Last year, the Wildcats varsity football team opened their season with a 28-26 victory over Westminster High School. This season, however, the stakes are even higher as the visiting Lions are now a league opponent.

The Wildcats, who are 5-0 and off to their best start in 13 years, open Kappa League play against the 2-3 Westminster Lions in Wildcat Stadium tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. 

While the five preseason wins are important to the program, it’s league play, according to running back Nathan Aceves (’25),  that matters the most.

“The ‘real’ season starts this Friday,” Aceves said. “We’re 0-0.”

Although the Lions currently have a losing record, head coach Justin Villasenor is preparing for them as “tough competition.” The Lions will be hungry for a win after suffering a 32-7 loss against Cerritos High School on Sept. 27. 

But the Wildcats have the momentum, coming off a 42-7 victory against Fullerton on Sept. 20, which lifted their season record to a perfect 5-0, their best start since 2011. 

“I expect us to go out and play like we have all season: 100% all game long,” defensive tackle Sean Mason (’25) said. 

The Wildcat offense will provide a challenge to the Westminster defense: BOHS has outscored their opponents 216-58 through five games. 

Aceves will be a test for the Lions defense. The senior running back has scored 13 touchdowns and averages 107 rushing yards per game. 

According to Villasenor, Westminster’s defense is “unpredictable” and “shows a lot of blitzes.” To exploit this, Aceves plans on “capitalizing with big plays.”

Although Aceves has been the Wildcats’ primary weapon this season, Villasenor expects all of his players “to be ready to have their big game.”

Quarterback Cullen Doyle (’25) leads the Wildcat air attack with 1127 yards on 77 completions and seven touchdowns.

Doyle’s primary targets are wide receivers Brandon Elder (’25), averaging 59.2 yards per game, and Ryan Nero (’26), who is averaging 44 yards per game with three total touchdowns.

Kicker Colby Thuman (’26) remains consistent with 24 out of 27 extra points made, 15th best in California.

Defensely, the Wildcats are not game-planning around one specific Westminster player, but rather focusing on the team as a whole. “They don’t have a player that sticks out; they are solid as a team,” Nero said. 

Linebacker Nick Davis (’27) leads the Wildcat defense with 7.4 tackles per game, followed by Josh Patton (’25) with 6.8 tackles per game, including two recovered fumbles. Senior defensive end Jake Brooks’s three sacks leads the team. 

The Wildcats have had two weeks to prepare, and rest, for the Homecoming game due to a bye week last week. 

“The bye week has allowed a lot of players to heal and rest their bodies, linebacker Jake Owens (’25), said. Owens is returning this week after missing two games due to a dislocated shoulder. Wide receiver Isaak Rivas-Melendez (’25), who had been playing on a sprained ankle, will also return to the lineup.

In 24 hours, the Wildcats hope to make a statement to the rest of Kappa League.

“I expect a blowout win,” Aceves said. “I think we are the better team, [the team] that works harder and plays harder.”