Sympathy can be expressed in many ways....

Sympathy can be expressed in many ways. Tory Cabral’s caring was measured in yardage Friday night, and he rushed for 275 in Fillmore High’s 21-0 victory over Moorpark.

“This game was dedicated to my friends who died,” Cabral said after the Tri-Valley League victory.

Fillmore High students Ledell Shephard and Veronica Herrera died in an automobile accident Oct. 21.

The yardage was a school record--breaking Mike Burt’s mark of 213 yards set against Moorpark in 1979--and pulled Cabral to within 156 yards of the single-season record set by Larry Roberts in 1986.

Cabral, a junior with a slashing style, has 1,037 yards and eight touchdowns in 118 carries for an average of 8.8 yards a pop.

“He’s a wiry kid,” Coach Curtis Garner said. “He’s the type of player the defenses don’t want to let him into their backfield.”

Opponents don’t want to let Fillmore on their field at all. Last week’s victory was Fillmore’s eighth in a row, which equals the school’s longest winning streak. The Flashes are 3-0 in league play and should have little trouble with St. Bonaventure this week, setting up a league championship game with Carpinteria in the regular-season finale.

Fillmore has given up only 40 points, which is as much a tribute to the Flashes’ ball-control offense as it is to the defense. Fillmore has rushed for 1,817 yards, including 423 against Moorpark.

Cabral simply wore out the Musketeers, which entered the game unbeaten in league play. Misdirection and draw plays worked well and Cabral averaged 10.6 yards on each of his 26 carries.

Cabral, a sprinter during the track season, also sees a lot of action on defense and kicks for the Flashes. He made all three point-after attempts last week and has made 22 of 24 this season. He has also coverted his only two field-goal attempts.

Cabral leads the team with 82 points, but last week he and his teammates had a more urgent point to make. And their gesture of sympathy to their friends was noteworthy.