Football Game Preview: Damien Spartans vs. Rancho Cucamonga Cougars

Damien hasn't had much luck against Rancho Cucamonga recently, but that could start to change on Friday. After each having a week off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. Damien will come into the game with an undefeated record on the line.

Damien is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They put the hurt on Salesian with a sharp 40-18 victory last Friday. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Spartans' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 22nd, while the Mustangs are ranked 162nd).

Isaiah Arriaza

Passing Touchdowns

09/19/25 @ Salesian	3
09/12/25 vs Tustin	3
09/05/25 vs St. Paul	4

It was another big night for Isaiah Arriaza, who threw for 300 yards and three TDs, and also rushed for 48 yards. He has been hot recently, having posted three or more passing touchdowns the last three times he's played. Malachi McFarland was another key player, rushing for 71 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only eight carries.

Another reason for the win was Damien's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Leading the way was Jamil Ennabi with two. The game marked his first with multiple sacks this season. Declan Becher was another major factor on D, picking up a sack, forcing one fumble, and making seven total tackles (2.0 for loss).

Meanwhile, Rancho Cucamonga had to suffer through a 42-14 loss at the hands of Centennial.

Rancho Cucamonga's defeat dropped their record down to 1-4. As for Damien, their win bumped their record up to 5-0.

Damien skirted past Rancho Cucamonga 34-31 when the teams last played back in November of 2024. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was the Cougars' Jacob Chambers, who threw for 306 yards and three TDs while picking up 13.3 yards per attempt, and also rushed for 78 yards and one score on only 11 carries. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Spartans still be able to contain Chambers? There's only one way to find out.