Shield battle: Warriors face Knights in Orcutt's annual high school football game

FACE OFF: The Warriors and the Knights face off in the annual Battle of Shield on Sept. 26. The high schools, which are across the street from one another, took a couple decades off before reviving the tradition in 2010. Credit: PHOTO BY CAMILLIA LANHAM

The Ernest Righetti High School Warriors came out on top in this year’s Battle of the Shield game against the St. Joseph High School Knights with a tight defensive line and an offense that could carry.

Righetti defeated St. Joe’s 37-14 on Sept. 26 at Warriors Stadium in Orcutt. It’s the Warriors fourth win in the annual match-up, which had a second birth in 2010 after a couple of decades off.

Righetti Athletic Director Joseph Graack said there are many rumors about why the rivals stopped playing each other so many years ago, but added that many people in the community pushed to make it happen again.

“Obviously, the two schools being across the street from each other—it’s huge,” Graack said. “It’s the biggest game of the year, regardless of what we have going on.”

FIELD CLASH: St. Joseph High School senior Chris Barganier sidesteps a tackle from Ernest Righetti High School’s Steven Spadarotto during the Battle of the Shield on Sept. 26. Credit: PHOTO BY CAMILLIA LANHAM

The two high schools are no longer in the same league; this year St. Joe’s moved into the Los Padres League, as the Central Coast’s PAC 7 league became the PAC 5. Tom Mott, who runs St. Joe’s athletics department, said it’s a rivalry game for sure.

“Our kids want to win; their kids want to win. That’s why it’s been a good game for the last four years,” Mott said.

Contact Managing Editor Camillia Lanham at clanham@santamariasun.com.