Southern California prep football offers plenty of competitive matchups this week.
Oaks Christian is set to host Serra on Thursday night and Panorama will play at Sylmar, but there’s still more to come on Friday.
Here are five of Friday’s most intriguing games:
Note: A preview of Saturday’s game between Orange Lutheran at Sierra Canyon will be published on Friday.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Simi Valley (4-0) at Thousand Oaks (3-1), 7 p.m.
Two powerful defenses will collide in a Ventura County game that’s not to be missed. The Pioneers have held all but one opponent to 13 points or less this season. Izak Simpson has collected four sacks, 30 tackles and six tackles for loss in addition to blocking a field goal. Lancers quarterback Jackson Taylor is mobile, but blocking will be key for the passing game to be successful. Eight defensive players for Thousand Oaks have 11 or more tackles and Cory McEnroe leads the pack with an average of 6.8 tackles per game.
Chaminade (0-4) at Saguaro (Arizona) (0-3), 7 p.m.
The Eagles are searching for their first win of the season throughout a daunting nonleague schedule. Next up is a Saguaro team that is coming off a 2023 state championship but is out to an 0-3 start this season. Chaminade had been alternating between quarterbacks Ari Sykes and Cameron Pooley but will now be using only Pooley, a sophomore, after Sykes suffered a broken collarbone. Niles Davis leads the rushing attack with an average of 48 yards per game and the Eagles have a strong secondary to lean on.
Chaminade’s Niles Davis gains yards against Villa Park in their CIF Southern Section Division 3 quarterfinal game November 10, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Chavez (1-1) at Sun Valley Poly (2-1), 7 p.m.
Chavez is coming off a low-scoring, 6-3 road victory over Sylmar and will begin East Valley League play against a Poly team that is coming off a 28-0 shutout of Canoga Park. The two teams have a common opponent in San Fernando — which they both lost to. Chavez’s defense came up big with interceptions by Aaron Fajardo and Isaac Diaz in that game.
Paraclete (2-2) vs. Village Christian (1-2) at Glendale College, 7:30 p.m.
Village Christian is looking to get back in the win column after losses to Salesian and Schurr. Paraclete’s rushing attack and secondary will make them a tough team to get through. Freshman Kyle Fulton Jr. and sophomore Nick Sandoval have run for 117 and 104 yards, respectively. Four different players have pulled down interceptions and three-star cornerback Stacy Gentle has 24 tackles, two pass breakups and one interception returned for 40 yards.
Crusaders running back Donovan Howard averages 89.3 rushing yards per game and dual-threat quarterback Everson Mathis has passed for 573 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 180 yards and a touchdown. Preston Mathis is the leading receiver with 244 yards in three games.
Paraclete’s Stace Gentle (#6) warms up before a game against Hart on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Grace (3-1) at Oak Park (3-1), 7 p.m.
Oak Park is on a three-game win streak as it hosts Grace, which is gearing up for its first 11-man league season since the program returned in 2021. The Eagles’ Oliver Gonzalez has rushed for 431 yards and six touchdowns in four games with a season-long scamper of 75 yards. Senior defensive lineman Isaac Thomas has collected two sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Ethan Lasecla has completed 49 of 91 passes for 897 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 696 yards and 12 touchdowns. Aidan Kolesar and Alex Van each have over 300 receiving yards.
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