Big Second Half Sparks Win for Thousand Oaks

If Thousand Oaks High had not pulled itself out of the funk that plagued the team in the first half, the Lancers could have easily lost their Marmonte League opener at Newbury Park on Thursday.

But Thousand Oaks, which rushed for only 51 yards in the first half, used some big plays in the third quarter to claim a 21-0 victory over the Panthers (1-3).

The Lancers (3-1) seemed like a recharged team in the second half, rushing for 182 yards after intermission. On the fifth play after the second-half kickoff, quarterback Scott Peterson faked a handoff to tailback Cory Bowen and streaked down the Newbury Park sideline for a 47-yard touchdown.

Kenny O’Connor’s 30-yard punt return put the Lancers on the Newbury Park 35 to start their next possession. On the first play from scrimmage, the offensive line opened a huge hold on the right side for Greg Buchanan, who raced 35 yards to give the Lancers a 21-0 lead.

Buchanan finished with 121 yards in 16 carries, Bowen gained 46 yards in 12 carries and Peterson completed five of eight passes for 55 yards and one touchdown. He was also sacked six times for minus 30 yards.

Thousand Oaks scored its first touchdown in the opening period on Peterson’s 12-yard pass to Jason Ybarra, who was all alone in the end zone. Ybarra’s score capped a 10-play, 48-yard drive.

But that score was all the Lancers would get in the first half. In the second quarter, Peterson fumbled at Newbury Park’s 30 as Jon Atherton was about to sack him for an eight-yard loss. Newbury Park’s Dave Henderson fell on the loose ball, and Newbury Park then started on its most impressive drive of the night.

Panther quarterback Zack Sutton completed three passes to wide receiver Jason Smith for 10, 13, and 19 yards to make up most of the yardage. But then the Lancers’ secondary tightened its coverage. After the Panthers reached the Thousand Oaks’ nine-yard line, Sutton threw four incomplete passes to end the threat.

The Newbury Park drive made for a tense Thousand Oaks sideline. Lancers’ Coach Bob Richards, for one, was a little more than worried.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, a 10,” Richards said in reference to his worry quotient. “They had totally taken control of the game at that point.”

Newbury Park’s Smith caught five passes for 71 yards to lead the offensive attack.