The High School football season is in high gear heading into an action-packed Week Four, and there is a wealth of action around the SFV. The East Valley League takes center stage Thursday night with an intriguing match-up between the defending EVL champs and a team off to a good start with title dreams of their own. On Friday, the Valley Mission League title race gets underway, headlined by a matchup that promises to bring the fireworks. Here is everything you won’t want to miss in the Valley in Week Four:

Monroe Vikings (2-1) at North Hollywood Huskies (0-3) – 9/18, North Hollywood HS, 7 pm kickoff

It has not been the start that Scott Faer was looking for coming into 2025, but the beginning of league play represents a chance to hit the reset button and right the ship. Standing in the Huskies’ way will be a Monroe squad that came into the 2025 season under the radar due to recent struggles, but has shown the toughness you would expect from a senior-heavy team looking to leave their mark and potentially follow in the footsteps of the 2022 team that took the EVL by storm. It is incredible to think that a game in Week Four could be the league decider, but with the struggles of all the other teams in the league to start the campaign, the winner emerges as the frontrunner to finish on top when all is said and done.

Van Nuys Wolves (4-0) at #9 Kennedy Cougars (3-1) -9/19, Kennedy HS, 7 pm kickoff

The Valley Mission league kicks off with a bang with a couple of “prove it” matchups in the first week of league action. One of those matchups features the Van Nuys Wolves, who have picked up right where they left off the 2024 campaign, which nearly resulted in a city championship. The Wolves look like they are poised to take another step forward this season as one of the two remaining unbeaten teams in the Valley. What is waiting for them this week is their toughest tests of the season against Diego Montes and Kennedy. The 3-1 Cougars have one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the city. The Wolves will have their hands full trying to defend all of their weapons, so their best defense will most likely be their offense. Can the Wolves put up points in droves the way Eagle Rock did in week zero to pull the upset? I guess we will have to tune in to see.

#6 Palisades Dolphins (3-0) at #22 El Camino Real Royals (2-2) – 9/29, El Camino Real HS, 7 pm kickoff

Another matchup that represents a litmus test for a promising team in our backyard happens when the Dolphins come into town to face off against the Royals. The Royals showed their defensive grit and determination in shutting out a tough Panorama team on the road last week. This will be a challenge of a different beast entirely with Palisades, who have scored points in droves this year. Through three contests, the Dolphins are scoring 48 ppg. Now, while that might seem daunting, the key to this contest might lie in the Royals’ offense. The Palisades offense might be scoring in bunches, but the defense has not done a good job holding the opposition in check, giving up 37 points per game in those three contests. This game promises to be exciting. No matter the outcome, I think we will have a good idea of how significant a threat Elco will be when West Valley play begins in two weeks.

#14 Eagle Rock Eagles (1-2) at #23 Taft Toreadors (4-0) –  9/19, Taft HS, 7 pm kickoff

Here is what we can say definitively about the Taft Toreadors this season: Nathan Swinson and his bevy of weaponry have no problem moving the ball up and down the field. The Toreadors’ offense is flying through the first four weeks and seems to only get better with each passing game. This week presents the biggest challenge as the Eagles are the best team they will have faced so far. Despite a 1-2 record, Eagle Rock is a dangerous opponent. Their two losses came at the hands of #9 Kennedy and a Southern Section opponent in Monrovia. The real advantage for Taft may be their passing attack. In those two losses, the Eagles allowed a combined 604 yards and 6 passing touchdowns on their defense. This game has the potential to be a high-scoring affair on Friday night.

Canoga Park Hunters (3-1) at Panorama Pythons (3-1) – 9/19, Panorama HS, 7 pm kickoff

The Canoga Park Hunters continue to be a fun story in the first half of the 2025 season. Head Coach Lucius Mills has done an excellent job over the last two seasons in reconstructing the Hunters back to being a competitive squad in a tough Valley Mission League. Their first league contest of the season will give us an indication of just where they are in the rebuild when they face off against Panorama this week. The Pythons are the defending D-3 city champions, and in many respects are the gatekeepers of this league these days.  Even in years where they have not finished top three in the league, you can usually find this team making a deep postseason run. This will be a tough game for Canoga Park, but it is a winnable game. They better be prepared for a dogfight though, as the Pythons will be eager to make a statement coming off their first defeat at the hands of El Camino last week.