Lancers Put Buena in a Hole

Eric Houston was searching for two holes Friday during Thousand Oaks’ 40-26 win over Buena.

In the first half, Thousand Oaks’ Houston dropped what appeared to be a touchdown pass that would have broken a 13-13 tie.

“He could have gone into a hole after that,” Thousand Oaks Coach Bob Richards said.

But Houston, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior, instead went looking for another hole.

And he found it after visiting Buena had taken a 26-20 lead on Mike Dexter’s 25-yard pass to Tom Hatch with 8 minutes 13 seconds left.

This time, Houston fielded Buena’s ensuing kickoff and sprinted 86 yards for a touchdown that gave Thousand Oaks a lead it would not relinquish.

“I felt I owed it to the team,” Houston said. “I had to bring one back for the team, and it was all because of the front line. A lot of guys got on me after I dropped that pass.”

Houston’s heroics and some timely defense enabled Thousand Oaks (2-0) to overcome Buena’s strong running game, which accumulated 214 yards. Erik Eads gained 87 yards, Chuck Mullaney 78 and freshman George Keiaho added 74.

“They had a good game plan that surprised us a little,” Richards said.

Buena (0-2), which trailed, 13-0, in the first quarter, scored three consecutive touchdowns. Buena took the second-half kickoff and drove 80 yards in 14 plays, the last a six-yard scoring run by Mullaney. Garrett Richins’ conversion gave Buena a 20-13 lead with 5:17 left in the third quarter.

Thousand Oaks answered with a seven-yard pass from quarterback Scott Peterson to Jeff Watts. Dan Fitzgerald’s conversion tied the score, 20-20, with 53 seconds left in the third quarter.

Dexter hit Hatch with the 25-yard touchdown pass, but Richins’ conversion was wide left. Houston then returned the kickoff for a touchdown and Fitzgerald added the conversion to give Thousand Oaks a 27-26 lead with 8:01 remaining.

Thousand Oaks’ defense sacked Dexter on consecutive plays to force Buena to punt from its 17-yard line. Bryce Elliott and Mike Ciandella got to Dexter for a 10-yard loss on second down, and Ciandella sacked Dexter for a 10-yard loss the next play to force fourth and 30.

“They continue to be challenged, so I guess they have to come through some time,” Richards said. Cory Bowen (13 carries for 71 yards) ran 26 yards to Buena’s one, and Bowen scored on the next play to extend the Lancers’ lead to 34-26 with 1:58 left.

Buena began its next drive at the Bulldogs’ six, but Kenny O’Connor intercepted Dexter’s pass at the 27 and returned the ball to Buena’s two. One play later, sophomore Manfred Wagner scored from one yard with 36 seconds left.

Peterson completed seven of 17 passes for 103 yards. Watts caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns.