Camarillo Rally Falls Short, 13-7

The plan seemed foolproof.

In fact, fourth-down plays for Camarillo High worked every other time the Scorpions had run them against Oxnard on Friday night.

So, when Camarillo was faced with a fourth-and-four situation on Oxnard’s 47-yard line late in the fourth quarter, it seemed natural that the Scorpions would gain the yards needed.

But on the final fourth-down effort, with 2:30 remaining, Camarillo wide receiver Chad Roberts was stopped two yards short on an inside reverse. Oxnard held the ball for the final two minutes to secure a 13-7 nonleague, season-opening victory at Camarillo.

Quarterback Johnel Turner led Oxnard with 112 yards rushing and 74 yards passing. The 5-11 sophomore, whose starting position was uncertain before this week, also scored both of the Yellowjackets’ touchdowns.

“In practice, they tried me out at every position,” Turner said. “We tried a little of this and a little of that.”

Camarillo saw a little too much of this and that.

With the score tied, 7-7, in the fourth quarter, Turner led Oxnard on a 65-yard drive. He completed a 39-yard pass to Landry Wofford for a first down at the Camarillo 26.

Turner then ran a sweep to the right side. He was hit at the line of scrimmage, but broke the tackle and ran through four more Scorpion defenders before making it to the end zone.

“Well, he’s a strong kid,” Oxnard Coach Jack Davis said.

Turner’s extra-point kick was blocked, setting up a possible game-winning drive for Camarillo.

The Scorpions returned the kickoff to their own 36. Facing a fourth-and-one three plays later, Camarillo quarterback Donald Dodson ran a sneak up the middle that was good for a first down.

Three plays later, Camarillo was again looking at fourth down. Although the odds seemed good for the Scorpions--they had been successful on four-of-four previous fourth-down plays--the Scorpions came up short this time when they gave the ball to Roberts.

The loss spoiled an impressive performance by Camarillo running back Bill Bell. The second-leading rusher in the Marmonte League last season, Bell gained 130 yards on 22 carries, including a 24-yard touchdown.

“It was a power run off tackle,” Bell said of his scoring dash. “Everything was congested in the middle. I just kicked it outside and I was gone.”

Most of Bell’s yardage--and most of the Scorpions’--came on runs up the middle, however.

“The middle was wide open; that’s where their weakness was,” Bell said.

Actually, that’s where the Yellowjackets’ strength wasn’t. David Davis, a 6-4 outside linebacker, was outstanding. The former tight end made numerous solo tackles including one of Bell in which Davis caught up to Bell and pulled him down even though the Scorpion running back had run a sweep to the other side.

“He is dominating most of the time,” Davis said.