Ventura Becomes a City That’s Tough to Beat

Ventura, Buena and St. Bonaventure, the three high schools in the city of Ventura, are a combined 14-1, a fact that has St. Bonaventure Coach Jon Mack chuckling.

“Maybe there’s some magic soil, or maybe it’s the air,” said Mack, who then became serious.

“It’s because there’s three good football coaches that work their rear ends off. Winning football games is a lot of hard work, but our county has really improved tremendously the last 10 years.”

Buena (4-1), coached by Rick Scott, is the only team with a loss, a 42-27 setback in a season opener at Westlake.

Ventura (5-0), coached by Phil McCune, is off to its best start since going 9-0 in 1987.

St. Bonaventure (5-0) drubbed Harvard-Westlake last week, 33-0, and is an overwhelming favorite to win the Tri-Valley League title.

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Richard Martinez, a sophomore linebacker at Ventura, will be sidelined at least a month after sustaining a hairline fracture of his left fibula Friday against Oxnard.

Martinez missed the first four games of the season because of a broken left ankle.