The Santa Paula Cardinals have been playing the Nordhoff Rangers since the early 1920’s Just about a hundred years of football have been played between these two small towns. Generations of families and friends will meet again as your Rangers face off with the Cardinals.

As long as I can remember, this rivalry has shaped each teams season, this game is no different! Santa Paula comes in 4-5, your Rangers are 5-4. Both teams faced the power houses of Bishop Diego and Grace Brethren.  Finally we get to face off with schools that are both even in size, but also rich in tradition. This game has playoffs written all over it!

Go RANGERS!!!

After three of the toughest weeks we’re coming home! Road schedules can be tough, non tougher then the three game spread we just when through. Oak Park, St. Margaret’s and Grace Brethren are all big schools with great programs, but now we have Bishop Diego, the ranked #75 school in California . As they say, why not us? Bishop Diego is undefeated, they have 27 seniors, have out scored their opponents 332-60…They’re good…but so are we! Why not the Rangers? Why not us? That will be our vision this week, Why not us? Friday night JV 4:00 pm, Varsity at 7:00 pm

Go RANGERS
Coach Wigg

A tough loss we all learned from! I think it’s important to learn from your mistakes, take nothing away from Oak Park. They played well and the crowd was great, but we must overcome our mistakes if we want to be successful.

Bubs Rogers ran for 228 yards on 27 carries, Parker Johnsen threw for 196 yards on 30 attempts, and Jesse Kuehn hauled in 6 catches for 160 yards…We had a total of 494 yards in offense. Defensively Nate Rhodes and Ethane Sunder lead the team with 6 tackles each. Anthoney Rodriguez had three tackles and had two QB Sacks.

We played a great second half but the penalties and our lack of focus cost us a better opportunity to win.  At the end of the day we felt we were the better team that came up short.

This week St. Margaret’s! They are a fast and physical team out of San Juan Capistrano that LOVES to throw the ball. Look for your RANGERS to get to the QB and force mistakes.

GO RANGERS!

Coach Wigg

Defense Wins Championships

There will come a time when your back is against the wall and you have to fight out of the corner. You’ll have to dig deep and leave it all on the field of play. We were there last Friday against Fillmore. Another great long time rivalry that spans over 70 years. Great games are built on grit and diversity, and that’s how it went down Friday night.

We went into that game with 23 players suited, 23 players determined to stay undefeated. We gave up six turnovers that could have been really bad for us had it not been for our Defense! Our Stifling defense is stingy and ornery when it comes to letting teams score. We were able to hold Fillmore to just 33 yards rushing and 102 yards passing, while intercepting six passed, forcing two fumbles and blocking a punt that was returned for a touchdown.

Even though we gave up six turnovers offensively we were able to generate 468 yards and a 24-0 victory.

This week we play San Marcos, ALWAYS a good game…We need your enthusiasm and excitement to help us to victory!

GO RANGERS

Coach Wigg

Ranger fans,

What a great game and great win for your Rangers Friday night. Anytime you get an opportunity to play another small town rival it’s always easy to get up for the game. We had a great game plan coming into the game and it played out well. Defensively your Rangers are stingy and stifling. Korrey Stevens had an interception for TD called back, also had a punt return for a TD called back for penalties. We needed to make some adjustments on our return game at half time.

Later in the game Torrey Nicholson had an interception that was returned for a TD! Then in the 4th he had another interception returned for a TD setting a Nordhoff record for the first player to have two interceptions returned for a TD in the same game!

Get ready for another great game between another small school rivalry. Fillmore just got finished playing Santa Paula for the 107th time. We’ve been playing Fillmore for about as long as Carp. Fillmore has a new coach this year with lots of players. We’re looking forward to going to Fillmore and giving the Fans a great game!

Go Rangers!

Coach Wigg

I read in the paper we hadn’t won a home game since 2015…yep, I used that as a bit of motivation for the players. It was hot all week, our JV game got canceled and Beverly hills was coming up to Ojai for our Home opener. At kick off it was a comfortable 104°F, otherwise known around these parts as “RANGER WEATHER!”

