GAME DAY / A Look at Today’s Key Matchups

HIGH SCHOOL

* ALEMANY (3-0) vs. NOTRE DAME (3-0)

At Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m.

Quarterback Casey Clausen of Alemany and lineman Travis Johnson of Notre Dame hung out together last summer in Newport Beach, thinking what would happen in this game. “I said I’d be coming at him like a heat-seeking missile,” Johnson said. And that’s what this nonleague matchup between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alemany might come down to, whether Clausen will have time to pass against a defense that has 14 sacks. Alemany is averaging 65 points with a big-play offense that has produced 15 touchdowns from 20 yards or more. Clausen doesn’t have an interception in 75 passes. The Indians can run the ball with De’Andre Scott, who’s averaging 9.8 yards. Crucial to Notre Dame will be its ability to move the ball. Quarterback Jonathon Brewster has been improving but he needs a ground game to help his passing. Tailback Trevin Lund and fullback Patrick Wade will be counted on to take pressure off Brewster. Last year, Alemany lost to the Knights, 14-13. The Indians did the best job all season in blocking Johnson, who is vowing to make his presence felt tonight.

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VENTURA (3-0) vs. RIO MESA (2-1)

At Rio Mesa, 7 p.m.

Junior Tyler Ebell of Ventura has gained a Ventura County-leading 492 yards in 56 carries and scored eight touchdowns, but Coach Phil McCune said Rio Mesa’s wing-T offense will create plenty of problems for his team. “They have a much more diversified running game,” McCune said. “We have Tyler and a couple of guys who can support him. They have four running backs who are all good.” Senior Mike Liranzo has gained a team-high 320 yards in 39 carries and scored four touchdowns, but McCune said senior quarterback Pancho Tinoco is the key for the Spartans. “Pancho is the guy who makes them go,” McCune said. “He’s the guy who runs the show there. Without him, they’re not the same team.” Tinoco, who has rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns, has completed 10 of 26 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Ventura counterpart Scott Ellis has gained 154 yards in 26 carries and completed 10 of 25 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions. Ellis, a senior who also starts at defensive back and kicker, intercepted a school-record four passes and blocked a field-goal attempt in a 21-0 victory over Royal last week. Ventura leads the series, 14-6, and is shooting for its second consecutive victory and eighth in nine games over Rio Mesa.

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TAFT (0-3) vs. KENNEDY (3-0)

At Kennedy, 7 p.m.

Don’t let the records deceive. Winless Taft, defending City Champion, should give Kennedy all it can handle. The Toreadors have lost to powers Banning and Dorsey, along with Locke. The Golden Cougars’ victories are against teams with a combined record of 1-8. Last season, Taft beat Kennedy, 42-0, the Toreadors’ fifth victory in the their last six meetings. Ruben Zaragoza of Kennedy, who has completed 62 of 97 passes for 771 yards and 10 touchdowns, is the top passer among City teams in the Valley. Brandon Hance of Taft, who is headed to Purdue, is 37 of 76 for 532 yards and four touchdowns. Hance has run for five scores. Lee Marks of Taft had a 95-yard touchdown run last week against Dorsey and has 324 yards in 37 carries. In an expected shootout, the play of defenders such as linebacker Brandon Walker of Taft and safety Clifford Mack of Kennedy will be key.

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VALENCIA (2-1) vs. CHATSWORTH (1-2)

At Chatsworth, 7 p.m.

This matchup features two teams with one-dimensional offenses. Valencia can run with tailback Manuel White. Chatsworth can pass with quarterback Matt Cassel. Both teams rely heavily on their highly touted Division I prospects. So defense is the key and Chatsworth, which surrenders an average of 404 yards a game, hasn’t figured out how to stop opponents. Stopping White appears a task too tall for Chatsworth. White, coming off a 281-yard performance against Oxnard last week, is averaging 6.7 yards a carry and he gets about 30 of those a game. White, by himself, spells trouble for Chatsworth, which has given up an average of 215 yards a week to teams with an average running game. Valencia’s defense is solid and got a boost last week from the return of injured cornerback Cheyne Flatt, who made an interception. Cassel & Co. will provide Valencia with its first of three tests against a passing team. Cassel, a 6-4, 206-pound senior, has completed 64% of his passes for 634 yards and seven touchdowns. His favorite target is Lucius Duper, who has 16 catches for 344 yards and four touchdowns.

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HART (3-0) vs. PALMDALE (0-3)

At Palmdale, 7:30 p.m.

This is a rivalry that has been one-sided in recent years. Hart has won nine consecutive meetings, including a 44-7 rout last season. Both teams flirted with upsets last week, with Hart overcoming a halftime deficit to defeat Sylmar, 28-12, and Palmdale squandering a lead in the final minute of a 52-46 loss to Bloomington, a Southern Section traditional power. Kyle Matter of Hart is second in the region with 831 yards passing and 12 touchdowns, and Chris Ciccone has caught five scoring passes. Long known for its offense, Hart has allowed only 193.3 yards per game. Palmdale has allowed more than 410 yards per game, including 550 yards last week against Bloomington. Terry Furlow passed for a career-high 259 yards and hit Travis Morse three times for Palmdale touchdowns. To be competitive, Palmdale must control the ball and get a big night from running backs Anthony Diggs and Brent Trice, who are coming off a combined 34-yard rushing effort.

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OTHER GAMES:

City Section, nonleague: 7 p.m.--Washington at Sylmar; Eagle Rock at Verdugo Hills; L.A. Wilson at North Hollywood; Jefferson at Granada Hills; Grant at Cleveland; Eagle Rock at Verdugo Hills; Van Nuys at El Camino Real; Birmingham at San Fernando; 7:30 p.m.--Canoga Park at Reseda; L.A. Marshall at Poly.

Southern Section, Marmonte League: 7 p.m.--Newbury Park at Royal; Simi Valley at Moorpark; Thousand Oaks at Agoura; Nonleague: 7 p.m.--Channel Islands at Calabasas; Westlake at Canyon; Anaheim Fairmont vs. Campbell Hall at Birmingham High; Muir at Lancaster; Littlerock at St. Bernard. 7:30 p.m.--Burbank at Crespi; Dominguez at Antelope Valley; Camarillo vs. Buena at Ventura High; Hoover at Temple City; Bishop Montgomery at Chaminade; La Canada vs. Crescenta Valley at Glendale High; Harvard-Westlake at Nordhoff; Pasadena at St. Francis; Paraclete at Bakersfield Graphic Arts Resource Center for Enriched Studies (GARCES); Fillmore vs. L.A. Baptist at Alemany High; Santa Paula at Oak Park; Quartz Hill vs. Saugus at College of the Canyons; Mojave vs. Vasquez at Quartz Hill High; Hueneme at Atascadero; Kilpatrick vs. Montclair Prep at Valley College; Oxnard at San Marcos; St. Genevieve vs. Salesian at Pius X-St. Matthias High; Bell-Jeff vs. St. Anthony at Clark Field in Long Beach.

Intersectional: 7 p.m.--Blair at Monroe; Clovis West at Highland.

Eight-man, Heritage League: 3 p.m.--Pilgrim at First Lutheran.