Mannisto lifts Warriors’ spirits

Westlake football team dedicates last-second victory over TOHS to fallen friend Kevin Hames



Westlake High senior Jordan Mannisto called it the biggest kick of his career. Considering his resume, that’s saying something.

Mannisto’s 50-yard field goal with no time remaining last Friday night helped lift Westlake (53, 4-1 in the Marmonte League) to a 17-14 victory at home over crosstown rival Thousand Oaks High (4-4, 3-2).

Although he said he hasn’t received a college offer to date, Mannisto is generally regarded as having the most powerful leg in the county. He regularly puts kickoffs into the end zone and has made a number of critical field-goal conversions during his time on the WHS varsity squad.

No kick, however, was more significant than his latest bomb.

“Last year I had a kick in the first overtime against Agoura that was pretty important,” Mannisto said. “But being at home against our rival, this definitely tops them all.”

Before burying the Lancers, Mannisto had to wait through five consecutive timeouts- three by TOHS and two by his own head coach, Jim Benkert.

During the long series of clock stoppages, Benkert wavered between having Mannisto attempt the game-winner and calling a fake kick.

“On the second timeout we were going to fake it. On the third timeout we were going to fake it,” said Benkert, who, with the win, is now tied for second alltime on Ventura County’s career coaching victories list.

“After all that happened we still had one more timeout left, and when I didn’t like what I saw on the field we used it. We went back to the kick and (Mannisto) nailed it.”

Thousand Oaks scored the game’s initial points in the second quarter on a 3yard, fleeflicker touchdown pass from running back John Lister to quarterback Ian Shultis.

Westlake answered back less than three minutes later on a 1yard scoring run by Cooper Shockley, who finished with 157 yards on 17 carriers.

Warrior quarterback Nick Owens found Chris Biggs from three yards out with 1:53 remaining in the first half to help stake the Warriors to a 14-7 halftime advantage.

Five seconds into the fourth quarter, Thousand Oaks’ Evan Yabu tied the game at 14-14 on a 3-yard touchdown toss from Shultis.

The teams traded fourthquarter possessions until Mannisto won it.

Westlake dedicated the win to Kevin Hames, a 2002 graduate who starred at linebacker for the Warriors before earning a scholarship to Villanova. Hames, a member of the school’s Hall of Fame, passed away after suffering a heart attack on Sun., Oct. 21.

Hames’ father, Norm, is a coach for the WHS football program. Westlake’s players wore Tshirts under their pads that referred to Kevin Hames as a “true Warrior” and featured his jersey No. 33.

“It was a very emotional week for all of us,” Benkert said.

“There are a lot of emotions (on the field) right now. You can see how big this is for some of our kids and parents. It’s a sweet victory for that reason.”


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