Football teams open league play

San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley high school football teams open league play this weekend with very different challenges.
The Cougars are looking to rebound from two straight losses on the road, with an afternoon homecoming game against winless Harbor High. Game time is 2 p.m.
The Cougars also are adjusting their offense to the realities of playing without injured star wide receiver Joe Oard who is sidelined with a broken foot.
The Falcons have improved steadily with each game, and match their 3-2 preseason record tonight, Oct.7, against Aptos, also 3-2.
Scotts Valley’s league opener is against a perennial powerhouse that has won five straight league and three straight CCS championships, on the Aptos homecoming weekend. The night game begins at 7:30 p.m.
SLV had a long ride home last weekend from San Bruno, after watching an extra-point attempt in the closing minute get blocked by the home Capuchino team, which won the non-league contest 7-6.
A week earlier, Scotts Valley endured an even longer ride – nine hours from Eureka – but with better spirits, after a solid 21-7 win at Eureka High.
The Eureka game was all Trevor Ponos, who accounted for all of the Falcons’ scoring.
Ponos first scored on a 55-­yard run in the first quarter. Starting off the second half, Ponos returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a score. Then he scored again on an 18-­yard run in the fourth quarter.