School is almost back and so is high school football in the Santa Clarita Valley. KHTS previews each team’s upcoming season and schedule and what to expect.
Previewing Santa Clarita Valley’s public and private high school football teams for Canyon High School, Castaic High School, Golden Valley High School, Hart High School, Trinity Classical Academy, Santa Clarita Christian School, Saugus High School, Valencia High School and West Ranch High School.
Saugus High School
Saugus High School looks to defend its Foothill League title after a perfect 4-0 record last year, including victories against Canyon, Hart, Golden Valley, and West Ranch. Notably left off that list is Valencia High School who are clearly their stiffest competition. We’ll get that coveted match-up this season on Friday, Sept. 16, as the Vikings host the Centurions in what will be a lively affair. Last season, Saugus finished 8-2 overall, stifling opponents with a stingy defense that allowed just 90 points the entire season. The team’s season ended in disappointment with a first-round playoff exit in a 21-7 loss to Rancho Cucamonga. Head coach Jason Bourne will look to lead his team to another playoff berth and bid for the state championship in what should be another strong season for Saugus.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Rio Mesa | Thursday, 8/18 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Moorpark | Friday, 8/26 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Camarillo | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Simi Valley | Thursday, 9/8 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Valencia* | Friday, 9/16 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
West Ranch* | Friday, 9/23 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Hart* | Friday, 10/7 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Castaic* | Friday, 10/14 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Canyon* | Friday, 10/21 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Golden Valley* | Friday, 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
West Ranch High School
West Ranch High School finished 2nd in the Foothill League last season with a 3-1 record including an upset victory against Valencia. The team’s only league loss came at the hands of first-place Saugus, a 42-8 blowout in October. The team’s overall record of 8-3 granted them a playoff berth, but the Wildcats were defeated by Lawndale in the first round by a final score of 34-14. The team will have its work cut out for them to place in one of the top two spots in the Foothill League with Saugus and Valencia returning at full strength, but West Ranch is a dark horse to keep an eye on this year.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
St. Francis | Friday, 8/19 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Buena | Friday, 8/26 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Antelope Valley | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
St. Paul | Thursday, 9/8 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Canyon* | Friday, 9/16 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Saugus* | Friday, 9/23 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Hart* | Friday, 10/7 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Valencia* | Friday, 10/14 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Golden Valley* | Friday, 10/21 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Castaic* | Friday, 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Valencia High School
After a magical playoff run last year that came just one win short of the state championship, Valencia High School returns this season looking to take the final step toward that goal. With an average league showing that saw them finish 2-2 and finish 3rd in the Foothill League, Valencia still earned a playoff berth thanks to their 8-5 overall record. The Vikings defeated Oaks Christian, winning the CIF Southern Section championship, but lost the following week to the Scripps Ranch Falcons (San Diego), ending their season and bid for the Division 2A State title. Valencia looks to redeem itself in a season that will feature the highly anticipated heavyweight battle with Saugus on Sept. 16th at home.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Bishop Amat | Thursday, 8/18 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Quartz Hill | Friday, 8/26 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Notre Dame HS | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
RCHS | Friday, 9/9 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Saugus* | Friday, 9/16 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Castaic* | Friday, 9/23 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Golden Valley* | Friday, 9/30 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
West Ranch* | Friday, 10/7 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Hart* | Friday, 10/21 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Canyon* | Friday, 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Golden Valley High School
Golden Valley finished tied for 4th place in the Foothill League last year with a 2-3 conference record. Despite that, their 4-6 mark overall was good enough for a playoff berth vs La Mirada that ended in a 35-29 loss. The key for Golden Valley in 2022-2023 will be consistency. Last year, the Grizzlies dropped three of their final four games. all league matchups with West Ranch, Saugus, and Valencia. Golden Valley was outscored in those three losses 107-35, before ripping off a 42-0 victory against Canyon.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Newbury Park | Friday, 8/19 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Antelope Valley | Friday, 8/26 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Quartz Hill | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Garfield | Friday, 9/9 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Castaic* | Friday, 9/16 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Hart* | Friday, 9/23 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Valencia* | Friday, 9/30 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Canyon* | Friday, 10/7 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
West Ranch* | Friday, 10/14 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Saugus* | Friday, 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Hart High School
