Jostradamus may be able to see the future, but Week Zero is when his foresight is the foggiest.
Especially since so much has changed from year to year.
Some of the county’s most successful programs in recent seasons will be welcoming more than a few faces when they take the field for season openers on Thursday, Aug. 20, and Friday, Aug. 21.
Despite returning just one starter from last year’s 8-3 team, Thousand Oaks head coach Branden Anderson is confident ahead of a clear-slate season.
Sophomore quarterback Matthew Galvez, who won the quarterback competition in training camp, is familiar with the system he’ll be running Friday against Covina-Northview because he ran it last year.
“The good thing is when I took over, the JV coach and their staff really took on the system,” Anderson said. “The lower levels are running what we run. … So when we got the juniors and some of the sophomores, it wasn’t like it was all new to them. “
Moorpark graduated 28 seniors from last year’s 10-2 team.
“That’s a big hole,” head coach Christian Dearborn said.
But Dearborn knows the talent in his program. He coached the freshman team when his seniors entered the program.
“We are keeping the X’s and O’s simple, putting our play makers in the best position to do what they do,” Dearborn said. “We are making the puzzle pieces right now and plan on putting them together throughout the year with the goal to have it all together when it’s November.”
How about Del Sol, a second-year varsity program, taking on powerhouse Pacifica in just its second season opener?
Head coach James Nelson was asked how he was preparing for the Marmonte League champions.
“Be a cliché,” Nelson said. “Do your job, run the ball, control the clock, make special teams a weapon.”
Like many of the programs in the county, Jostradamus opens his third season picking games on the upswing. He improved from 74.1% accuracy as a rookie in 2024 to 78.2% in last year’s sophomore season.
Is it folly to strive for 80% as a junior?
Onto the Week Zero picks. Let’s see how much Joe Knows.
Thursday
Buena 31, Castaic 10: Castaic is coming off a 0-10 season, including a 47-6 loss to Calabasas.
Friday
Westlake 31, Newbury Park 24: It took double overtime to separate these two teams a year ago.
Rio Mesa 28, Hueneme 21: It’s a coaching reunion. Hueneme head coach Alex Morfin was the Rio Mesa offensive coordinator under head coach Jim Bittner.
Santa Paula 35, Channel Islands 17: The Cardinals have won the last two meetings in this series, which dates back to 1967.
Pacifica 42, Del Sol 7: The first meeting between these two Oxnard neighbors.
St. Bonaventure 35, Paraclete 21: These two teams played annually from 1979 to 2000. The Seraphs lead the series, 13-11.
Agoura 28, Saugus 24: After going 5-0 against local teams a year ago, Saugus will play the Chargers, Camarillo and Hueneme by Week 3.
Chaminade 24, Oaks Christian 20: The Lions have opened the past 10 non-COVID seasons against Chaminade, winning six.
Valencia 28, Simi Valley 21: After a season-long quarterback competition as a sophomore, Connor Petrov opens his junior year solidified as the Pioneers starter.
Apple Valley 20, Moorpark 16: The Musketeers open the season with a slobberknocker against last year’s CIF-SS Division 7 finalist.
Mission College Prep 14, Oxnard 13: Just three points separated these teams in last year’s opener in San Luis Obispo, a 22-19 win for Mission Prep.
Oak Park 31, Angelou Community 0: The Eagles open the season against an opponent that was shut out last season, 321-0.
Camarillo 21, Santa Barbara 20: An upset in Santa Barbara would jump start the Scorpions’ new dawn outside the Marmonte League.
Northview 24, Thousand Oaks 21: Six-foot-1 sophomore Matthew Galvez has won the starting quarterback job for the Lancers.
Calabasas 41, Alemany 21: The Coyotes won this opener 37-34 a year ago and return star seniors at quarterback, receiver and tackle.
Fillmore 35, La Canada 24: The Flashes have to contain quarterback Joe Bell, who ran for a team-high 19 TDs as a junior.
Royal 31, Monroe 7: The Highlanders offense will be different with quarterback Preston Murray.
Nordhoff 42, Hoover 21: The Rangers won this matchup 31-13 a year ago and quarterback Michael Dennie returns with plenty of weapons.
Santa Clara 15, Firebaugh 14: These teams combined for one win a year ago — Firebaugh’s home-opening win over the Saints.
Grace 46, Arrowhead Christian 35: The Lancers have averaged 45.7 points per game in three straight wins in this series over the past three years.
Last season: 161-45 (.782)
This season: 0-0 (.000).
Joe Curley — aka Jostradamus — writes The Star’s high school football picks column. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. Follow him at @vcsjoecurley on Twitter/X, Instagram/Threads and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Jostradamus is back and hopes he can see through the fog of Week Zero
