Westlake Wins With Its Wiles

If concession-stand sales are down this year during Westlake High football games, booster clubs can blame Warrior Coach Jim Benkert.

As Westlake’s offense becomes as creative as it is explosive, viewers can ill afford to take their eyes from the action for even a second.

Westlake, which averages nearly 400 yards a game, twice surprised nearly everyone in attendance at Ventura High during a 28-21 win over the Cougars last week.

First, Westlake used a two-point conversion play the team calls “Where’s the tee?” Seamus Gibbons, the holder on point-after attempts, kneeled to take the snap from center but suddenly began running toward the Westlake sidelines repeatedly screaming, “Where’s the tee?!”

As Gibbons neared the sideline, the ball was snapped to Todd Preston, Westlake’s quarterback and kicker, who turned and fired a strike to Gibbons. Gibbons waltzed into the end zone as Ventura’s players watched.

The play looked like a basic screen pass, minus the screaming and antics. But Gibbons’ acting, which had the support of the entire Westlake bench, could have earned an Academy Award.

“The kids love that play,” Benkert said. “They really have a lot of fun with it.”

The enthusiasm was apparent. One Westlake player actually held a tee in the air.

Westlake (3-0) also used a fake punt play it calls The Pola, named after assistant coach Kennedy Pola--who wanted to use the play last season. The Warriors saved it until Thursday, and it resulted in a 40-yard touchdown run by tight end Dave Monheim.

On fourth and 12 from Ventura’s 40, Jim McCrossan lined up as the short man on a punt formation. Monheim squatted five yards in front of McCrossan, immediately behind Westlake’s right guard. As the ball was snapped to McCrossan, punter Preston faked a fumble and McCrossan stuck the ball between Monheim’s legs.

All of Westlake’s players except tight end Carlos Lopez and Monheim ran to the left as if they were blocking for Preston. Monheim waited four seconds, then ran to the right.

“(Monheim) asked me once what happened if they didn’t fall for it,” Benkert said with a laugh. “I told him, ‘You get crunched, buddy.’ ”

Add Monheim: Monheim, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior who has played football for only two years but has become a Division I prospect at tight end, had perhaps the finest game of his career Thursday.

At tight end, he caught six passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, including a six-yard catch that gave Westlake a 22-21 lead with 11:18 left. He added the 40-yard Pola run and helped Westlake to seal the win when, on third and eight with 2:32 left, he turned a reception in the flat into a 36-yard gain that gave Westlake a first down at Ventura’s 33.

At defensive end, he made a key sack and fumble recovery. With Ventura trailing, 28-21, and deep in Westlake’s territory, Monheim recovered a fumble at the 16 with 7:51 left. Monheim also sacked quarterback Jeff Dietz after Ventura had driven to Westlake’s 10, and the Cougars’ drive stalled.

It had to happen dept.: Kennedy defensive back Bobby Rodgers, who achieved considerable celebrity for his wrong-way, 82-yard interception return against Narbonne two weeks ago, has earned a new nickname.

Rodgers picked up a fumble against Franklin and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown. His nickname, formerly “Wrong-Way,” has taken a new direction.

“Big game from Right-Way Bobby Rodgers,” Francola quipped. “Good thing. We thought we were going to have to buy him a compass.”

An animated performance: Like Rodgers, Reseda defensive lineman Jon Van Duinwyk knows what it’s like to score a defensive touchdown. At least for a second or two.

In Reseda’s 30-0 defeat of Canoga Park last week, Van Duinwyk intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. It was nullified by a Reseda penalty, however.

Van Duinwyk also intercepted a another pass, headed 17 yards upfield for his date with glory . . . and was dragged down from behind at the one-yard line.

“It was like a cartoon,” Reseda Coach Joel Schaeffer said.

Ripped off: Taft tailback Darnell Hendricks played much of the second half of his team’s 28-0 victory over Hamilton in another player’s jersey.

“Hendricks got his ripped off,” Taft Coach Tom Stevenson said. “So we got one off another kid.”

Consequently, Hendricks was shortchanged in the statistics department. He actually finished with 167 yards in 19 carries in his first varsity start at the position.

First win: First-year St. Bonaventure Coach Jon Mack isn’t likely to soon forget his first victory with the Seraphs (1-2). With the score tied, 8-8, and 17 seconds left against Nordhoff on Saturday, sophomore Gino Nucci intercepted a pass and raced untouched 70 yards down the sideline to lift St. Bonaventure as time ran out.

“It was a great way to win,” Mack said. “We had great pressure on the ball. And Jeff Onstat made a huge block. His block broke it free for (Nucci).”

The interception return served as retribution for Nucci. The Seraphs were leading 8-0 until Nordhoff’s Brandon Garnsey grabbed a tipped-pass from Jaren Hoskins and went 65 yards for a score with seven minutes left. Strong safety Toby Noblin tipped the pass and Garnsey beat cornerback Nucci to the ball.

“(Nucci) asked if (the interception return) will make up for that other play,” Mack recalled. “I said, ‘Heck, yeah.’ ”

Royal transfer: Steve Bernstein, a catcher and designated hitter at Royal last spring, has transferred to Simi Valley. Bernstein, a senior, hit .277 for the Highlanders. Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers also said that the Pioneers will be one of 20 teams competing in the Arizona Spring Classic from March 23-30 in Glendale, Ariz.

Staff writers Steve Elling, Paige A. Leech and Jeff Riley contributed to this notebook.