Marmonte League preview

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Because I’m a glutton for verbal punishment, I’m going to predict the winner of the Marmonte League. It’s a tough task when you consider all of the talented teams crammed in this league, but every time I look over Colby Cameron’s numbers from last season I get the feeling Newbury Park is going to claim its first league title in eight years.

Cameron proved he was the league’s best quarterback last year and he’ll have an experienced offensive line in front on him and the talented duo of WR Danny Diefenthaler and RB Chris Brown to help him. These key players, coupled with the fact the Panthers aren’t reeling over any graduations or desertions, suggests that they’ve got to be the league frontrunner in 2007.

Darrell Scott’s Seraph conversion definitely stung Moorpark, but the Musketeers are more than just a shadow of the team that was a Northern Division finalist in 2006. QB Adam Barry, WR Ryan Murry and much sought-after DE Casey Blum are among the best players in the league and they proved it in the team’s season opener.

There’s some early-season jitters at Westlake even though most of the coaches in the Northern Division are convinced the Warriors are still really good. Losing nine defensive starters is a big blow and QB Ryan Campbell’s 2,187 passing yards and 16 touchdowns vanished when he chucked his mortarboard into the air. So, RB Cooper Shockley and WR Curtis Peterson must be patient while quarterbacks Nick Owens and Ben Conlin compete for the starting job.

“The plan is to have them both see time in the nonleague games and, hopefully, one will take over the reigns by the time league starts,” said Westlake Coach Jim Benkert.

At least Westlake is still capable of splitting the uprights with 50-yard maestro Jordan Mannisto.

One more thing: I hate picking on those Coyotes at the top of the hill, but hopefully rookie Coach Lance Martin can prevent Calabasas from breaking Moorpark’s state record for most consecutive losses (46).

Predicted Finish: 1. Newbury Park, 2. Moorpark, 3. Westlake, 4. Thousand Oaks, 5. Agoura, 6. Simi Valley, 7. Royal, 8. Calabasas

(Don’t like these, here’s another outlook)

Must-see games:

• Sept. 7 – Moorpark vs. Hart at College of the Canyons, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 14 – Rio Mesa at Newbury Park, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 28 – Agoura at Thousand Oaks, 7 p.m.
• Oct. 5 – Westlake at Newbury Park, 7 p.m.
• Nov. 2 – Moorpark at Newbury Park, 7 p.m.
• Nov. 9 – Moorpark at Westlake, 7 p.m.

- Austin Knoblauch