The Acorn's High School Football Game of the Week

SCOTT FREE-Moorpark running back Darrell Scott ranks 12th in the nation with 1,164 rushing yards. On Friday, Agoura head coach Charlie Wegher said his team must contain the elusive back. Doug Shumway didn't have an outstanding summer throwing the football.

When Agoura opened its regular-season schedule with a 14-7 victory last month against Ventura, Shumway wasn't even the team's starting quarterback. That was senior Jordan Arias' job.

Following the Ventura game, however, Arias was replaced in favor of Shumway. According to Agoura head coach Charlie Wegher, Arias is currently ineligible to play.

Shumway, a 5foot10, 160pound junior, had a breakthrough performance in his first start for the Chargers, completing 22of36 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns as Agoura defeated Camarillo 30-26.

Since that win, Shumway has guided the Chargers to victories over Rio Mesa, Simi Valley and Newbury Park. He's thrown seven touchdowns, one interception and has completed 63 percent of his passes during Agoura's unblemished 5-0 start.

More important than the numbers, though, Wegher said Shumway's discovered different ways to win close ballgames.

"He just thrives on being in a game situation," Wegher said. "He just steps it up."

"Sometimes kids are opposite, they'll be great in practice and crummy in a game. But he's done very well in pressurepacked situations, and that's the mark of a good quarterback."

If Shumway is one of the Marmonte League's impact newcomers, then Moorpark junior running back Darrell Scott is the league's premier player.

According to MaxPreps.com, Scott ranks 12th in the nation with 1,164 rushing yards. He's averaging 232.8 yards per game and has scored 15 touchdowns.

"He's fast, he's big and he's strong," Wegher said. "You see him running on film and you say, 'That's a guy who's going to play in the NFL someday.' He's good. He's the real deal."

For Agoura to have success at Moorpark, Shumway said the Charger offense must sustain timeconsuming drives so they can keep Scott and the Musketeer offense on the sideline.

"We'd like to try and keep them off the field, for sure," Shumway said. "But we also feel confident in our defense because they can stop the run."

Defensively for Agoura, Wegher said Phil Jankoski, Eric Wells, Matt McGinnis, Brady Smith, Robert McIntosh, Austen Jesse and Patrick Rohn have stepped up.

"Our front seven is doing very well," the coach said. "All of those guys have done a nice job."

The Chargers, who've prided themselves on being big and physical in the trenches this year, will face their stiffest challenge to date.

Moorpark features a pair of 6foot-7, 330-pound offensive tackles and a 6-foot-4, 285-pound guard. Musketeer quarterback Adam Barry won a league title as a sophomore and wide receiver Josh Smith is explosive on the outside.

To counterbalance Moorpark's talent, Wegher said the Chargers must do the little things right.

"It's going to come down to great technique, turnovers, the kicking game and being able to keep (Scott) off the field," Wegher said.

"They are a lot faster than we are, so we cannot allow them to make big plays," he said. "We have to go in there and play a great game. It's no secret."

Friday's game will be televised on FSN Prime Ticket at 7 p.m.