Tri-Valley League preview
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If the Tri-Valley League has shown us anything, it’s that Oaks Christian has a really, really good football program. I mean, how many teams have won four straight CIF section titles, have set a section record for most consecutive wins and just graduated a quarterback who could be starting as a freshman at Notre Dame?
So, now that we (and everybody else in the local media) have established Oaks Christian as the best team in the Tri-Valley League, let’s not talk about them anymore. Instead, let’s talk about those perennial bridesmaids over at Oak Park and what they’re planning in an attempt to stick it to those dastardly Lions.
Oak Park’s offense isn’t as polished as their rivals’, but the Eagles return eight defensive starters, including defensive backs Kyle Shorten and Sean Westgate, lineman Dustin Geyer and linebacker David Henningsen. In addition, Shorten will lead the team’s rushing effort after tallying 1,064 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior. The only question remaining is who will have the job of handing off the ball to him? Nick DiPaolo and Kyle Andrus are competing for the starting job.
Outside observer and Carpinteria Head Coach John Hazelton said, “You’ve got to look at Oak Park and Oaks Christian as kind of equal this season. That’s the way we’re looking at them. You can speak about those two in the same breath a lot more than you could in the past.”
Sure, the Potter-Owusu-Jones connection off the 101 is lethal, but do the Eagles have what it takes to crack Oaks Christian’s stranglehold on the league. But will they? We’ll have to wait until Oct. 19.
Here’s my predictions: 1. Oaks Christian, 2. Oak Park, 3. Nordhoff, 4. Carpinteria, 5. Grace Brethren, 6. Santa Paula
Must-see games:
- Sept. 20 – Newbury Park at Oak Park, 7:30 p.m.
- Sept. 21 – Oaks Christian vs. St. Bonaventure at Ventura HS, 7:30 p.m.
- Sept. 28 – Rio Mesa at Nordhoff, 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 19 – Oak Park at Oaks Christian, 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 19 – Carpinteria at Nordhoff, 7:30 p.m.
- Austin Knoblauch
