From the Big Game to a bigger a game.
After winning emotional crosstown rivalry football games last week, Santa Barbara and Ventura recharge and get ready for a clash that has Channel League title implications.
Santa Barbara (4-3,1-0), winners of three straight, travels to Larrabee Stadium to face undefeated and CIF Western Division No. 5-ranked Ventura (8-0, 2-0) on Friday night. The winner will have the inside track to the league championship.
The game matches two teams with several big playmakers.
Quarterback Rodney Stanley leads a potent Ventura offense that is averaging 33 points a game and more than 350 yards in total offense. Stanley is completing 60 percent of his passes (99-164) and has thrown for 1537 yards and 14 touchdowns. His favorite target is Hunter Winans, who has 36 catches for 567 yards and three scores, and his biggest target is 6-4 Nick Rudolph, who’s caught 16 passes for 280 yards.
When Stanley isn’t shredding defenses with his passing, running back Conner Armstrong is slashing through holes in line and picking up chunks of yards on the ground.
“I know Brad (Ventura coach Brad Steward) and a lot his staff, and they’ll be well prepared for us,” Santa Barbara coach Jaime Melgoza said. “They’re a good team every single year. I think the last time we beat them was 2001, when we won the title with coach (Craig) Moropoulos.”
The Cougars are noted for having tough defenses, and this year is no exception. They shut down Buena 20-6 in their crosstown game last Friday and have allowed only 68 points this year.
But they’ll be facing a Santa Barbara offense that is on the rise.
“We’re starting to put things together and have a balanced attack,” Melgoza said. “Hopefully, we can put a good scheme together this week and come away with a W.”
The No. 1 weapon is running back Cheroke Cunningham. The sophomore has rushed for 1,014 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
Quarterback Shawn Ramos has been clutch in third-down situations. His main target is Emilio Gonzalez (23 catches, 371 yards), but James Stevens (11-159) also has been a reliable receiver.
A big part of Santa Barbara’s recent success has been the play of its defense. Led by linebackers Jason Jimenez and Bradford Jellison, the Dons are swarming to the ball and punishing running backs and receivers.
“What’s making a difference for us is our defense is play well, with Coach Cains and the staff putting things together,” said Melgoza.
The Dons’ aggressive play has gotten them in trouble with penalties, something Melgoza and his staff are working to clean up.
“It’s hard,” he admitted. “It’s like a Catch-22, you can’t really tell them, ‘Hey, you guys got to calm down a bit.’ You got to continue what you’re doing. We’re an aggressive football team on both sides of the ball.
“Obviously, those things can bite you in the butt. You can get yourself in trouble. In a game like Ventura, we don’t want to have a lot penalties. That’s what we’re going to try to work on this week.”
As for coming back strong after winning the Big Game, Melgoza said his team will be ready to go.
“We want to win the league.”
Santa Barbara (4-3, 1-0) at Ventura (8-0, 2-0): This has the potential to be a shootout. The Dons’ defense needs to contain Armstrong and cut down on penalties to keep it close against a potent Cougar squad. If the offensive line blocks like it did in the second half against San Marcos, Cheroke Cunningham should have another big game. Avoiding turnovers will be critical in what should be a hard-hitting game. The Pick: Ventura.
Bishop Diego (6-1, 2-0 Frontier League) vs. Grace Brethren (4-3, 1-0), at Moorpark College: The Cardinals have won six in a row and are coming off back-to-back shutouts in the Frontier League. They face a Grace Brethren team that hasn’t beaten an opponent with a winning record. The Lancers lost 31-6 last week against Mission Prep, a team Bishop defeated 33-14. Bishop, however, can’t take this game lightly. Grace’s Jack Gilliland is a multi-purpose star, who is capable of changing a game, and quarterback Reggie Reed is a talented athlete. Bishop is playing like a team on a mission to win it all, getting big performances on both sides of the ball. The winner of this game has the inside track to the league championship. The Pick: Bishop Diego
Oak Park (2-5, 1-0 TVL) at Carpinteria (6-1, 2-0): The Warriors survived a high-scoring affair against Santa Paula, but lost start running back Alex Rodriguez to a knee injury. Paul Cortez stepped in and rushed for 120 yards. Sophomore quarterback Ian Craddock continues to do a nice job managing the game behind a solid offensive line. The Warriors’ defense faces a team that found its offensive rhythm two weeks ago — Oak Park is coming off a bye week — against Santa Paula, winning 40-35. The Eagles’ primary weapon is 6-3 receiver Aaron Lacombe (34 catches, 643 yards, 7 TDs). Sophomore QB Nick Koshofer has thrown 9 TD passes. Expect the Warriors to be tougher on defense this week. The Pick: Carpinteria
Dos Pueblos (0-7, 0-1) at Buena (2-5 1-1). This is a big game for both teams in the Channel League, as a second loss could knock them out of a playoff spot. Dos Pueblos hopes the bye week helps it find a rhythm on offense. The Chargers have struggled to move the ball with any consistency and score many points this season (57). They hope to open things up for running back Josh Bartley against a Bulldog defense that has allowed 224 points. Defensively, DP is solid. Ventura could score only 13 points off the Chargers two weeks ago. Buena relies on the arm and legs quarterback Kendrick Mathis. If he’s able to do his thing, DP could be in for a tough night on the turf. The Pick: Buena
GO CHARGERS!!!!!