A city championship and the inside track to second place and a CIF playoff berth are on the line when Santa Barbara plays host to Dos Pueblos in a Channel League football game Friday night at Peabody Stadium.
Both teams are 1-1 in league play, with the losses coming against undefeated Ventura. The Dons were thumped by the Cougars 34-14 on the road last Friday while Dos Pueblos lost to them 13-6 two weeks ago.
The Chargers (1-7 overall) are feeling good about themselves after winning their first game of the season, 9-6, at Buena and having a healthy Josh Bartley back in the lineup.
Bartley had been sidelined with a hamstring injury. The senior running back made the difference last Friday, scoring the winning touchdown on a 42-yard run.
“He’s running like a man possessed, so I think he’s got something to prove,” DP coach Jeff Uyesaka said.
Bartley will be a challenge for Santa Barbara’s defense, which gave up 256 yards on the ground to Ventura’s Connor Armstrong last week.
“We have to get ready as a team and not be a hero in any way,” Santa Barbara coach Jaime Melgoza said about the importance of playing team defense to contain Bartley. “Josh is a very good running back that can make you miss.”
Melgoza said his team is in good spirits and is ready to bounce back.
“We need to play four quarters,” he said. “We need to play a mistake-free football game to get to our goals.”
The Dons (4-4) hope to have starting quarterback Shawn Ramos back in the starting line-up Friday. The junior experienced some back pain against Ventura and didn’t play in the second half. If he can’t go, Matt Gonzalez will get the call. He played well against Ventura, guiding the team to a pair of touchdowns.
Santa Barbara’s offense was stymied by Ventura. Star running back Cheroke Cunningham was held to a 82 yards on the ground.
The Dons face another tough defensive team in Dos Pueblos. The Chargers are fast and aggressive, and they’ve gone up against some good offensive teams this season.
“We need to play sound football,” Melgoza said about a game plan. “We need to keep the ball in our hands and let our defense rest.”
A win by Santa Barbara would give it the city championship.
Dos Pueblos (1-7, 1-1) at Santa Barbara (4-4, 1-1): How the Dons respond after the loss against Ventura will be key against a DP team that is on a high after its first win. Bartley is fresh and figures to get the ball a lot. If Santa Barbara struggles in the trenches, it could be in for a long night. The Pick: Santa Barbara.
Ventura (9-0, 3-0) at San Marcos (1-7, 0-2): The Royals defense will have its hands full against a potent Cougar attack. The Cougars’ passing game was slowed a bit last week against Santa Barbara, so they turned to running back Connor Armstrong and carried the load with 256 yards rushing. San Marcos will need big nights from playmakers Andrew Thayer and Marquis Glover to stay in the game. Ventura, ranked No. 4 in the CIF Western Division, is seeking to clinch the Channel League title outright. The Pick: Ventura
Carpinteria (7-1, 3-0) at Nordhoff (4-4, 2-0): The Warriors can claim the Tri-Valley League championship outright. It won’t be easy against a Rangers team that will be playing for a share of the title. They have an offense that puts up a lot of points, so this game could turn into a shootout. Carpinteria’s Jordan Robinson showed last week he can be counted on to make big plays in the absence of injured Alex Rodriguez. The Warriors will need a big defensive effort to bring home the outright championship. The Pick: Carpinteria.
Villanova (0-8, 0-3) at Bishop Diego (7-1, 3-0), Saturday 7:30 p.m. at SBCC: Staying focused is what the Cardinals need to do in this game. A win gives them the outright Frontier League title and possibly a high seeding for the playoffs. Villanova has struggled defensively, allowing 341 points. Bishop is averaging nearly 32 points a game. Quarterback Nolan Tisdale has been the model of efficiency. He’s completed 60 percent of his passes (71-117) for 1,050 yards, 18 touchdowns, with only four interceptions. The Pick: Bishop Diego.
GO CHARGERS!!!!