romero: Saugus wins big, 42-7 Centurions
Trinity at Temecula Prep
The Knights (4-3, 3-0) are now an above-.500 team and are tied for first in the Cottonwood League with Santa Rosa Academy.
Trinity defeated Riverside Prep 36-31 and, since league play began, has outscored opponents 117-93.
This week, the Knights play their final road game of the season against Temecula Prep (0-8, 0-3).
The Knights have a favorable matchup over Temecula Prep as the Patriots have yet to win a single game this season and have been outscored 273-69 all year.
Thursday night’s matchup between the Patriots and Trinity is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Temecula Prep.
SCCS at Milken
The Cardinals (1-6, 1-1) won their first game of the season last week over Lancaster Baptist and had their best team performance of the season.
Santa Clarita Christian won, 56-26, and will have a short week to celebrate as they play Thursday against the Milken Wildcats (1-4, 0-3).
The Cardinals have a favorable matchup to record their second Heritage League win of the year and make a push to defend the league title that they won last year.
The Wildcats have been outscored 171-71 all season and Thursday’s game for the Cardinals presents the perfect opportunity for the team to enter the final week of the season with a winning streak.
Thursday’s game between the Cardinals and Wildcats is set to kick off at 6 p.m. at Milken.
