Thousand Oaks Fells Canyon, 13-10 : Sisco’s Score Helps Lancers Beat Cowboys for 1st Time Since 1972

Marc Monestime is the ballcarrier around Thousand Oaks High. He’s the guy. Has been for more than two years.

And he got his yards Friday night against Canyon, 140 in all, but it was quarterback Steve Sisco who ran for the biggest six yards of the game at Thousand Oaks.

With 7:04 remaining Sisco rolled left, Monestime trailing on the option, then turned up field and scored to give Thousand Oaks a 13-10 victory, the Lancers’ first over the Cowboys since 1972.

The winning touchdown came nine plays after Canyon (1-2), leading 10-7, attempted an onside kick with 11:58 left in the game. On a play Canyon Coach Harry Welch called “Mob,” kicker Tom Gahry tried to surprise the Lancers.

But Brandon Dale of Thousand Oaks recovered the kick on the Lancers’ 48. It was a risky play so early in the fourth quarter.

“I knew it was a gamble, but I’ve always been a gambler,” Welch said.

Thousand Oaks Coach Bob Richards expected as much.

“It didn’t surprise us because we worked on it,” he said. “Harry is the type of coach that if he feels a little momentum, he goes for it.”

The momentum swing came two seconds into the fourth quarter when Canyon quarterback Rod Baltau scored from the two-yard line to give the Cowboys their first lead of the game, 10-7. The sneak capped an 80-yard drive by Canyon that consumed 6:35.

Running back Cam Cross, held to 23 yards in the first half, carried six times on the drive for 58 yards. the junior finished with 109 yards on 18 carries.

The unsuccessful onside kick, however, breathed new life into the Thousand Oaks offense.

“We were worried,” said Monestime, who has 434 yards in three games. “But we felt confident that our offense could drive it down the field again.”

Thousand Oaks last defeated Canyon, 28-20, in 1972. Canyon handed the Lancers their only two defeats last season.

The defenses dominated the first half, as Thousand Oaks carried a 7-3 advantage into intermission.

The Lancers’ normally powerful running game was held to 64 yards, and Sisco completed 2 of 5 passes for 31 yards.

Thousand Oaks’ first-quarter scoring drive was of 55 yards, 33 coming on four carries by Monestime. His last, a 10-yard burst through the middle, gave the Lancers a 6-0 lead with 1:27 left in the quarter. John Mogler converted the point-after attempt.

Gahry’s 22-yard field goal was all the Cowboys could muster after driving 57 yards early in the second quarter. After a 43-yard pass from Baltau to Chris Peery, Canyon had a first-and-goal on the Lancers’ two-yard line, but consecutive hits by linebacker Mack Humphrey and another by defensive back Chris Gann forced the field goal.

Canyon managed only 83 total yards in the first half, 51 on throws by Baltau. Ben Catlin blocked a punt and recovered two fumbles for Thousand Oaks, and Gann intercepted a pass.

“It feels so good to finally beat Canyon after all this time,” Monestime said.