The 2026 high school football season is underway, and local programs won big in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section’s designated Week 0 as teams from the Santa Clarita Valley combined for an overall 4-4 record.
This week, every local program will compete under the lights with three Foothill League schools hosting matchups and Santa Clarita Christian kicking off the season at Hart High School after taking a scheduled bye last week.
Here’s a look at this week’s matchups:
Valencia vs. Chaminade
Following a big road win over the Simi Valley Pioneers in Week 0, the Valencia Vikings (1-0) host the Chaminade Eagles, who are 2-0 and coming off an 18-0 win over Oaks Christian on Friday.
Last season, the teams matched up with the Vikings winning, 34-20, behind Brady Bretthauer’s two-touchdown performance.
This season, Bretthauer has graduated and now the Vikings have sophomore Evan McCalister under center, who threw for 321 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s win over Simi Valley.
McCalister will have the likes of senior running back Nico Funez, who ran for 86 yards and two touchdowns, and is in for a tough matchup against the Eagles defense, who allowed a negative 18 yards in last week’s shutout win over Oaks Christian.
Despite the win last season over Chaminade, the Vikings will need the home-field advantage as the Eagles enter Week 1 ranked No. 45 in the state of California, according to MaxPreps. The Vikings enter Week 1’s home opener ranked No. 121.
Friday’s game between the Vikings and Chaminade Eagles is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Valencia High School.
Hart at Newbury Park
After Hart (1-0) began the season with a statement shutout win over Birmingham last week, the Hawks hit the road Friday with a matchup against the Newbury Park Panthers, who suffered a narrow 32-26 overtime loss to Westlake.
This week, head coach Jake Goossen-Brown and the Hawks will rely on the likes of senior Matix Frithsmith to lead Hart to victory after his three-touchdown performance over Birmingham.
Frithsmith tallied 227 all-purpose yards and is poised for another big performance against the Panthers, who gave up both 100-plus yards rushing and receiving in last week’s loss to Westlake.
Although the numbers favor Hart, the Hawks will need a total-team effort to come out of Newbury Park with the win as the Panthers are ranked No. 86 in the state, according to MaxPreps. The Hawks are ranked No.221, according to MaxPreps.
Friday’s game between the Hawks and the Panthers is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Newbury Park High School.
Saugus vs. Sylmar
Although Saugus began the 2026 season with a loss on the road, the Centurions (0-1) have a favorable matchup to right the ship early in the season and get their first win Friday.
The Centurions host the visiting Sylmar Spartans at the College of the Canyons for the team’s home opener and will have the likes of Landon Lattimore leading the team after his performance last week.
Despite the loss to Agoura on the road, Lattimore recorded 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns with junior Brayden Connelly under center for Saugus.
Connelly, who was in a quarterback position battle with freshman Zach Barnes throughout summer camp, was named the starter last week and had a clean game with two touchdowns and 195 passing yards.
Both Connelly and Lattimore are poised to have another big day on the stat sheet on Friday against the Spartans.
Friday’s game between the Centurions and the Spartans is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at College of the Canyons.
Golden Valley vs. Crespi
The Golden Valley Grizzlies (1-0) began the season with the biggest win out of any of the Foothill League teams following a 47-8 road victory over the Pasadena Bulldogs.
In the win, sophomore quarterback Jaxon Ray made his first varsity start with three passing touchdowns and 214 yards. Senior running back Aaron McCormick led the rushing attack for the Grizzlies as the team totaled 201 yards and four touchdowns.
With the big win, the Grizzlies have all the momentum possible going into Friday and will need it as the team welcomes the Crespi Celts, who were narrowly defeated by Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, 31-24.
Despite the loss, Crespi junior quarterback Chase Curren, who’s a three-star prospect with numerous Division 1 offers, threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns and is a player Golden Valley’s defense will need to stop.
Friday’s game between the Grizzlies and the Celts is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Canyon High School.
Canyon at Glendale
After the Canyon football team (0-1) lost in overtime, 20-14, to the Knight Hawks of Palmdale, the Cowboys have a favorable matchup on Friday to get their first win on the road.
This Friday, the Cowboys take on the Glendale Dynamiters, who lost last week to the San Gabriel Matadors, 20-16.
This week, the Cowboys will look for a bigger day on offense as the team scored 14 points in last week’s loss. Senior quarterback Julian Carlin threw a touchdown pass to Tristian Garcia with the offense producing a rushing touchdown to conclude the first half.
The team will be looking right the ship next week on both offense and defense and record an early-season win at Glendale during the team’s non-league portion of the schedule.
Friday’s game between the Cowboys and Dynamiters is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Glendale High School.
West Ranch at Bishop Diego
The West Ranch football team (0-1) didn’t have the start it hoped to begin the season, with a home loss to Harvard-Westlake.
Although the team suffered a double-digit loss, the Wildcats produced 300 all-purpose yards with senior receiver Charlie Samuelson leading the team with 157 yards.
The Wildcats will look to bounce back quickly with a road matchup against the Bishop Diego Cardinals of Santa Barbara, who are coming off a 37-24 win over Paso Robles.
Friday’s game will be a tough matchup for the Wildcats as the Cardinals produced 458 all-purpose yards and four rushing touchdowns.
The Cardinals are ranked as the No. 116 team in California with the Wildcats placed as the No. 817, according to MaxPreps.
Friday’s game between West Ranch and Bishop Diego is set for kickoff at 7 p.m. at Santa Barbara City College.
Castaic at Littlerock
With the Coyotes (1-0) claiming their first win in two seasons, the team is riding into Friday’s matchup with all the momentum possible to start the season 2-0.
Following a 40-27 win over Buena, the Coyotes are looking for sophomore quarterback Cody King to have another big night on the road against the Littlerock Lobos.
In last week’s win, King threw for two touchdowns and 357 passing yards along with 99 yards on the ground. And this week, King and the Coyotes have a favorable matchup in the hunt for a second straight win to begin the season.
The Lobos, who lost last week 46-0 to Adelanto, are ranked as the No. 915 team in the state, according to MaxPreps.
As for Castaic, the Coyotes are ranked over 400 spots higher than the Lobos at No. 500 and enter Friday’s matchup poised for another big day offensively.
Friday’s game between the Coyotes and Lobos is scheduled for kickoff at 7 p.m. at Littlerock High School.
Santa Clarita Christian vs. St. Joseph Academy
After the Cardinals took a bye in the first week of the season, the team begins the season this Saturday with a home contest against the visiting St. Joseph Academy Crusaders of San Marcos.
Last week, the Crusaders secured a 50-8 home win over the River Springs Charter School Centurions of Temecula and will be a tough matchup for the Cardinals’ first game.
This season, the Cardinals are expected to ride on the likes of a veteran offensive line with multiple returners. In the backfield, junior Stone Funk takes over as quarterback with Isaac Lee joining him as this year’s primary running back.
All three aspects of the Cardinals’ offense will need to be impactful for this year’s Santa Clarita Christian School football team as they eye a win in their first game of the season.
Saturday’s game between the Cardinals and Centurions is scheduled for kickoff at 7 p.m. at Hart High School.
Trinity Classical Academy at Desert Christian
The Knights are back in the eight-man division and although the team started off the season with a loss, the team can bounce back with a win as Heritage League play kicks off this week.
On Saturday, the Knights take on Desert Christian of Lancaster, who were narrowly defeated 50-44 by Maricopa on Friday.
Both teams begin the season 0-1 and have an opportunity to start league play with a victory this weekend.
Saturday’s game between Trinity and Desert Christian is scheduled for kickoff at 6:30 p.m. at Lancaster High School.
