GAME DAY: A Look at Today’s Key Matchups

* DORSEY (1-1) vs. TAFT (1-0)

At Taft High, 7 p.m.

Coming off a bye, the Toreadors will get a good test against the 1995 City Section 4-A champions. The Dons struggled in a loss to Hawthorne last week but beat Duarte, 31-0, in the opener. Taft had few problems in a 27-0 victory over Banning two weeks ago. Running backs Marquis Brignac, Sedric Hurns and Larry Jones combined for 299 yards rushing and three touchdowns against the Pilots. In his first start, quarterback Steve Alvarado completed seven of 12 passes for 130 yards. Senior linebackers David Melo and Tyler Brennan lead the Toreador defense.

* EAGLE ROCK (1-1) vs. MONROE (2-0)

At Monroe High, 7:30 p.m.

The Vikings have outscored two opponents, 97-27, and lead area teams in yardage with a double-wing attack that averages 550 yards a game. Wingbacks Vinny Walker and George Garcia are the region’s leading rushers among City backs, having rushed for 12 touchdowns and nearly 900 yards. Eagle Rock may find the Vikings hard to defend. Last week the Eagles had trouble with La Salle’s wing-T and lost, 32-20. Eagle Rock defeated Cleveland, 40-21, in the opener when senior tailback David Jovanelly rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns.

* SYLMAR (2-0) vs. ANTELOPE VALLEY (1-1)

At Antelope Valley High, 7:30 p.m.

A perennial City giant meets a Southern Section power. Sylmar is 34-4 since 1994, while the Antelopes are 32-8. Running backs Errol Bowen and Donald Carpenter have totaled 261 yards and Sylmar has outscored two opponents, 77-14. Antelope Valley has outscored its opponents, 36-0, in the first half, but has been outscored, 39-6, after intermission. Versatile quarterback Justin Mobley is the top threat for a team that is averaging only 178 yards. Antelope Valley beat the Spartans, 28-21, last season.

* CANYON (2-0) vs. CRESCENTA VALLEY (2-0)

at Glendale High, 7:30 p.m.

Crescenta Valley, ranked No. 7 in The Times’ regional poll, utilizes versatile Kenny Pritchett at quarterback and tailback in its varied offense. Pritchett has 275 yards rushing and five touchdowns in two games. No. 10 Canyon counters with Matt Gregory, who had 255 yards in 42 carries last week and returned a kickoff for a touchdown the week before. Falcon linebackers Jesse Busta and Chris Oliver will try to contain Gregory. Crescenta Valley, which defeated Franklin on a last-second field goal on Saturday, has just 200 passing yards in two games. The Cowboys, who have rallied to win twice, have yet to reach 100 yards passing for the season.

* BUENA (2-0) vs. NEWBURY PARK (2-0)

at Newbury Park High, 7 p.m.

Buena, inexperienced and unheralded before the season, has pulled off fourth-quarter victories over Marmonte League passing powers Westlake, 20-19, and Agoura, 14-9. Panther junior Nick Czernek has passed for 561 yards and seven touchdowns. Newbury Park’s Shad Agel booms most of his kickoffs into the end zone and is 10 for 10 on extra points. The Panthers ran two kickoffs back for touchdowns in last week’s 41-13 victory over highly rated Oxnard. Buena’s offense revolves around tailback Aaron Kleefisch, who has consecutive 135-yard rushing performances and has scored Buena’s five touchdowns.

* RIO MESA (2-0) vs. AGOURA (1-1)

at Agoura High, 7 p.m.

Eighth-ranked Rio Mesa has 710 rushing yards and has outscored two opponents, 62-27. Fullback Jay Flores has 351 yards and an average of 8.6 yards per carry. Rio Mesa’s defense is fleet, although last week it surrendered 243 yards to Camarillo’s John Howe. A week after coming back to defeat Hueneme, Agoura was unable to score late in a 14-9 loss to Buena. Ryan McCann has completed only 49.2% of his passes for 382 yards and one touchdown, and his receivers have dropped some balls. Some of the Chargers’ injured players are back, but Agoura still isn’t at full strength.

* ROYAL (2-0) vs. VENTURA (1-1)

at Ventura High, 7:30 p.m.

After routing San Marcos and Granada Hills, Royal can prove it is for real by beating Ventura. Steve Sheehan, who has 311 yards rushing, and Bryant Phipps, who has 277, will need help from senior quarterback Braden Fien (250 yards passing and three touchdowns) because Ventura is built to stop the run. The Cougars boast Ventura County’s best linebacker, senior Joe Martinez, but were vulnerable to the pass in last week’s 29-0 loss to Westlake. Ventura hopes senior quarterback Mike Anderson is recovered from a leg injury. Backup Jason Branch threw for three touchdowns in the opener but threw three interceptions against Westlake.

* ST. BONAVENTURE (1-1) vs. NORDHOFF (2-0)

At Nordhoff High, 7:30 p.m.

St. Bonaventure beat Nordhoff in last season’s Southern Section Division X title game, 18-14, avenging a 14-8 regular-season loss to the Rangers. Nordhoff, which leads the series, 11-10-2, has the better defense, allowing 223 yards and 13 points in two games. St. Bonaventure sophomore quarterback Chris Lombardo played better last week after a horrendous opening against Paraclete, when his first two passes were intercepted and returned for touchdowns. St. Bonaventure’s Jesse Kirk, who has 34 carries for 315 yards and five touchdowns, is averaging 9.3 yards per carry behind the Seraphs’ mammoth line.

Other games

City Section, nonleague--At 6 p.m., Fairfax at Cleveland. At 7 p.m., Reseda at Birmingham, El Camino Real at Canoga Park, Poly at Chatsworth, Grant at San Fernando, North Hollywood at Kennedy. At 7:30 p.m., Eagle Rock at Monroe.

Southern Section, nonleague--At 7 p.m., Burbank vs. Laguna Hills at Mission Viejo High. At 7:30 p.m., Beverly Hills at Notre Dame, Bell-Jeff vs. Paraclete at Antelope Valley College, Verbum Dei at Palmdale, Hesperia at Quartz Hill, Serra vs. Valencia at College of the Canyons, Alemany at St. Francis, Saugus vs. Loyola at Pierce College, Hoover vs. Blair at South Pasadena High, La Canada at Burroughs, Camarillo at Hueneme, Chaminade at Thousand Oaks, Oxnard at Channel Islands, El Segundo at Fillmore, Kilpatrick at Moorpark, St. Bonaventure at Nordhoff, Brentwood vs. L.A. Baptist at Alemany High, Lancaster at Crespi, Mary Star at Oak Park, Carpinteria at Santa Paula, Highland at Victor Valley.

Intersectional--At 3 p.m., Calabasas at Verdugo Hills. At 7 p.m., Simi Valley at Granada Hills. At 7:30 p.m., Van Nuys vs. Montclair Prep at Valley College.

8-man--At 7 p.m., Antelope Valley Christian vs. Ridgecrest Immanuel Christian at Murray Jr. High. At 7:30 p.m., Faith Baptist at Pilgrim, Grace Brethren at Maricopa.