Our biggest fundraiser of the year is happening NOW! Make a tax-deductible donation to The562 during Long Beach Gives from Sept. 17-24. CLICK HERE to show your support for local journalism in Long Beach!
The562’s football coverage for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The St. Anthony football team is in search of its first win of the season and will look to do so in a local matchup on Friday night. The Saints will travel to Cerritos to face Valley Christian, with kickoff set for 7 pm.
Last year, the pair squared off at Clark Field in a battle won by the Defenders, 28-13, over St. Anthony. Valley Christian finished second in the Ironwood League last year before claiming the CIF-SS Division 9 championship, two divisions above the Saints, who finished third in the Del Rey League and appeared in the Division 11 playoffs.
The Saints are coming into the matchup fresh off a bye week following a lopsided loss to St. Margaret’s the week before. It’s been another tough start to the season for the Saints, but they’ve put themselves in some close games, including a one-score loss to Canyon Springs to open the season before a 24-12 loss to Ontario Christian.
Senior quarterback Aidan Jones will once again be at the helm on Friday, with Evan Martinez anchoring the run game behind a solid offensive line. Dion Myers will be a key piece on both sides of the ball, while Noah Crawshaw, Travis Davis, and Miles Anglin have each been key to start the season.
Valley Christian has been on all sides of the game this year, opening the season with a 35-35 tie against Gahr before falling to Mary Star of the Sea. The Defenders are coming into the game off a pair of wins, though, dropping 92 points in the last two weeks alone in high-scoring wins over Cerritos and Ontario Christian.
The Defenders are led by senior quarterback Graham Lunzer, who’s thrown for nearly 200 yards per game this season and has nine passing touchdowns. Lunzer also leads the ground game with over 75 rushing yards per game and an additional six touchdowns. His favorite target, Byron Louis, is averaging 110 receiving yards per game with four touchdowns.
Both teams share one common opponent this year in Ontario Christian, which St. Anthony fell to 24-12 before Valley Christian defeated the Knights 42-29 two weeks later.
