Newbury Park Makes Do With a Little, 15-0

Newbury Park High has relied on defense so far this season. Friday night against Buena High, the Panthers mixed in a little offense, too.

Very little.

But two touchdowns were enough as Newbury Park (2-0-1) posted a 15-0 victory in a nonleague game at home.

“During the week we decided we were going to pick up the slack, help the defense,” said Newbury Park quarterback Jai Johnston, whose team managed just one touchdown in a 7-7 tie against Ventura last week. “We were determined to score points.”

The senior quarterback didn’t exactly catch fire against Buena, but he did light up the scoreboard by throwing for both of his team’s touchdowns. He had an efficient, if unremarkable, evening, completing eight of 11 passes for 62 yards.

Buena (1-2) came into the game with a star quarterback, Jason Isaacs, who was suffering from a sore back. After 48 minutes of football against the Panthers, he may have a bruised ego as well.

The senior completed 22 of 39 passes for 184 yards but could not get into the end zone and squelched his team’s best scoring opportunity by throwing an interception deep in Newbury Park territory.

“We had dropped balls, we had fumbles in critical situations,” Isaacs said. “You can’t do that.”

Newbury Park’s defense has not allowed a touchdown this season. Ventura’s only score last week came on an interception return and the Panthers opened with a 17-3 win over Simi Valley.

Newbury Park scored its first touchdown against Buena on its second possession. Johnston completed four consecutive passes, the last a three-yard toss to Mark Rodwell in the back of the end zone. On the extra point, Johnston scrambled around left end for an 8-0 lead.

Buena managed just 11 yards in the first quarter as Isaacs was harassed and chased from the pocket. But a Newbury Park fumble early in the second quarter seemed to revive the Bulldogs.

Isaacs completed three consecutive passes and his team drove inside the Newbury Park 20-yard line. Then came the costly mistake--Isaacs threw into zone coverage and linebacker Ryan Turner intercepted the pass.

Buena launched another drive near the end of the half, but running back Tony Williams fumbled at Newbury Park’s 22-yard line to end that threat.

Meanwhile, Turner and his defensive mates continued to come up with big plays, recovering another fumble and stopping Buena on a crucial fourth-down attempt in the third quarter.

After that change of possession, Newbury Park added insurance points. Running back Jason Sands, who led the Panthers with 52 yards in 16 carries, powered up the middle for several key gains and, with six minutes remaining, Johnston passed seven yards to Jeff Buchanan for a 15-0 lead.

And, of course, there was the defense, which pestered Isaacs and limited the Bulldogs to 52 yards on the ground.