Friday Football Focus Kicks Off 40th Season Under the Lights
Ryder Christ
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A new high school football season kicks off Friday night across the Central Coast, and with it comes a milestone for a local tradition. Friday Football Focus returns to KEYT NewsChannel 3 for its 40th season of covering the region’s biggest games.
The long-running show has been part of five decades of high school football coverage, with highlights stretching from Paso Robles to Camarillo. Sports Director Mike Klan has been with the program for most of its run, guiding the weekly showcase of touchdowns, tackles and student-athlete stories.
“We all know Friday nights are more fun under stadium lights,” Klan said.
San Marcos head coach Ralph Molina said the atmosphere is unmatched.
“Nothing better than Friday nights,” Molina said. “We have kids that don’t even sit. They are literally at the rails screaming the whole game. There is nothing better than high school football. Basketball is great, baseball too, but you get that whole crowd out here, especially at home.”
One of those players now stepping into the spotlight is San Marcos senior Brody Green. A standout in basketball and track, Green decided to join the football team for the first time this year.
“Sitting in the stands the last three years I always just had an itch to play,” Green said. “I didn’t want to live life without experiencing it, so I decided to make it happen.”
At Santa Barbara High School, head coach Nate Mendoza is entering his third year leading the Dons.
Mendoza, a member of Lompoc’s 2002 CIF championship team, previously coached six years at Dos Pueblos before a brief break from football.
“I kind of stepped out of administration, going back to teaching. It was a no brainer for me because I want to coach football,” Mendoza said. “These Friday nights are special. You don’t know about them unless you are a part of it.”
Senior lineman Malachi Johnston, who recently committed to play at Cal Poly, said he is grateful for one more year in the Friday night atmosphere.
“I am a very, very lucky guy to get to play with all of these kids in this atmosphere on this field,” Johnston said. “It is a pretty great experience.”
Over four decades, Friday Football Focus has captured the spirit of high school football in the 805, featuring dozens of future NFL players and countless memorable moments. The show has even drawn cameos from celebrities and sports legends, including Randall Cunningham, Jack Johnson and Garth Brooks.
Faces, graphics and video formats have changed since the show debuted, but the energy remains the same. As Klan put it: the lights come on, the crowd roars, and high school football takes center stage.
Friday Football Focus airs at 11:10 p.m. every Friday on KEYT NewsChannel 3 after the games.