Camarillo Exemplifies Marmonte Way to Play by Rushing to Victory

Camarillo High’s 28-6 win over Simi Valley on Friday night was typical of Marmonte League games this season, where every week is rush week.

There were 79 running plays and just 22 passes--10 complete.

“It was a typical night--run, run, run,” Camarillo assistant coach Charles Festerling said.

Of course, why pass when you have a running back like Camarillo’s Bill Bell?

Bell rushed for 184 yards on a season-high 30 carries. The 195-pound senior also scored a pair of first-half touchdowns--his ninth and 10th of the year--on runs of 14 yards and 1 yard, to stake Camarillo to a 14-0 halftime lead.

“Bell would carry it every time if we would let him. He just loves to carry the ball,” Camarillo Coach Carl Thompson said.

The first half was pure Pleistocene-Age football. Both teams preferred to run the ball on obvious passing downs. Simi Valley’s Tony Kerr, in fact, was held to 20 yards on eight carries until two draw plays on obvious passing situations netted him 23 and 16 yards just before halftime.

Simi Valley (3-5, 2-3 in Marmonte League play), which had a two-game win streak snapped, failed to score on that drive, however, after Ken Papotta dropped a sure touchdown pass from quarterback Larry Jones with 15 seconds left in the first half.

Kerr, a 170-pound senior, rushed for 154 yards on 21 carries, boosting his season rushing total to 1,166 yards.

Bell has rushed for 1,063 yards this season.

Camarillo (4-4, 2-2), which finished with 287 total yards--15 passing--couldn’t put the game away until late in the fourth period when quarterback Donald Dodson scored on a 17-yard run. Earnest Rittenhouse’s kick put the Scorpions ahead, 21-0, with 4:44 left to play.

Camarillo scored again when Joe Bosman intercepted a Jones pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown with two minutes left in the game.

Simi Valley got on the scoreboard with four seconds left to play, Jones scoring on a three-yard run.

Camarillo scored on its second series of the game, Bell capping a 34-yard drive with his 14-yard touchdown run. Rittenhouse’s kick put the Scorpions ahead, 7-0, with 4:15 left in the first period.

Bell rushed for 87 yards in the first half on 17 carries. Bell has 2,259 career yards, adding to his school career-record. Jim Bittner, son of the Moorpark College football coach, had the record of 2,049 yards.

Kerr had more than half of the Pioneers’ 103 first-half yards, rushing for 59 yards on 10 carries. Jones completed 6 of 12 passes for 48 yards. He was intercepted once.

Simi Valley finished with 219 yards overall.