The fall sports season is in full swing, and the local high school coaches and players convened at Harry’s Plaza Cafe on Monday to give updates on their teams at the weekly Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Press Luncheon.
A tight Channel League girls flag football race, the opening week of league play for football teams and the second half of girls volleyball league action headline the beginning of October.
Girls Flag Football
The flag football season has entered the final week of the regular season with each of the three local Channel League teams playing on Wednesday evening.
Following undefeated Ventura, who has already clinched a regular season championship, there is a logjam four-way tie for second place as Santa Barbara High, San Marcos, Dos Pueblos and Oxnard all sit at 4-2.
The final standings will be decided after Wednesday’s games as Santa Barbara High and Dos Pueblos face off at Scott O’Leary Stadium at 6:30 p.m. while the Royals will host Oxnard at 7:30 p.m.
“We face Santa Barbara this week in another big game against a very accomplished football team,” Chargers coach Doug Caines said. “It should be exciting to watch out at O’Leary Stadium.”
Those standings will shake out and determine the seeding for the first-ever Channel League flag football tournament which begins on Monday, Oct. 14. In the tournament, the teams will battle for a spot in the CIF playoffs, another first for the sport.
Football
Many of the local football teams kicked off their league schedule last week as Dos Pueblos, Santa Barbara High and San Marcos made their debuts in brand-new leagues.
Santa Barbara High opened up Conejo Coast League play with a 35-6 loss to undefeated Newbury Park, Calpreps’ No. 19 team in California, on Saturday night.
“There’s no time to worry about Saturday night’s game because we’ve got to get ready for a big league game down at Rio Mesa,” Dons coach Nate Mendoza said.
Meanwhile, both the Chargers and Royals won their first-ever games in the Tri-County League with Dos Pueblos taking down Hueneme, 20-10, on the road and San Marcos taking down Fillmore at home, 31-17.
Bishop Diego remains in the Marmonte League this season, but the league has undergone a bit of a makeover by adding Pacifica and Camarillo.
The Cardinals welcomed Camarillo to the tough league by shutting out the Scorpions to the tune of a 26-0 victory.
Girls Volleyball
The prep girls volleyball squads have entered the home stretch of their seasons, with many of the local teams left with just four more league games on the schedule.
All three Channel League teams in the area are firmly in the playoff race as San Marcos sits in first place with a record of 10-1, Dos Pueblos is slotted just behind them at 8-3 in second place and Santa Barbara is in fourth place at 7-4.
The Chargers and Dons will square off in a pivotal league matchup on Wednesday night inside JR Richards Gym at 6:30 p.m. The last time these two squads faced off, Santa Barbara High earned the win in four sets.
“I’m looking forward to another good matchup, that should be a fun one,” Dons coach Kristin Hempy said of the rivalry match.
In the Tri-Valley League, the Bishop Diego Cardinals are currently in first place with a league record of 5-1 to go along with their impressive overall mark of 18-3.
Student-athletes in Attendance
Dos Pueblos Boys Water Polo: Adam Gelman, Ty Abel
Dos Pueblos Flag Football: Liliana Rodriguez, Kindah Ahmad-Reda, Brooklyn Hedricks
Dos Pueblos Football: Micah Barnhart, Marcus Carbajal
Dos Pueblos Girls Volleyball: Ella Payne, Justine King
San Marcos Football: Quinn Donnell, Jacob Mrillo
San Marcos Girls Volleyball: Gianna Mandarino
Santa Barbara High Flag Football: Eva Hervouet, Alexandra Arnold, Alyssa Ortiz
Santa Barbara High Football: Zhen Liu, Aaron Baizan
Santa Barbara High Girls Volleyball: Madi Priess, Kira Elliott
Bishop Diego Flag Football: Jeisa Coronado, Sorelle Franco-Comer, Ava Nafziger
Bishop Diego Girls Volleyball: Sophie Otte
Bishop Diego Football: Oscar Mauia, Sam Crawford
Carpinteria High Volleyball: Anna Morrison, Paola Torres
Carpinteria High Football: Chris Jaimes, Kevin Ramirez
Carpinteria High Boys Water Polo: Sky Korling, Jake Ehlers
Laguna Blanca Football: Mason Siegel, Liam Messick
San Marcos Flag Football: Kayla Aguilar, Molly McCarter
Hop Studios