A dominant regular season. An unforgettable postseason run.
The Westlake High and Ventura High football teams both delivered history last fall.
The Warriors became the second team in state history to follow a 0-10 season with a 10-0 campaign.
The Cougars delivered the first CIF-State regional championship and CIF-State championship bowl appearance in program history.
Now both programs are trying to keep the forward momentum going this fall in the new-look Channel League.
“What we’re coaching against is complacency,” Westlake coach Rick Clausen said. “What we did last year is not going to help us this year.”
The Conejo Coast League, formerly the second league in the Northern Area’s five-tier football system, has been renamed the Channel League during
the 2026-27 releaguing cycle.
To make things more confusing, Ventura and Moorpark, who both excelled in the former third-tier Channel League, have moved up to the second tier, joining Rio Mesa, Thousand Oaks and Santa Barbara, while replacing Newbury Park and Calabasas.
“I don’t think there’s much difference in the league,” Rio Mesa coach Jim Bittner said. “Ventura and Moorpark will be very good competition.”
While Westlake returns more than 20 seniors who led the way during an unbeaten regular season, Ventura is trying to carry forward the legacy of one of the best senior classes in school history.
“We are going to look different,” Ventura coach Tim Garcia said. “We are going to be different. But as the season goes, our young guys are going to be able to develop.”
While Westlake returns sophomore Ford Green, the rest of the league will be breaking in new quarterbacks.
Ventura senior Gavin Scarlett, Moorpark senior Dawson Armstrong, a transfer from Simi Valley, and Rio Mesa sophomore Landon Edge have earned jobs. Thousand Oaks will either go with senior Nikos Dukakis or sophomore Matthew Galvez.
The step forward will be a challenge for Moorpark, which graduated 28 seniors last spring.
“If you look at the average of the rankings,” Moorpark coach Christian Dearborn said, “our schedule literally got twice as hard.”
Things may be even tougher for Thousand Oaks, which is coming off a fourth straight season of winning eight or more games. But the Lancers return just one starter, senior defensive back Miles Lewis.
“We have good talent,” said Thousand Oaks coach Branden Anderson. “But we have some really young guys. It’s going to take a season to gain some experience.”
Rio Mesa will be young for a second straight season. Although center G Abellera and tackle Jordan Estrada provide experience up front.
“Traditionally our kids have always been very tough,” Bittner said. “They fight through everything. … We expect a lot out of them. I think we can compete this year. I don’t think there’s any reason why we can’t.”
Top returning players
- Charles Davis, Westlake: The four-star recruit caught 11 TD passes as a junior.
- Ford Green, Westlake: Threw for 2,195 yards and 31 TDs as a freshman.
- Erik Green, Westlake: The safety actually led the Warriors in receiving yardage as a junior.
- Tristan Savage: Ventura: The weapon had 625 yards and 13 TDs in six postseason games as a sophomore.
- James Watson, Ventura: First full season with the Cougars could be something for the talented running back.
- Davis Benson, Moorpark: Is the track star the county’s top return man?
- David Diaz, Moorpark: The 5-foot-9, 208-pound defensive tackle was a first-team All-Channel selection as a junior.
- G Abelerra, Rio Mesa: The 6-foot-1, 295-pound center will anchor the Spartans up front with tackle Jordan Estrada.
- Nate Meiser, Santa Barbara: The receiver was a second-team All-Conejo Coast League selection as a junior.
- Santiago Garcia, Santa Barbara: The center was a second-team All-Conejo Coast League selection as a junior.
Newcomers to watch
- Demare Dezeurn, Westlake: The speedster scored 27 TDs for Palisades High as a junior.
- August Gibbs, Westlake: The transfer from Simi Valley will slot into the Warriors defense at linebacker.
- Shane Ealy, Westlake: The transfer cornerback from Chaminade will boost the Warriors secondary.
- Nazir Esanbor, Westlake: The transfer from Mater Dei will help plug the Warrriors’ backfield hole.
- Josh Barton, Ventura: The junior transfer from St. Bonaventure can fill several roles in the secondary.
- Dawson Armstrong, Moorpark: The former Newbury Park and Simi Valley quarterback takes over behind center for the Musketeers.
- Landon Edge, Rio Mesa: The athletic sophomore will take over as the Spartans quarterback.
- Sebastian Macias, Rio Mesa: The 6-foot-3, 245-pound basketball player is an exciting addition at tight end.
Biggest departures
- Jack Cunningham, Ventura: The receiver produced county’s first 2,000-yard receiving season.
- Derek Garcia, Ventura: The Cougars’ all-time leading passer is now at UNLV.
- Tristan Phillips, Ventura: The Channel League’s Linebacker of the Year is now at Oregon.
- Demanie Bell, Westlake: The tailback had three 1,000-yard season for the Warriors.
- Niles Davis, Westlake: The slot receiver is now at UC Berkeley.
- Brody Ordelheide, Moorpark: The Channel League’s co-Lineman of the Year with Ventura’s Jesse DeAlba.
- Gerritt Gray: Moorpark: The Channel League’s Defensive Back of the Year is now at Army.
- Jackson Taylor, Thousand Oaks: The Lancers’ all-time leading passer is now at Boise State.
- Silas Petty, Rio Mesa: Transferred to St. Bonaventure after leading the Spartans in receiving as a freshman.
- Malachi Johnson, Santa Barbara: The Coastal Canyon League’s Lineman of the Year is now at Cal Poly.
Predicted order of finish
- 1. Westlake: Can Clausen’s Warriors continue their historic turnaround?
- 2. Ventura: The Cougars try to maintain momentum despite losing an unforgettable senior class.
- 3. Moorpark: The Musketeer look strong again, despite graduating 28 seniors.
- 4. Santa Barbara: Last year’s 4-6 campaign was the Dons’ first losing season in a decade.
- 5. Thousand Oaks: Senior Miles Lewis is the Lancers’ lone returning starter.
- 6. Rio Mesa: The gritty Spartans begin anew with leaders on both lines.
Joe Curley covers football for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter/X, Instagram/Threads, Facebook, Bluesky and TikTok.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: All you need to know about football's new-look Channel League
