Arroyo Grande’s playoff run ends in 35-28 loss to Ventura
Only one San Luis Obispo County team made it to football in December — Arroyo Grande. But that was as far as the Eagles would go.
After winning the Division 2 section championship last week against Bakersfield High School, Arroyo Grande advanced to the Division 3-AA state regional final on Friday night, where Ventura ended the Eagles’ season, handing them their first loss after being in the win column for eight consecutive games.
With everything on the line and just two wins separating them from a state title, both Arroyo Grande and Ventura played like their seasons depended on every snap.
The game at Doug Hitchen Stadium turned into a back-and-forth fight, each side proving why they earned their spot in the game and matching each other’s intensity on every play. Both defenses came up with momentum-swinging stops, and both offenses answered with long drives that kept the crowd on edge deep into the night.
Tied at 28 heading into the fourth quarter, it felt like the game might come down to whoever held the ball last.
Ventura scored to take the lead and controlled the clock in the final minutes. Arroyo Grande knew it needed points on its next possession because there was no guarantee it would see the ball again — and it didn’t.
With seven minutes left and Ventura holding a one-score lead, the Cougars faced a fourth down at their own 21-yard line. The officials came in to mark the ball, and the crowd buzzed because the spot looked close. There was a sense of hesitation as the chains came out, but the referees signaled first down, a call that drew mixed reactions from the crowd.
If one thing stood out in the closing minutes, it was the way Ventura managed the tempo when it mattered most.
The conversion kept Ventura’s drive alive and allowed the Cougars to keep the chains moving and hold the ball for the rest of the game to close out Arroyo Grande’s postseason run.
Throughout the night, Arroyo Grande created the moments it needed to stay in the game.
After falling behind 7-6 because of a blocked PAT, the Eagles answered with a two-point conversion by Caleb Clark on their next touchdown to pull even again.
They opened the second half with another momentum swing when Zack Tayman broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown run, a play that also set the school’s all-time rushing record and briefly put Arroyo Grande back in front.
Clark accounted for three of Arroyo Grande’s touchdowns Friday night, including a 49-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
“We battled hard tonight, so obviously there’s a lot to be proud of,” Coach Stephen Field said. “That wasn’t the result we wanted, but at the end of the day, we accomplished a lot this year, and we couldn’t be any prouder of our football team.”
Field said that even with the momentum shifting throughout the night, he was proud of the way the team stayed aligned.
“It’s really easy to start getting negative and point fingers, but we never did that,” he said. “We stuck together and kept fighting together regardless of the outcome.”
Despite the loss, Arroyo Grande concluded a notable season in Field’s first year as head coach.
The Eagles won the Mountain League title and secured their first Division 2 section championship since 2011 before advancing to the Division 3-AA regional final.
This story was originally published December 6, 2025 at 12:04 AM.