The Acorn’s 2005 Pigskin Playoff Preview

Division IV

Moorpark Musketeers

Marmonte League champions Season record: 7-3, 6-1 in league

First-round opponent: 7 p.m. Friday at home vs. San Marcos

(3-7), Channel League No. 3.

Outlook: Fresh off clinching the school’s first-ever Marmonte football title, the Musketeers head into the postseason with a full head of steam after posting shutouts against Simi Valley and Westlake in two of their final three games.

Moorpark is built to win games with solid defense, a stout rushing attack and the occasional big play in the passing game.

Running backs Darrell Scott (1,383 yards rushing, 12 TDs) and Dan Moran (747 yards rushing, eight TDs) will carry the load behind a mammoth offensive line. Sophomore quarterback Adam Berry (77-of-153 passing for 970 yards, 14 TDs, seven INTs) must supply balance to the offense.

Their draw: A win over San Marcos would pit Moorpark against either Arroyo Grande or Santa Monica in the second round. A potential rematch vs. Ventura possibly awaits in the semifinals. Ventura beat MHS, 33-26, in Week 2. All in all, it’s a great draw for the Musketeers.

Head coach Tim Lins says: “We’re happy to be in the playoffs. We were fortunate to come out on top in this league and get a break.”

Thousand Oaks

Lancers

Marmonte League No. 2 Season record: 8-2, 5-2 in league

First-round opponent: 7 p.m. Friday at home vs. Rio Mesa (6

4), Pacific View League No. 2.

Outlook: Last weekend’s 3124 victory over Newbury Park catapulted the Lancers into the Marmonte’s second seed and a showdown against Rio Mesa, a team that rushed for 2,488 yards during the regular season.

Quarterback Ryan Cloney (174-of-261 passing for 2,698 yards, 24 TDs, nine INTs), wideouts Matt Luft (64 receptions for 1,205 yards, 14 TDs) and Taylor Malm (42 receptions for 579 yards, 10 TDs), and running back Spencer Scotti (516 yards rushing, four TDs) are the key figures in the Lancer offense.

Linebackers Tony D’ascenzo and Robert Fielding head up a defense that allowed 22.6 points per game.

Their draw: Beverly Hills or Atascadero awaits the T.O.-Rio Mesa winner. Top-seeded St. Bonaventure would likely be next if Thousand Oaks can win their first two playoff games. Overall, the first two rounds are both winnable games. Head coach Mike Sanders says: “Our kids feel good going in. They know they can play with the best teams in the area.”

Newbury Park

Panthers

Marmonte League No. 3 Season record: 7-3, 5-2 in league First-round opponent: 7:30 p.m. Friday on the road vs. Paso Robles (6-4), Pac-5 League

champions.

Outlook: It would do the Panthers no good to salivate over the loss to Thousand Oaks, a defeat that dropped NPHS from first to third in the league. Instead, they need to regroup and find a way to slow down a Paso Robles squad that scored 107 points over their last two games combined.

Newbury Park quarterback Jordan LaSecla (227-of-413 passing for 3,424 yards, 31 TDs, 14 INTs) can put it up as good as any signal-caller in the nation. And with Josh Baker (82 receptions for 1,322 yards, 11 TDs) and Jordan Cameron (63 receptions for 889 yards, 11 TDs) catching passes, the Panther offense can be unstoppable at times.

Their draw: In a word, brutal. First comes a long road trip and likely shootout against Paso Robles. Then, if they come away with the victory, NPHS is expected to face off against powerhouse St. Bonaventure in the second round. That’s a great matchup for football fans, but not for the Panthers.

Agoura Chargers

Marmonte League No. 4 Season record: 7-3, 4-3 in league

First-round opponent: 7 p.m. Friday on the road vs. Camarillo, Pacific View League champions.

Outlook: Agoura showed tremendous heart by staving off postseason elimination and winning its final three games of the regular season. In the opening round, they’ll face Camarillo for the second time this season, having beaten the Scorpions, 22-7, on the road in Week 2. Camarillo has won seven straight.

