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HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK : Henry Keeps It Clean As Camarillo Starter

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Times Staff Writer

As Mike Henry walked off the Camarillo High football field after a recent practice, he noticed what had become obvious to the sideline observers.

His practice uniform was among the dirtiest on the field.

“It’s dirty,” he said, “because the second-team quarterback is on his back all the time. He’s getting tackled all the time by the first-team defense.”

Henry took another look at his shirt, which was more green and brown than its original white.

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“I haven’t taken the clothes home to be washed,” he added.

When Henry does get around to cleaning his practice gear, it’ll probably be the last time he has to wash them for a while.

That’s because the 16-year-old junior now will be protected by Camarillo’s best offensive line in practice. That is the luxury afforded the starting quarterback.

The 6-0, 180-pound Henry earned that position with his performance last week in a 20-7 loss to Oxnard.

Nick Riendeau started the game at quarterback for Camarillo but failed to complete a pass in eight attempts. Riendeau also had two interceptions.

Henry entered the game early in the fourth quarter, with Oxnard leading, 20-0.

Working without a huddle, Henry moved the Scorpions 70 yards in four plays, all completed passes. He capped the drive, which lasted 69 seconds, with a 17-yard scoring pass to Randy Johnson.

Camarillo’s next possession began at its 30 with 1:08 to play. Henry immediately completed a 10-yard pass, with 10 yards added for a personal foul.

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On the next play, Henry scrambled for 20 yards. He then completed two more passes before the clock ran out with the ball at the Oxnard 8.

Henry’s statistics: 7 of 7 passing for 109 yards and a touchdown. Camarillo had 190 total yards in the game, Henry accounting for all but 61 of them.

Said Camarillo Coach Carl Thompson after the game: “We have a new starting quarterback.”

Henry was scheduled to play on the varsity last season, but suffered mononucleosis right at the start of fall practice. When he returned, he had missed too much practice, so he was moved down to the junior varsity team.

After leading the JV team to a 5-5 record, Henry started at forward for the junior varsity basketball team.

He then hit nearly .400 as a pitcher and outfielder for the Camarillo JV baseball team.

Henry will skip basketball this season and concentrate on baseball.

“I’m expecting big things from him in baseball,” Camarillo baseball Coach Ken Wagner said.

Wagner has no starters returning in the outfield, so Henry has a chance to start.

He had a chance to start for the football team this season, also, but had a “horrible” fall practice.

“Nick deserved to start,” Henry said.

Henry has weak muscles in his eyes, causing him to have a lazy left eye. He has had surgery on both eyes twice, as a 5-year-old and as a 9-year-old. He wears contact lenses.

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He insists there is no problem.

“In baseball, if I make an error,” Henry said, “people say, ‘Mike Henry doesn’t see that well. His eyes are bad.’

“If I throw a bad pass in football, they say, ‘Oh, he didn’t see it.’

“If I throw a bad pass, it’s because I threw a bad pass.”

It was several bad passes this fall that cost Henry the starting job. But now he’s got it back after his performance Friday.

His effort against Oxnard capped off a prosperous two days for Henry. On Thursday, he got his driver’s license.

And now, he’ll try to drive Camarillo to a league title. And maybe even to the cleaners.

Add Camarillo: The Scorpions will be aided tonight with the addition of two offensive linemen. Anthony Trueba, a center, and Ken Culbertson, a tackle, both missed last week’s game with an injury but will play against Rio Mesa.

A few weeks ago, Birmingham Coach Alan Epstein thought he would have to open the season without his No. 1 quarterback.

Kevin Zietz strained a ligament last month and required arthroscopic surgery on a knee. Epstein was hoping he could be ready sometime after the season opener against Reseda.

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But when the Braves are on offense tonight against the Regents, the starting quarterback will be Zietz, an all-league running back as a sophomore last season.

Zietz is also the team’s punter and averaged 40 yards a kick last season, according to Epstein.

Canyon Coach Harry Welch said running back Lance Cross should play tonight against La Canada. Cross hyper-extended his right elbow last week in a 6-3 win over Hart. Cross, a junior, went into that game with a broken finger on his right hand.

Faith Baptist, the defending Southern Section champion, is again ranked No. 1 in the eight-man large schools division.

The Contenders opened their season last week with a 32-14 win over No. 5 El Paso de Robles. Faith Baptist had 330 yards rushing on 43 carries and 373 yards total.

Kevin Burton had touchdown runs of 4, 39 and 14 yards for the Contenders, who won their 12th straight game over the last two seasons. Faith Baptist plays host to Bloomington Christian Saturday at 1 p.m.

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Add rankings: Canyon, the two-time defending champion, is again ranked No. 1 in the Northwestern Conference in this week’s Southern Section ratings. Hart, which had been ranked No. 1 in the Coastal Conference, fell to No. 3. Westlake is No. 9.

Three Valley teams are in the Top 10 of the Desert-Mountain Conference: St. Genevieve (No. 4), Moorpark (No. 6) and Agoura (No. 10).

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