The Santa Barbara Dons handed the Westlake Warriors their first Channel League loss, winning 13-10 at Peabody Stadium in an epic game that came down to the wire.
Head Coach Nate Mendoza reflected on the win: “We’re happy to be the ones that beat them, but nothing but respect for Westlake and (Rick) Clausen. They run a great team over there, and it was just a great night for our boys.”
The Channel League standings now feature a three-way tie for first place, with the Dons(6-3), Westlake (7-2), and Moorpark (7-2) all holding 3-1 league records. While Westlake and Moorpark face off next Friday, the Dons will travel to take on a struggling Thousand Oaks team to finish the regular season.
The Dons received the game’s opening possession, handing the ball to senior running back Everett Rabb Preston on three consecutive carries. As the offense moved into Westlake territory, a Dons fumble was recovered by the Warriors.
As the Westlake offense moved near the red zone, the Dons’ defense stepped up, forcing an early fourth-down decision. The Warriors’ risky decision to go for it on fourth-and-8 from an empty set allowed junior cornerback Tennyson Birkley to break on the ball, snag an interception, and return it 34 yards for the Dons.
With 6:25 left in the first quarter, the Dons’ offense was unable to convert on a tough fourth-down attempt, resulting in a turnover on downs.
The Warriors’ offense then moved the ball into the red zone again, but the Dons’ defense continued to shine, setting the tone for much of the night.
“I thought the defense [put forth an] outstanding effort all night, and we talked about it all week. We felt like we felt like we were on this level,” Mendoza said.
As the second quarter began, a big tackle for loss by sophomore Nathan Kittle on third-and-7 put Westlake in another tough position, facing fourth-and-11 at the Dons’ 23-yard line. Westlake quarterback Hendrix Tucker targeted Charles Davis, the ninth-ranked wide receiver in the state according to Rivals.com, but came up empty once again as Birkley’s coverage forced another turnover on downs.
The Santa Barbara offense struggled to get going and appeared to be on the verge of a three-and-out. However, a savvy fake-punt call by Coach Nate Mendoza allowed junior Cade Mault to gain the necessary yardage for a first down and keep the drive alive.
The Dons’ offense worked the ball all the way to the Westlake 14-yard line, but an errant throw led to an interception by Westlake defensive back Tristan Dottin, who returned it to midfield. The Dons’ defense prevented Westlake from sustaining its drive, but the Warriors managed to finish the possession with an impressive 52-yard field goal, taking a 3-0 lead into halftime.
The second half began with Westlake on offense, but a series of miscues, combined with a third-down sack by sophomore Willie Ortiz, resulted in a turnover on downs.
The Dons then worked their way upfield, gaining just enough ground for a 43-yard field goal by Cade Mault with 6:26 left in the third quarter to tie the game at 3-3.
The ensuing Westlake drive was once again thwarted by defensive back Tennyson Birkley, who undercut a deep post route for his second interception of the night.
The Dons began the fourth quarter on offense at their own 32-yard line. As they pushed the ball forward, a series of crucial penalties by Westlake—including unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer—gave the Dons 30 yards and helped extend the drive. The Dons capped it off with a 42-yard field goal from Mault, taking a 6-3 lead with eight minutes remaining.
Desperate for a spark, the Westlake offense took advantage of a blown defensive coverage on the first play of its drive. A streak route to junior receiver Jack Tasker resulted in an 80-yard touchdown, giving Westlake a 10-6 lead and marking the game’s first touchdown.
With time ticking away and adversity facing the Dons, they took the field at their own 20-yard line in need of a response. After two plays appeared to set them up for a potential three-and-out, quarterback Griffin Arnold delivered on third-and-15, throwing deep over the middle to Mault, who hauled in the pass and raced for an electrifying 85-yard touchdown. The score gave Santa Barbara a 13-10 lead.
Westlake’s next possession began with a breakaway run, but as the runner crossed midfield, the Dons forced a fumble. Senior Fin Congdon recovered the ball, giving the Dons possession at their own 32-yard line.
The Dons went three-and-out, but successfully shaved some time off the clock before giving Westlake one final possession.
The Westlake drive received an immediate boost from a Dons penalty on the second play, when a defenseless-receiver foul moved the Warriors into Dons territory. However, the Dons’ defense once again put Westlake in a difficult position, forcing a fourth-and-8 near midfield. Westlake converted a pass over the middle to keep the drive alive and move closer to field-goal range.
On the next play, a crucial sack by Willie Ortiz resulted in a six-yard loss for Westlake. On second-and-16, an incomplete pass intended for the end zone drew a pass-interference penalty against the Dons, moving the ball to the 19-yard line and giving Westlake a fresh set of downs.
Westlake tested Birkley again, but he deflected the ball as it reached the receiver’s hands. On second down, quarterback Tucker scrambled toward the end zone, but a Westlake penalty negated the run.
Westlake was forced to spike the ball on third down to stop the clock, hoping to tie the game with a field goal and send it into overtime.
The 29-yard field-goal attempt sailed just wide of the left upright, sealing the 13-10 victory for the Dons as they celebrated a huge league win.
“A signature win, but we got one more to go. I don’t think many people are talking about this being a league championship game, but we were. We kind of understood that if we won this game, we both have a loss, and we beat them head-to-head, so we got another one to go. Can’t overlook TO (Thousand Oaks) by any means. That’s a good team too, so we’re gonna enjoy it tonight. Watch the film tomorrow, and I’m just so proud of the boys. Great crowd tonight. Great win,” Mendoza said.
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