Quarterback Dominick Huerta (197-of-306 passing for 2,694 yards, 21 TDs, 14 INTs) and wide receiver J.T. Wright (65 receptions for 1,115 yards, nine TDs) will need to carry the offense. It’ll be the play of the Charger defense, a unit that allowed just 37 total points over its last three contests, which may determine if Agoura advances deep into the playoffs again.

Their draw: A win against Camarillo and the Chargers would likely be facing a second-round matchup against Ventura, the No. 2-rated team in Division IV. Ventura defeated Agoura, 10-9, during an epic semifinal in 2004.

Head coach Charlie Wegher says: “We beat Camarillo this year and I always think that works in favor of the team that lost. We’re going to have to step up and realize that they’re not the same team they were in September. They’re much better now.”

Division XI

Oaks Christian Lions

Tri-Valley League champion Season record: 9-0, 5-0 in league First-round opponent: 7:30 p.m. Friday at home vs. Twentynine Palms (5-5), De Anza League

No. 4.

Outlook: The two-time defending Division XI champion Lions should have little trouble getting out of the top end of the bracket, with Big Bear and Nordoff looking like the only legitimate competition for OCHS. Assuming Oaks Christian makes the final, they’ll likely play either Oak Park, Grace Brethren or Verbum Dei.

While quarterback Jimmy Clausen (105-of-166 passing for 1,950 yards, 23 TDs, three INTs) and running back Marc Tyler (1,552 yards rushing, 28 TDs) are the stars, it’s the OCHS defense that’s shined just as bright this season. The unit is allowing a microscopic 8.1 points per game.

Their draw: Does it really matter? We’re talking about Oaks Christian, the No. 6-rated team in the state, according to MaxPreps.com.

Head coach Bill Redell says: “We haven’t talked about the three-peat very much. We don’t want to have to talk to coach (Pat Riley) and get permission to use his three-peat slogan yet.”

Oak Park Eagles

Tri-Valley No. 2 Season record: 6-3, 4-1 in league First-round opponent: 7:30 p.m.

Friday at home vs. Desert Hot Springs (8-2), De Anza League

No. 3

Outlook: Oak Park has been a streaky club this year. They won their first two games, then lost three straight, and now have won four in a row heading into the postseason.

Leading the Eagles’ strong finish has been quarterback Doug Deakin (68-of-129 passing for 952 yards, 12 TDs, seven INTs, 562 rushing yards) and running back Matt Alexander (592 rushing yards, 16 TDs). The defense has been strong as of late, too, holding four of its last five opponents under 15 points.

Their draw: Desert Hot Springs won’t be a cakewalk in the opening round, but should the Eagles win, they’ll likely host Grace Brethren in the second round in a rematch of a Week 1 contest won by Oak Park, 21-14. Grace Brethren vs. Oak Park could be the premier game of the Division XI playoffs.

Co-head coach Brian Crum says: “We’ve got a tough road to get where we want to go, for sure. We’ll have to beat the No. 3 seed overall, the No. 2 seed overall and the No. 1 seed overall. But you’ve got to play them sometime.”

Grace Brethren

Lancers

Olympic League champions Season record: 8-2, 3-0 in league First-round opponent: 7:30 p.m.

Friday vs. St. Anthony (7-3), Camino Real League No. 4, at

Westlake High.

Outlook: Grace Brethren, the defending Division XII champions from a tiny school nestled away on a residential street in Simi Valley, could be the wild card in the Division XI playoffs. After losing their first two games of the year to Oak Park and Oaks Christian, respectively, Grace Brethren has reeled off eight straight victories.

The Lancers’ formula for success is to pound the football on offense—they had 417 rushing attempts this season compared to 139 passing attempts— and play stellar defense.

Over their last seven contests, the Lancer defense has looked like the 1985 Chicago Bears, allowing just 13 total points. That’s 1.9 points per game. Simply amazing.

Their draw: If the Lancers can get by Oak Park in the second round, all signs point to a finals matchup vs. Oaks Christian.

Head coach Terry Gourley says: “The Oak Park game should be the toughest on this side of the bracket. My seniors are 0-3 playing on that field at Oak Park. This will be their last chance to make amends on that field.”