Prior to the game we always take a stroll up to the Coaching Office D7. We watch some old highlights from years past and each coach takes a minute or five, if your coach Rodarte :0), to talk about our expectations or sometimes just to make sure they know we are here for them on that night.

We were in the middle of watching the 2007 Rangers team highlights, the only Ranger team to beat Oaks Christian. That team made it to the Finals and Lost to non other then Oaks Christian. While we were watching the film I received a text from Coach Cliff Farrar simply saying “good luck on your home opener”. As the film is still rolling I addressed the players. “This team from 2007 had grit. They weren’t projected to have a great season, let alone go deep into the playoffs. Not only did they believe in each-other, they had a great following from this town that we love. Everyone of the players from that 2007 team are adults, some have children, some still following the game and us. Once a Ranger always a Ranger! The paper says we haven’t won a home game since 2015, Let’s go change that tonight!”

The crowd was outstanding!!! Thank you!!! We had five different players score, two rushing TD’s, one by Bubs Rogers, one by Korey Stevens and 3 passing TD’s thrown by Parker Johnsen to Colby Steven, Jesse Kuehn and Anthoney Rodriguez. Ethane Sunder once again lead the team in tackles in two games he’s averaging 15.1 tackles per game.

This week we are on a bye, would love for you to come out and say hello if you have a chance. We are practicing from 430-630 this week Tuesday -Thursday. Next week is Carp September 15, 2017! Carp Week!!!

Ranger fans! It’s that time again, Ranger football starts Friday August 25th at Hueneme High school! Your rangers are fired up to start the 2017 football season. If you haven’t yet seen us on the field, you’re in for a treat. Our returning players are eager to prove we have what it takes to compete in the Tri-valley league. We have a tough schedule, a brutal three game road stand and one of the toughest leagues in the county.  JV game starts at 4pm and Varsity at 7PM We hope you can make it! Here’s a link to the article in the VC Star.

Go Rangers

What a great first week of practice! You start planning after the season ends, you dream of what the new year will bring. Analyzing the good, the bad and the ugly. Off season film study, off season scheduling, then add the unforeseen things like, no water at practice because of a blown pipe, it’s 105°F and 60% humidity. No lockers or weight room because the 20 plus inches of rain hammered our GYM roof…NONE of that mattered to the Ranger Football Team of 2017-2018…One Team…One Heartbeat!

This years team is leading by example and working hard to prove their spot coming into the season. We’ll have about 52 players this year, 28 on varsity and 24 on JV. They’ve bought in to our program and we are very excited as a coaching staff to see the outcome on the field!

This Friday August 11th starting at 5:30PM Is our Blue and Gold inter-squad scrimmage. JV is at 5:30pm and Varsity is at 7:00PM. Come out and see our new offense, we’ve worked really hard this year going out to the community and we look forward to seeing you there.

Saturday August 12th is our annual CASINO night! It’s a fiesta theme\, we’ll have a taco truck, Ojai Brewing Company will be serving beverages, games, silent actions including a beach house, golf, and many other great items! Hope to see you there!

GO Rangers!

Coach Wigg

Summer is off and in full swing! I am very happy with the progression of both the Varsity and JV teams. There’s good chemistry with the players and my overall observation, VERY HAPPY! This Saturday July 8th will be our biggest test. Both teams will be in a Tournament! Our JV team will be in Ventura for the Summer Classic Passing and HOGS tournament. ALL of the teams they will play are in upper divisions, this will be a great test and good competition for our boys! The tournament is at Ventura High School and starts at 9:30am! Come out and support our JV team and watch some great football, and don’t miss the HOGS doing work on the Lineman course!

The Varsity team will be in the Rio Mesa Passing Tournament, this will be another upper division test. Along with the HOGS your Rangers will be tested all day! The tournament is at Rio Mesa High School and starts at 9:00am! Thank you to all of the Parents, Family and Friends that have been at the Passing days in Ojai! The players feel your support, hear your cheers and are working hard to make you proud! RANGER PRIDE!

GO RANGERS
Coach Wigg