Ventura, CA — Santa Barbara High will not be on the 2024 Ventura football schedule. Ventura's second-oldest rivalry — 92 games strong — will be a victim of realignment next fall when the two teams move to different leagues. Too bad it didn't come one season sooner. Ventura's road to a possible Channel League title found a pot hole Friday night with a 28-10 home loss to Santa Barbara. Stung by two early turnovers, Ventura (4-2, 3-1) dropped into a second-place tie with Santa Barbara (4-2, 3-1). No program has been more problematic to Ventura than Santa Barbara, which owns a 55-31-6 overall record in the series, including the last six. Until the latest stretch, Ventura had gone 13-1-1 against the Dons. It was not to be this time. Logan Scarlett completed 17 of 32 passes for 212 yards and Sawyer Cline rushed for 88 yards and Gage Kushner had a touchdown for Ventura. Ventura's defense largely did its job, limiting Santa Barbara to 226 yards — 142 coming on two TD passes in the opening moments. Scarlett completed three of his first four passes on the game's opening possession, but Ventura fumbled at the Santa Barbara 28. On the next play, Santa Barbara wide receiver Kai Mault connected with Winston Bartley on a 72-yard TD pass. Less than two minutes later, Mault returned an interception for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 7:18 left in the first quarter. Ventura didn't panic. The Cougars drove to the Santa Barbara 31, but they were stopped on a fourth-and-2. Ventura regained possession by recovering a fumble during Bronson Seiler's sack at the Santa Barbara 29. Ventura cashed in with a 1-yard TD run by Kushner to close within 14-7. "We had a game plan coming in," said Ventura coach Tim Garcia. "We started clicking with our running game, but we started running out of time." Santa Barbara rolled dice late in the second quarter. On fourth-and-2 from its own 29, Renteria found Jack Holden for a 70-yard pass to the Ventura 1. Renteria's keeper with 3:51 left in the half made it 21-7. "We can't come out in a big game like this and make mistakes early on, whether it is turning the ball over, whether it is missing an assignment or alignment that put us in a hole," said Garcia. Ventura's last big opportunity came in its first possession of the second half. The Cougars drove from their 7 to the Santa Barbara 6 on 11 plays. On fourth down, Ventura opted for a 24-yard field goal by Donovan Chappell to close within 21-10. "We will live in the film room next week," said Scarlett. "We will be a better team." To Seiler, Ventura just needs "to focus on the little things and everybody doing their jobs. This was a big learning point for everybody." While Ventura appears well position for the postseason, it won't be easy, said Garcia. "We now have a load ahead of us," he said. While Santa Barbara and Ventura won't play next season, Garcia's goal is to resume the rivalry soon.