Santa Barbara Drops Conejo Coast League Opener to Unbeaten Newbury Park 35-6

A shorthanded Santa Barbara High football team fought hard, but couldn’t hang with powerhouse Newbury Park.

The visiting Panthers jumped out to a 21-0 first half lead and cruised to a 35-6 Victory on Saturday night at Peabody Stadium.

“I’m really proud of the guys they never quit,” said Santa Barbara High coach Nate Mendoza.” They were still fighting at the end. They wanted to score at the end so I appreciate the competitive spirit from the boys.”

Newbury Park is ranked 26 in the state of California according to Maxpreps and led by superstar junior quarterback Brady Smiegel who is 6’ 5” 205 pounds and has dominated high school competition since he was a freshman. Smiegel, who is currently a Florida State commit, is coveted by nearly every major college football program in the country.

On Friday against Santa Barbara Smiegel tossed three touchdown passes, including two in the second half to senior wide receiver Alberto Ayon.

Newbury Park marched 66 yards on the opening drive of the game. Smiegel connected with Shane Rosenthal on a 21-yard pass down to the two-yard line and Tyler Stromsoe finished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run that came at the 9:25 mark of the fourth quarter.

On the ensuing Santa Barbara possession, Kai Mault was picked off by Rosenthal, who returned the interception down to the eight-yard line. On the next play Stromsoe scored from eight-yards out, increasing the Newbury Park lead to 14-0.

Mault, who typically plays wide receiver and defensive back, has been pressed into action at quarterback due to an injury to Santa Barbara starting quarterback Laird Finkle. 

The Dons offense found some traction on their next drive behind dynamic running by Mault, he racked up 110 yards on ten carries in the first half alone. However, the drive stalled and a 48-yard field goal by Thiago Valerio went wide.

 A blocked punt by the Panthers with just under nine minutes remaining in the second quarter set up a six yard touchdown pass from Smiegel to Kayin Booker, increasing the Newbury Park lead to 21-0 with  8:17 remaining in the second quarter.

Santa Barbara responded on it’s next possession as Bode Fauskee broke free for a 72-yard run down to the six-yard line, but Newbury Park put together a goal-line stand, stopping the Dons at the one-yard line on third and fourth down to take over possession.

“They had two weeks to prepare for us and they did a heck of a job,” said Newbury Park coach Joe Smiegel of Santa Barbara. “We gave up some big plays, but we got tight when it really mattered near the goal line so I’m proud of our guys.”

Fauskee finished with 120 yards on 18 carries as he joined Mault and junior running back Aaron Baizan with over 100 yards rushing.

With Newbury Park leading 35-0 Baizan got the Dons on the board with a 16-yard touchdown run at the 10:49 mark of the fourth quarter. Baizan also had an impressive 52-yard run on the drive, in which he broke several tackles and delivered a powerful stiff arm to a Newbury Park defender. 

Santa Barbara (4-1-1) will travel to Rio Mesa on Thursday. Newbury Park (6-0) will play on Thursday as well at Calabasas.