Easy Does It the Theme for Ventura All-Stars

The Ventura County Lions & Coaches All-Star football game tonight at Thousand Oaks High is expected to be a showcase for the county’s finest individual talent.

What is not expected, however, is an intricate game plan from either side. Simplicity is the password.

In fact, a two-count cadence might be as complicated as things will get. The East and West teams have had only two weeks to prepare for the 7:30 game, which features top high school seniors. Many players wore football pads last week for the first time since December. And the game has been extended to 15-minute quarters rather than the 12-minute quarters at the high school level.

That combination could mean, well, the contest will showcase some fine individual talent.

“We feel we have some talent, and would like to display it,” West Coach John Reardon said. “But sometimes all-star games become a little unorganized.”

Reardon, the coach at Rio Mesa who is 3-0 in the series, canceled practice Thursday and Friday because of graduation ceremonies in the Ventura and Oxnard school districts.

“We have a loose approach and I think that’s rewarding for the kids,” Reardon said. “But we’re definitely going into the game to win it.”

The West will try to do so with a wide-open attack led by quarterbacks Johnel Turner (Oxnard), Jason Isaacs (Buena) and Mark Contreras (Channel Islands). Tim Gutierrez (Santa Clara), the county’s all-time leading passer and The Times’ Back of the Year who threw for 2,939 yards last season, is vacationing with friends in Mexico.

“We’re predicting a wide-open attack, but if it takes conservatism to win, then that’s what we’ll do,” Reardon said.

The East, winner of two consecutive games and three of the past four, will be guided by Fillmore Coach Curtis Garner, who led the Flashes to a school-record 10 wins last fall.

The East defense will feature Lance Martin (Thousand Oaks), The Times’ Lineman of the Year who will play at Northern Arizona in the fall.

“We’re looking for a low-scoring game,” Garner said. “At least we hope for one, because we think our defense is the strong point of our game. If we get into a scoring match with them, we might be in a little bit of trouble.”

The series is tied, 7-7-2.