It?s big-game week for the SBCC football team.
The Vaqueros, riding a three-game winning streak, play host to Antelope Valley in a first-place showdown in the American Pacific Football Conference on Friday at 7 p.m., at La Playa Stadium. The teams enter the contest with 2-0 records.
The Santa Barbara City College football team is riding a three-game win streak and is indefeated in conference play. (Presidio File Photo)
Defense has been the key behind SBCC?s win streak. It?s allowed only 23 points in the three wins. In their last game two weeks ago, the Vaqueros held L.A. Southwest to 92 total yards in a 24-10 victory. For the season, they?re giving up just 18.4 points per game, No. 2 in Southern California.
?Our defense is playing well because we have great coaching and play calling,? said linebacker Morgan Nevin, who is the second leading tackler in the state, averaging 11 per game. ?Our defense has really stepped up the last few weeks and pretty much gotten the Ws.?
The SBCC defense will face a stern test in Antelope Valley (4-1). The Marauders average 43.4 points a game, second in Southern California. Last week, they suffered their first loss, a 62-61 double-overtime shootout with College of the Canyons.
?You have to stop them from running the ball,? said SBCC head coach Craig Moropoulos. ?They?ve got a good running game and they move the ball with big plays. You have to stop those big hitters
?Defensively, they got scored on a lot in their last game but they?ve got a good defense with some big people up front.?
Other events worth checking out:
THURSDAY
Girls volleyball: San Marcos at Dos Pueblos, 6 p.m. — The crosstown match is the start of the second round of Channel League play. Dos Pueblos went 3-1 in the first round, and the loss came at the hands of San Marcos. The Royals (2-2 in league) expect to have UCSB commit Kristen Berlo back in the lineup at middle blocker. She missed a couple of matches with a hurt ankle.
Cross Country: Channel League meet No. 2 at Ventura Arroyo Verde Park, 4 p.m. — The meet will feature the No. 1-ranked runner in the nation by XCnation.com: Bryan Fernandez of Dos Pueblos. The senior has won the sweepstakes races at the Woodbridge and Clovis invitationals and ran away from the field in the first Channel League race at DP. The Charger boys are ranked second in CIF Division 2. Addi Zerrenner of the DP girls team will look for her second league win.
Women?s soccer: Ventura at SBCC, 7 p.m. — These two have been the premier programs in the Western State Conference. They shared the title last year. Dos Pueblos alum Brandie Harris and Sandy Grimaldo lead the Vaquero attack.
FRIDAY
Cross Country: SBCC Invitational Meet, 3 p.m. Shoreline Park — Twenty schools are entered in the unique race, which is run partly on the soft sand at Leadbetter Beach. Races start at Leadbetter Beach and finish at Shoreline Park.
Prep Football: Buena at San Marcos, 7 p.m. — In the only high school football game in town Friday night, San Marcos will be looking to bounce back from its blowout loss to Dos Pueblos in its Homecoming game. The Royals (1-6, 0-1) also will be celebrating Senior Night. Buena (4-3, 1-0) comes into Warkentin Stadium after a Channel League-opening win against Santa Barbara.
Prep Football: Dos Pueblos at Ventura, 7 p.m. — DP coach Nate Mendoza said the Channel League title goes through Ventura (4-2, 0-0). The Cougars are the defending champions and have another good team. A tough, hard-hitting defense has been their strength. They?ll face a similar team in Dos Pueblos (5-2, 1-0). Offensively, the Chargers got their running game going at full tilt in a 54-0 win at San Marcos. There should be some heavy hitting in this game.
SATURDAY
Water Polo: Stanford at UCSB, Noon — The Gauchos and Cardinal have played two tight matches against each other in tournaments: Stanford won at the NorCal Invitational 8-7 and UCSB got revenge in the SoCal Invite. 12-9. This is a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match. UCSB will take a No. 2 national ranking into the high-noon clash at Campus Pool.
Prep Football: Santa Paula at Bishop Diego at SBCC, 7 p.m. — Unbeaten Bishop is coming off back-to-back emotional wins against San Diego power Santa Fe Christian and crosstown rival Carpinteria. Coach Tom Crawford reminded the team after the Carpinteria win that it can?t let up if it wants to play for a Tri-Valley League championship. Bishop Diego (6-0, 1-0) is ranked No. 2 in the CIF Northwest Division behind league foe Nordhoff. Santa Paula (1-5, 0-1) lost its league opener to Oak Park 42-28.
