The 2026 high school football season officially kicked off Friday night with statement wins, thriller finishes, and a surprise forfeit.
St. Monica Mariners 36, Venice Gondoliers 17
An explosive third-quarter surge powered the St. Monica Mariners past non-league rival Venice Gondoliers at Corsair Field. The Mariners found their rhythm after halftime, putting 36 points on the board to comfortably handle Venice’s 17. St. Monica (1-0) hits the road next Friday, August 28, to face Cathedral, while the Gondoliers (0-1) look to rebound in another tough road test at Granada Hills.
Crenshaw Cougars 34, Palisades Dolphins 29
The Palisades Dolphins suffered an agonizing home loss on opening night, holding the lead over Crenshaw with just one minute remaining on the clock. The Cougars mounted a clutch late drive to snatch a 34-29 victory. Pali (0-1) will aim to right the ship on Friday, August 28, when they travel to meet Harvard-Westlake.
Brentwood Eagles 42, Monrovia Wildcats 6
The Brentwood Eagles turned in the dominant performance of the night, blowing past Monrovia 42-6 in front of their home crowd. Brentwood (1-0) looks to carry that momentum into Week 2 when they host Uni High.
Samohi Vikings 0, Westchester Comets 0
The Santa Monica Vikings had the night off after their scheduled home opener against Westchester was called off Thursday due to a forfeit by the Comets. Awarded the opening victory, Samohi takes the field for the first time on August 28 in a road matchup against La Cañada.
Stay up to date with complete scores, standings, and weekly team schedules on our Westside high school football hub.
- Week 1: St. Monica explodes, Pali heartbroken, Westchester forfeits to Samohi - August 22, 2026
- Samohi football opener scrapped as Westchester forfeits - August 20, 2026
- 52 things to do in and around Santa Monica (August 21–27) - August 19, 2026