Senior running back Abel Gonzalez and the Bishop Diego football team will play against three intersectional opponents this season.
With their league reduced to four teams, Bishop Diego and Carpinteria are playing seven non-league football games this fall, and Bishop’s schedule includes three opponents from outside the CIF-Southern Section.
As for the non-league slates of the three Channel League schools, Santa Barbara renews an old rivalry with Oxnard, San Marcos plays four of the five schools in the Pacific View League and Dos Pueblos faces three high caliber opponents before commencing league play.
Those are some interesting facts about this year’s local high school football schedule.
Bishop Diego and Carpinteria will have several new starters as they head into their first season in the CIF’s Northern Division. Their league, Tri-Valley, was bumped up from the Northwest Division for the new two-year playoff cycle.
The TVL lost Oak Park to the new Canyon League, leaving it with four teams: Bishop, Carpinteria, Nordhoff and Fillmore. As a consequence, teams needed to add another non-league opponent to fill out a 10-game regular season schedule.
Bishop went far and wide to find games. Their slate includes Santa Fe Christian of the San Diego Section (whom they’ve played the last two seasons), View Park of the L.A. City Section and Central Section school Immanuel of Reedley.
Longtime Bishop Diego coach Tom Crawford said he tried to find opponents that were closer to home.
“Unfortunately, while we would prefer to play more local teams, they did not seem interested in playing and, given our recent success, it seems that teams looking for good small-school competition are reaching outside their sections to find those games,” he said. “In reality, getting the intersectional games are really fun for the kids since we see the quality and variety of ball played in the different sections, and get to travel to different spots which creates some great experiences.
“Like last year, we try to find non-league games that require us to deal with different things which could help us in league and playoffs.” He cited the speed of a View Park, wing-T and defensive discipline of Santa Fe Christian and the size of an Immanuel as examples.
“We think we’ve got a good and tough schedule and appreciate those schools playing us. Each is going to be a challenge.”
Bishop opens the season at Oak Park on Aug. 29 before playing its home opener against Santa Fe Christian the following weekend. The day, time and venue are still to be determined.
The Cardinals also have a non-league home game against potential playoff foe Cabrillo of the Los Padres League. The TVL and LPL are part of the Northern Division.
In TVL play, the Bishop-Carpinteria rivalry game is on Halloween eve, Thursday, Oct. 30, at Carpinteria.
Carpinteria starts its campaign on Sept. 5 at Santa Ynez and plays 10 straight weeks. The Warriors still have Oak Park (Sept. 19 at home) on the schedule and play new opponents, Chadwick (Oct. 11) and Ribet Academy (Oct. 17) on the road.
Santa Barbara has Oxnard back on its schedule. The Dons and Yellowjackets open the season on Aug. 29 at Peabody Stadium. The teams haven’t played since 2009. The rivalry is one of the oldest on the South Coast, going back to the 1920s.
The Dons also play St. Joseph (Sept. 5) and former Marmonte League member Royal (Sept. 26) in non-league home games.
San Marcos meets Santa Clarita-West Ranch for the first time to kick off its season on Aug. 29 at Warkentin Stadium. The Royals’ non-league slate also includes four Pacific View League teams (Channel Islands, Rio Mesa, Hueneme and Pacifica) and two-time CIF champion Nordhoff.
The Royals host Goleta Valley rival Dos Pueblos on Oct. 24 and finish the regular season with The Big Game at Santa Barbara on Nov. 7.
Dos Pueblos doesn’t have its bye week until Nov. 7, meaning the Chargers will play 10 straight weeks, starting with a home game versus Oxnard-Pacifica on Aug. 29. The schedule includes consecutive games against three perennially strong programs: Newbury Park (home, Sept 19), Lompoc (away, Thursday, Sept. 25) and Granada Hills-Sierra Canyon (away, Thursday, Oct. 2).
The Chargers picked up Sierra Canyon late after all the Northern Area re-leaguing issues were settled.
“They’re a quality program,” DP coach Nate Mendoza said of Sierra Canyon. “Obviously, we know about Lompoc and their tradition. And, from what I’ve been hearing, Newbury Park is going to be top competitor this year.
“I think that’s going to prepare us for league, and prepare us to contend for another league championship,” Mendoza added about the tough non-league schedule.
Dos Pueblos follows that challenging three weeks with its Channel League opener on Oct. 10 against Buena at Scott O’Leary Stadium. The Bulldogs beat the Chargers last year and knocked them out of a playoff spot. DP hosts Santa Barbara the following week.
2014 Bishop Diego Football Schedule
Aug. 29 at Oak Park 7 p.m.
Sept. 5 Santa Fe Christian TBD
Sept. 12 at La Salle 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 Cabrillo 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 26 —-Bye—-
Oct. 3 at Mission Prep, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10 View Park 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Immanuel (Reedley) 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 25 Fillmore* 7:30 p.m
Oct. 30 at Carpinteria* 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 8 Nordhoff* 7:30 p.m.Home games in bold
Home games at SBCC
*Tri-Valley League game2014 Carpinteria Football Schedule
Sept. 5 at Santa Ynez 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 at Nipomo 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 Oak Park 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 26 South Torrance 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 3 St. Monica, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 at Chadwick, 2 p.m.
Oct. 17 at Ribet Academy 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 Nordhoff* 7:30 p.m
Oct. 30 Bishop Diego* 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 7 at Fillmore* 7 p.m.Home games in bold
*Tri-Valley League game2014 Dos Pueblos Football Schedule
Aug. 29 Pacifica 7 p.m.
Sept. 5 at Cabrillo (Lompoc High) 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 Santa Ynez 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 Newbury Park 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 at Lompoc 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 at Sierra Canyon (Granada Hills High), 7 p.m.
Oct. 10 Buena* 7 p.m.
Oct. 17 Santa Barbara* 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 at San Marcos* 7 p.m.
Oct. 31 at Ventura* 7 p.m.
Nov. 7 —-Bye —-Home games in bold
* Channel League game2014 San Marcos Football Schedule
Aug. 29 West Ranch 7 p.m.
Sept. 5 Rio Mesa 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 at Pacifica 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 at Hueneme 7 p.m.
Sept. 26 at Channel Islands 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 Nordhoff 7 p.m.
Oct. 10 —-Bye—-
Oct. 17 at Ventura* 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 Dos Pueblos* 7 p.m
Oct. 31 Buena* 7 p.m.
Nov. 7 at Santa Barbara* 7 p.m.Home games in bold
*Channel League game2014 Santa Barbara High Football Schedule
Aug. 29 Oxnard 7 p.m.
Sept. 5 St. Joseph 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 at Channel Islands 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 at Rio Mesa 7 p.m.
Sept. 26 Royal 7 p.m.
Oct. 3 at Pacifica 7 p.m.
Oct. 10 Ventura* 7 p.m.
Oct. 17 at Dos Pueblos* 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 at Buena* 7 p.m.
Oct. 31 —-Bye—-
Nov. 7 San Marcos* 7 p.m.Home games in bold
*Channel League game
