The Lancers, previously in the Canyon League, are now in the Conejo Coast League after the Ventura County football coaches approved league realignments after meeting in March 2023.
A total of 29 Ventura and Santa Barbara county teams have been separated into five competitive leagues based on CalPreps.com rankings in 2021 and 2022. The realignment aimed to improve competition and increase the available playoff spots in the area. CalPreps is the way CIF-SS creates divisions and playoff matchups for football, which convinced coaches and administrators that aligning leagues according to these rankings would be beneficial.
The Marmonte League is the most competitive in Ventura County with only the highest-ranked teams being realigned into it.
“The winner of the Marmonte makes you the best football team in Ventura County,” Simi Valley coach Jim Benkert said to SBLive Sports. “That’s why we did this, so the best teams in the county play each other.”
The new leagues are as follows, the higher the league the harder the difficulty:
Marmonte: Bishop Diego, Camarillo, Oaks Christian, Pacifica, Simi Valley, St. Bonaventure
Conejo Coast: Calabasas, Newbury Park, Rio Mesa, Santa Barbara, Thousand Oaks, Westlake
Channel: Buena, Moorpark, Oak Park, Oxnard, Royal, Ventura
Tri-County: Agoura, Dos Pueblos, Fillmore, Hueneme, San Marcos, Santa Paula
Citrus Coast: Carpinteria, Channel Islands, Del Sol (starting in 2025), Grace Brethren, Nordhoff
The Lancers will begin league competition in week five going head-to-head against Calabasas at home. Thousand Oaks has faced all league opponents in the past.
The Conejo Coast League has gone 8-5 in two weeks of non-league play. Teams in the league have outscored opponents by 156 points in the first two weeks of play, showing the stifling offensive and defensive play the league is suiting up to be.
LEAGUE BREAKDOWN
Calabasas
Last Year: 2-8, 0-5 | 6th in Marmonte League
Last Thousand Oaks Faceoff: Week 5, 2020
Record Against Thousand Oaks: 3-10
Notable Players: Senior WR/DB Jeremiah Smith, Sophomore QB Dominik Hardy
The last time the Lancers faced off against the Calabasas Coyotes was during the shortened COVID-19 season where the season was played in the spring. The Coyotes amassed a 34-20 win at their den. Calabasas has had one down year in the past four seasons. Fortunately, losing defensive back Aaron Butler due to graduation was their biggest loss last season, meaning they bring back a more experienced group of starters.
This year Calabasas has its sights on winning. Fifth-year head coach Cary Harris said in an interview with the Acorn that he feels the pressure to “play better and get better.” Jeremiah “JJ” Smith, is a senior who plays multiple positions and has a multitude of Division 1 schools keeping him on their watchlist, will be the player that the Coyotes’ defense relies on Calabasas will be attempting to brand their game on good defense this year.
Thousand Oaks will face Calabasas at home on Friday, Oct. 5, Week 6.
Newbury Park
Last Year: 10-4, 5-1 | Tied 1st in Canyon League
Last Thousand Oaks Faceoff: Division 5 Semifinals, 2023
Record Against Thousand Oaks: 10-12
Notable Players: Junior QB Brady Smigiel, Senior WR/DB Shane Rosenthal, Junior LB Balen Betancourt
Last season, the Lancers faced Newbury Park twice in 2023. Failing to yield a win in both games in Panther territory. In the regular season, the Panthers defeated the Lancers, 54-42. In that game, the Lancers had four interceptions off quarterback Brady Smigiel, a Florida State University commit who met Aaron Rogers this offseason. During the playoff matchup in November, Newbury Park’s defense secured a 22-19 victory. From the end of last season, the Panthers added multiple players to their rosters. Senior wide receiver Kayin Booker, who was on St. Bonaventure’s championship-winning team, is a premier example of the explanatory skill that the Panthers added from past season.
The Panthers retained most of their stars from last season, the ones they lost the program recovered with transfers. Newbury Park has a roster with vast depth and multiple ranked players, which prove a challenge for any team that faces the claw. The Panthers aim to finish the job this year after they were very close to winning CIF.
The Lancers will play at Newbury Park (for the third time in two years) on Friday, Oct. 25 in Week 8 of the season for the Conejo Valley champion trophy.
