Oxnard Inches Close but Falls, 14-12

Oxnard High tailback Kenyon Lewis, who had a game-high 154 yards and two touchdowns in 29 carries, was stopped inches short of a first down at Santa Barbara’s 12-yard line with 3 minutes 10 seconds left in the game Friday as visiting Oxnard dropped a 14-12 decision in a Channel League opener.

Santa Barbara (3-1) overcame an outstanding night from Lewis and two deficits. Lewis’ first touchdown, a four-yard run with 2:15 left in the first half, gave Oxnard a 6-0 halftime lead. Dan Duchai, whose 22-yard field-goal attempt was blocked earlier in the second quarter, missed the point-after attempt.

Santa Barbara mounted a 51-yard drive, capped by a five-yard run by quarterback Dustin Spencer that tied the score, 6-6, in the third quarter. Paco Andrade’s point-after gave the Dons a 7-6 lead.

Oxnard (2-2) answered on its next possession with a 75-yard drive that ended with a four-yard scoring run from Lewis for a 12-7 lead. Oxnard failed on a two-point conversion attempt. The drive included Kelly Kendrick’s four-yard run on fourth and two at Santa Barbara’s 43.

But early in the fourth quarter, Santa Barbara’s Greg Depaco (13 carries for 63 yards) scored the winning touchdown from 16 yards. The 60-yard drive included a 13-yard run by Spencer and a 10-yard run by Depaco.