Hart High School failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season in 2021-2022. They look to right the ship this season under head coach Rick Herrington. Last year, the team scored 193 points versus the 214 points they surrendered, indicative of some close losses in what was a 3-7 season. The team did score an upset overtime victory vs Valencia High School, leading to a 2-3 record in the Foothill League, tying the team for 4th place with Golden Valley.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Camarillo | Friday, 8/19 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Oxnard | Friday, 8/26 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Fillmore | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Mira Costa | Friday, 9/9 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Golden Valley | Friday, 9/23 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
West Ranch | Friday, 9/30 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Saugus | Friday, 10/7 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Canyon | Friday, 10/14 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Valencia | Friday ,10/21 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Castaic | Friday, 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Castaic High School
Castaic played in only three games last season, finishing with a 1-2 record. The school, which opened in 2019, is now set for its first full slate of games as they welcome the first senior class in the school’s history. They opened last season with a 42-7 loss at the hands of Paraclete, before trouncing Hoover High School of Glendale by a score of 48-6. They concluded their season with a loss to St. Margaret’s by a final score of 60-20. Between a new program and delays from COVID, the growing pains have been immense for the Coyotes as they look to build a foundation for their program, but this season could be the first step toward that goal under head coach Anthony Uebelhardt.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Adelanto | Thursday, 8/18 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Royal | Friday, 8/26 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Burbank | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Eastside (Lancaster) | Friday, 9/9 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Golden Valley* | Friday 9/16 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Valencia* | Friday 9/23 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Canyon* | Friday 9/30 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Saugus* | Friday 10/14 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
West Ranch* | Friday 10/21 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Hart* | Friday 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Canyon High School
Canyon High School’s Varsity Football team is coming off a disappointing 2021-2022 season in which they finished winless in Foothill League games at 0-5. They finished 2-7 overall, their lone two victories coming against Royal High School and Palmdale. They suffered blowout losses in back-to-back games last season to Saugus High School and Valencia High School, 49-8 and 52-0 respectively. First-year head coach Ken Holsenbeck will look to turn Canyon’s fortunes around this year after having served as the school’s athletic director and as an assistant coach for the football team since 2014.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Canoga Park | Friday, 8/19 – 7:30 p.m. | Away |
Hueneme | Friday, 8/26 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Harvard-Westlake | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Royal | Friday, 9/9 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
West Ranch* | Friday 9/16 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Castaic* | Friday 9/30 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Golden Valley* | Friday 10/7 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Hart* | Friday 10/14 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Saugus* | Friday 10/21 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Valencia* | Friday 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Trinity Classical High School
Playing in the Cross Valley League, Trinity Classical turned in a strong 2021-2022 season with a 6-4 overall season and 2-2 league record, good for 3rd place. Trinity Classical had five consecutive wins, including routs in weeks 2-4 with 64-0, 51-7, and 31-0 victories over Duarte, Poly, and St. Monica respectively. The team stumbled to the finish line losing three of their final four games, including a 38-6 loss to league opponent Riverside, dropping them down a place in the standings in the penultimate game of the season.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Firebaugh | Thursday, 8/18 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Bosco Tech | Saturday, 8/27 – 10:00 a.m. | Away |
Monroe | Friday, 9/2 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Desert (Edwards AFB) | Friday, 9/16 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Santa Paula | Saturday, 9/24 – 7:30 p.m. | Home |
ACHS* | Friday, 9/30 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
Riverside Prep* | Friday, 10/7 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
LCHS (Temecula) | Friday, 10/14 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
CVCHS | Friday, 10/21 – 7:00 p.m. | Away |
WCHS* | Friday, 10/28 – 7:00 p.m. | Home |
Santa Clarita Christian High School
Santa Clarita Christian High School had a season to forget in 2021-2022. The team was winless in all 10 games, outscored by opponents 525-210. There’s not much more to say, they have a lot to work on.
OPPONENT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION |
Lancaster Baptist | Saturday, 8/27 – 5:30 p.m. | Home |
Hillcrest (Thousand Oaks) | Saturday, 9/3 – 5:30 p.m. | Away |
Villanova Prep | Saturday, 9/10 – TBA | Home |
Coast Union | Saturday, 9/17 – 5:00 p.m. | Away |
Malibu | Friday, 9/30 – 6:30 p.m. | Home |
DCHS (Lancaster) | Saturday, 10/8 – 5:30 p.m. | Home |
LMA (Moreno Valley) | Saturday, 10/15 – 1:00 p.m. | Away |
Miliken | Thurs, 10/20 – 6:00 p.m. | Home |
FMHS (Lebec) | Friday, 10/29 – 5:30 p.m. | Away |
Sponsored Articles
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.