Westlake
Last Year: 2-8, 1-4 | 5th in Marmonte League
Last Thousand Oaks Faceoff: Week 2, 2023
Record Against Thousand Oaks: 7-6
Notable Players: Junior RB Demainie Bell, Junior QB Caiden Atkinson, Senior LB Lawson Grace
In the past season, the Lancers traveled down Thousand Oaks Blvd. to defeat Westlake 27-3. Touted a defensive game, the Warriors scored their only points in the third quarter. Westlake has been rebuilding for the past five years, with a combined record of 11-33. The lake wants to put the W back, but recent coaching changes will make the job difficult. In the past five years, Westlake has gone through three coaching changes, two of which occurred this year.
Westlake’s performance will rely on a couple of key players. Junior quarterback Caiden Atkinson who will be under center and hopefully with his ability to upgrade his play to the varsity level at a quick rate, dictate the Warrior’s season. Westlake will aim to improve on their record with Assistant Principal of Athletics Carnell Henderson taking helm at head coach.
The Lancers will play at Westlake on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Rio Mesa
Last Year: 7-4, 5-3 | 4th in Channel League
Last Thousand Oaks Faceoff: Round 1, 2005
Record Against Thousand Oaks: 1-0
Notable Players: Senior QB JJ Bittner, Senior WR/CB Noah Ramos, Senior RB/MLB Terrance Morrow
The last time the Lancers faced the Spartans, all players playing in this year’s matchup had not been born yet. Thousand Oaks played Rio Mesa at home but lost 38-31, with Rio Mesa’s ground game being the winning factor. Almost twenty years later, it will be the opposite for the Spartans, a win or a loss will strictly rely on the performance of their quarterback. JJ Bittner, the son of Head Coach Jim Bittner, who will enter his fourth year as the play-caller.
Rio Mesa made it to the first round of Division 6 playoffs but was sternly turned around in Round One. The Spartans retained many players from last year, with 19 players on the roster being listed as a senior. “Our goal is to go out there and be the toughest team out there,” said Jim Bittner in an interview with the Acorn. Bittner’s goal is to win the league and then CIF. The Spartans want to build on their success last year for the final season for a large portion of the team.
Thousand Oaks will host Rio Mesa in week 8 on Oct. 18.
Santa Barbara
Last Year: 9-3, 7-1 | 2nd in Channel League
Last Thousand Oaks Faceoff: Week 0, 2023
Record Against Thousand Oaks: 2-1
Notable Players: Senior RB/OLB Bode Fauskee, Junior QB Laird Finkel, Senior WR/CB Kai Mault
The Lancers lost to the Dons in the first game of the season last year at home, 29-21. A fiery offense Santa Barbara scored 22 points in the first quarter catapulting them to victory. Santa Barbra lost many key players who were critical in the win against the Lancers. The Dons retained some starting experience, which will prove to be very helpful with team leadership – and it shows, the Dons have defeated opponents in the first two weeks by outscoring by double.
Senior running back and outside linebacker, Bode Fauskee will anchor both the offense and defense, while junior quarterback Laird Finkel steps into the starting role with playmaking ability both through the air and on the ground. Senior wide receiver and cornerback Kai Mault brings versatility and leadership, making Santa Barbara a formidable opponent despite their changes.
Thousand Oaks will face Santa Barbara on Friday, Nov. 1, in a potentially crucial late-season matchup.
Thousand Oaks
Last year: 9-4, 5-1 | Tied 1st in Canyon League
Notable Players: Senior S/WR Jack Steinberg, Senior LB/FB Cory McEnroe, Junior RB Justin Lewis, Senior LB Jameson Born, Senior WR/DB Zach Reer
Head Coach Ben McEnroe’s first season as the Lancer’s strategist ended last year facing the Newbury Park Panthers in the CIF-SS Division 5 Semi-Finals, losing to Newbury Park with a score of 22-19. The Lancers lost three key players to playing Division One football. The Lancer roster has a very good skill group despite only retaining three four-year seniors. Unfortunately, the Lancers lost the majority of their offensive line to graduation as well, but utility players such as first-year football Drew Cockerill have been helping the Lancers play at a high level.
Junior running back Justin Lewis joined the Lancers from Oaks Christian this offseason and junior wide receiver Hayden Vercher also joined from Sierra Canyon. The Lancer’s only concern is the depth of the offensive line – but knowing the program, the Lancers will defy that issue. “For us, our goal has always been to win the league because it guarantees that you are in playoffs,” said McEnroe to the Lancer. “Our goal for each week is to be the best version of ourselves.”
