2022 has been a magical year for the St. Joseph Knights after finishing the regular season with a 9-1 record.
In addition to their nine wins, the Knights posted a perfect 7-0 Mountain League record.
With their regular season success, the Knights have earned themselves a trip to the Division I CIF Central Section playoffs.
The Knights have been led by star quarterback Darian Mensah as the face of the squad.
Mensah already has received multiple offers to play at the next level, including at Tulane.
Carter Vargas has broken out as the key running back for the Knights.
Collin Fasse has been Mensah's go-to receiver throughout the season.
St. Joseph defeated Palos Verdes, Bakersfield Christian, Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, Santa Ynez, Paso Robles, Righetti, Lompoc, and Mission Prep in their journey to the Mountain League title.
Their only blemish was a road loss to Newbury Park, a team that finished 8-2 on the season.
Eight of their ten matchups were against teams that are now headed to the playoffs.
The Knights have been dominant offensively, posting 383 points in their 10 games, for an average of 38 points per game while allowing 15 points per game in the process.
Head Coach Pepe Villasenor said the success has come from preparation and believing in the process.
"They come out here and they understand that Monday is mental Monday, Tuesday is takeaway Tuesday, Wednesday is win Wednesday because it's the hump day," said Villasenor. "They believe in that philosophy and they they buy into it and that's where our success is based on."
The Knights are the 6th seed in the Division I CIF Central Section playoffs.
Their first matchup is at home against 11th seed Clovis East, a 6-4 team that has lost four straight games.
Kickoff in Santa Maria is set for Friday night at 7 p.m.
