Thousand Oaks Runs Out of The Fog to Beat Camarillo, 24-3

Shrouded in a fog, the field looked more like London than Thousand Oaks High. Despite the limited visibility, quarterback Robb McKinnon threw two touchdown passes to lead Thousand Oaks High past Camarillo, 24-3, on Thursday night.

Camarillo must have taken tea time for about seven minutes of the second quarter when Thousand Oaks scored all three of its touchdowns. Passes of 10 yards each to Lance Alverson and Chris Wilt, and a five-yard run by Derrick Tadlock, produced the scores.

Tadlock rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries as a substitute for the Lancers’ leading ground-gainer, Marc Monestime, who was out with a foot injury. Monestime is expected to play in the first round of the Coastal Conference playoffs. Fullback Mike Moore added 70 yards rushing and McKinnon passed for 150 yards.

The win came with surprising ease for Thousand Oaks (9-1 overall, 6-0 in the Marmonte League). The Lancers, who wrapped up the league title last week, were just biding time until the playoffs. Camarillo (5-5, 3-3), however, was bidding for a playoff berth.

If Newbury Park defeats Westlake tonight, Camarillo will finish in fifth place and out of the playoffs. If Westlake wins, Camarillo will finish fourth and hope for an at-large playoff berth.

Camarillo gained 256 yards of total offense but was hurt by poor field position throughout the game. The Scorpions began drives from their own 13, 4, 16, 14, 20, 14 and 20 yard-lines.

It was a typical game for the Scorpions, whose potent offense averages 375 yards a game but whose porous defense allows 260 per game. Camarillo deals in more real estate than Coldwell Banker. Bill Bell rushed for 102 yards on 19 carries for Camarillo to give him 1,062 yards this season. Gil Valencia caught 4 passes to give him 40.

In the third quarter with Thousand Oaks leading, 21-3, the Scorpions moved close to midfield on a 35-yard pass from Mike Henry to Valencia. Tackles by Mike Yasenchok and Matt Young forced a punt, however, and Lancer Joe Sturges blocked it to set up a 37-yard field goal by Sean Cheevers.

Thousand Oaks is ranked fifth in the area by The Times and is also ranked fifth in the Coastal Conference behind Muir, Oxnard, Antelope Valley and Canyon. The Lancers have won seven straight after losing to Canyon in the season’s third week.