Agoura Takes Little Time to Enjoy 28-7 Win

As victory celebrations go, this didn’t last long.

With the echo of the final gun still ringing after Agoura High’s 28-7 victory over visiting Moorpark Friday night, the Chargers gathered in a circle at midfield.

They were already looking ahead.

“Next week is the big one for us,” Coach Frank Greminger said in the postgame huddle.

No one needed to be reminded. Agoura begins defense of its Frontier League championship next week at Calabasas.

For five weeks, the Chargers have prepared for the beginning of league play. After compiling a 3-2 preseason record, they hope they are prepared.

“It seems like after we play bad that we come back the next week,” said running back Brock Hoffman. “Now we need to be ready next week.”

Hoffman ran as if he couldn’t wait that long Friday, gaining 143 yards on 10 carries to lead Agoura back from a 7-0 first-quarter deficit.

Moorpark (3-2) opened with a flurry when quarterback Tim Rothanzl dashed 62 yards to cap a seven-play, 84-yard scoring drive with almost six minutes remaining in the opening period.

Then Hoffman took over. On Agoura’s next possession, he ran for 22 yards to set up Dave Papadopulo’s two-yard scoring plunge that forged a 7-7 tie.

He made quicker work of things to begin the second period, racing 77 yards to put the Chargers ahead for good at 14-7.

Agoura all but sealed the victory at the end of the second quarter on Jon DeGennaro’s deflected 14-yard touchdown pass to Bill Brennaman for a 21-7 advantage with 18 seconds left in the half.

Papadopulo capped the scoring with a nine-yard touchdown run with 6:34 remaining in the game.

It was the final touch on a strong all-around performance by the Chargers. The defense limited Moorpark to 28 yards through the air and stymied the Musketeers’ option attack in the second half.

Offensively, Agoura got 222 yards on the ground and 93 yards on nine of 15 passing from DeGennaro.

The effort, however, didn’t provide any guarantees for Greminger.

“We still have to be more consistent in our level of play,” Greminger said. “I don’t know how to explain last week (a 27-13 loss to Harvard) other than it wasn’t a typical Agoura team out there.”

And next week?

“If we’re completely healthy, it should be a good game,” Greminger said. “We still have some players with some minor injuries that are not 10%.”

But the moment of truth for the defending champions awaits.