Warriors zap the Chargers

BEAR HUG-Westlake's Craig Johnson, right, embraces Tommy Doupe following the Warriors' 26-23 double-overtime win vs. Agoura. The question of "Was he down?" has been replaced, for the time being, by "Was he in?"

Two years ago the Westlake High football team went to Agoura and beat the Chargers on the final play of regulation-a 55-yard kickoff return that featured multiple laterals and a controversial non-call by the referees.

The mind-boggling finish was selected nationally as ESPN's top play of the week.

Since that night, Oct. 15, 2004, some in the Agoura football program have claimed that a Westlake player's knee hit the ground before he lateraled the ball, and that the player should've been ruled down and the game over.

It took two years and a shade over two weeks, and of course, a rematch at the same venue, but now there's a new hot-button topic in town, and it has nothing to do with the upcoming elections.

In the second overtime last Friday night and the Warriors leading 26-23 following a 24-yard field goal by Jordan Mannisto-his second clutch kick during overtime- Agoura was six feet away from ending its decade-long losing streak to Westlake.

On first-and-goal from the Westlake 2-yard line, Agoura's Matt Bradley took the handoff and plunged into the line of scrimmage. He extended his arms and the ball toward the goal line, but the pigskin popped out and rolled into the end zone where the Warriors recovered.

The officials signaled a Westlake touchback, effectively ending the game.

As Westlake's sideline broke out into a wild celebration, Agoura was livid, with Charger players, coaches and fans convinced that Bradley had crossed the goal line before losing the ball.

"What can I say? What can I say?" asked Agoura head coach Charlie Wegher. "Our kids played a great game again. Everybody seems to think that we got a touchdown, but the referees didn't seem to see it that way. I'm sorry that our kids played as hard as they did and came up short.

"Westlake played a great game, too," Wegher said. "But what can I say? I've got a blue and orange monkey on my back that just will not get off. But we're just going to keep plugging away until we take care of it."

Television replays later that night on "Friday Football Focus" proved inconclusive as to whether or not Bradley crossed the plane before losing the ball.

"We had one play left and we had to make a play," Westlake head coach Jim Benkert said. "It just happened that the ball came out and we got on it.

"I love playing at Agoura. Let's play at Agoura every year."

With the victory, WHS improved its record to 8-0 and 5-0 in the Marmonte League, where they currently share first place with Moorpark.

Agoura is now 5-3 overall and 2-3 in league. The Chargers have lost three consecutive games.

As the lights began to slowly blink off on his home field, AHS quarterback Doug Shumway, who finished 19-of-35 passing for 258 yards with a pair of touchdowns, stood alone, staring into the clear Conejo Valley night, a look of disbelief etched into his eyes.

"This is what we look forward to every year," Shumway said. "This is what we practice in

the summer for, this is what we play for-it's to beat Westlake. To lose like this, especially with what happened two years ago, it's . . . it's . . . pretty hard to take."