Santa Clarita Sports report, October 7, 2016. This is your place for Santa Clarita’s 2016 Foothill League football season. Find all the latest news and updates on your hometown schools here as they compete in the Foothill League, Heritage League, Western State Conference and GSAC.

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Santa Clarita High School Football

The Santa Clarita Christian Cardinals have begun to turn their season around after starting 0-4.

SCCS hit the road Thursday night for a game at The Webb Schools and found themselves in a familiar position: down at the half, 17-14. But the Cardinals rallied in the second half with 21 points to win 35-23 and grab their first win in the San Jaoquin League (2-4, 1-0).

Friday night, Foothill League play opens around the Santa Clarita Valley in what will be one of the most exciting opening nights in recent memory. Across the board, there are juicy matchups. As always, kickoffs are at 7 pm.

KHTS Game of the Week

Hart vs Valencia

It’s a battle of the two highest scoring teams in the league with both teams as close to full strength as can be. Hart senior quarterback Nick Moore (18 total touchdowns) missed last season’s meeting with a torn ACL which effectively ended the Indians’ league title hopes.

On the other side, Valencia’s Moises Haynes (11 total touchdowns) will look to assert himself has one of the top running backs in the Foothill League and forms a dynamic duo with sophomore Jayvaun Wilson.

It should be a high-octane offensive showing from start to finish.

Golden Valley vs Saugus

Two of the three stingiest defenses meet at Cougar Stadium with the Grizzlies allowing 11.6 points per game and the Centurions allowing 16.4.

Saugus has added a dimension to its offense that it hasn’t had of late, with quarterback Nate Eldridge routinely finding receivers Jared Pane and Daniel Gilmartin down the field. Eldridge is quietly completing over 60% of his passes with 14 touchdowns to only two interceptions.

Don’t sleep on KJ Maduike of the Grizzlies, who’s 7.6 average yards per carry is tops in the league for players with over 50 carries.

It should be an exciting game at COC.

West Ranch vs Canyon

The Cowboys come into this matchup one of the hottest teams in the league, winners of four straight while the Wildcats have won two in a row, the last of which in dramatic fashion with a touchdown in the final ten seconds of the game.

First-year West Ranch head coach Chris Varner makes his return to Canyon where he was the head coach from 2007-2010, this time on the away sideline.

This has all the makings of a game that will be close in the fourth quarter and could come down to the final play.

Saturday, Trinity looks to shake off its Faith Bowl loss as the Knights host McAuliffe at Cougar Stadium.

Santa Clarita High School Volleyball

No. 6 West Ranch (6-0) has scored three straight shutouts after defeating Golden Valley (1-6) 3-0 Thursday evening. The Wildcats last dropped a set two weeks ago against Notre Damn in the Royal Tournament.

Valencia (5-1) won a five-set match at Hart (3-3) to remain firmly in second place. Next Thursday, the Vikings battle the Wildcats for first place in the West Side Rivalry.

Meanwhile, the Indians are in a fight for third place with Saugus.

Caitlin Liebe continues to perform as one of the top players in the Foothill League, pacing the Saugus Centurions (3-3) with 19 kills in a 3-0 sweep over Canyon (1-6). 

TMU Soccer

TMU Soccer has a back-to-back Saturday at William Jessup.

Men’s soccer kicks off at 11:30 am and the women’s team has a 2:00 pm start.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The day Dodgers fans have been waiting for is finally here. Los Angeles opens postseason play this afternoon in a quest for its first World Series title in over 25 years.

It’s a battle of aces in our Nation’s capital with Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers against Washington Nationals’ number one Max Scherzer.

Kershaw has called the 2016 Dodgers “the most complete team” he’s played for, adding that “maybe the most belief, as well, that we are complete — which is almost as important,”.

Their first opportunity to prove it comes tonight and tomorrow. Catch every inning of Dodgers postseason baseball on AM-1220 KHTS or stream live at hometownstation.com.

National League Divisional Series

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals

Nationals Park 2:38 PM PST

Los Angeles Rams

The 3-1 LA Rams host the Buffalo Bills at the LA Memorial Coliseum Sunday. The Rams are looking for their fourth straight victory and to remain atop the NFC West standings.

Kickoff is at 1:25 pm.

KHTS AM-1220 is your place for the 2016 spring sports and the Santa Clarita sports report. If you have any news and notes about our teams to share please send them to [email protected] and follow us @KHTSSports on Twitter.