Gann’s Initiative Enables East to Hold Off West, 7-3

Chris Gann has his ring and the patch for his letterman’s jacket, but the Thousand Oaks High senior was missing one thing from the Lancers’ Coastal Conference championship season--playing time.

The safety was sidelined late in the season when he broke his collarbone against Simi Valley. He missed all four playoff games, including the title game against Channel Islands. But most of all, he missed playing.

Saturday night at Oxnard High, Gann earned what he felt was his just reward in the East’s 7-3 victory over the West in the Ventura County all-star football game.

Gann intercepted two passes in the final 6:29 and was named the most valuable defensive player.

“It felt bad,” Gann said of his absence,” but I said all along that this game was going to be my CIF championship game, and I patched it all back up.”

Gann’s Lancer teammates showed why Thousand Oaks was the class of the county last season. Marc Monestime, the Lancers’ reliable running back, scored the only touchdown on a 26-yard run with 6:54 left in the third quarter.

“The second half, we knew we could go out and beat them,” said Monestime, who gained 51 yards on 7 carries. “We were just toying with them, sort of.”

Thousand Oaks quarterback Steve Sisco, who completed 5 of 10 passes for 46 yards, was named most valuable offensive player.

Still another Lancer defender deserved MVP consideration. Linebacker Mack Humphrey sacked West quarterbacks Jason Matheny and Joel Gaxiola four times. Two of the sacks were in the second half, when the West gained only 27 yards.

“We were missing a lot of tackles early in the game but our defense was awesome in the second half,” East Coach Larry Mohr, a Thousand Oaks assistant, said. Mohr was in charge of the East after replacing Thousand Oaks Coach Bob Richards, who was attending a wedding in Oregon.

Actually, the defenses also controlled the first half. The East managed only 41 yards and Monestime, Ventura County’s career rushing leader, was held to minus-3 yards rushing.

Although the West gained only 95 yards in the first half, 48 came on the opening drive. The key play was a 23-yard pass from Gaxiola to Brian Courtney and John Sunia capped the march with a 34-yard field goal 5:17 into the game for the only score of the half.

Momentum eventually swayed to the East and Gann’s interceptions kept it there.

“Chris is a super kid,” Mohr said. “Football is his life. He did miss out on all the playoffs, and I think this was his big game.”