Thousand Oaks, Westlake Struggle to 41-41 Standoff

It took Westlake High eight years to have an opportunity to win a Marmonte League title, but a 69-second drive by Thousand Oaks has put the Warriors’ title hopes on hold for at least another week.

Thousand Oaks running back Greg Buchanan scored on a two-yard run with 16 seconds left, and quarterback Scott Peterson added the two-point conversion to forge a 41-41 tie in front of an overflow crowd of more than 5,000 at Thousand Oaks High.

Westlake (8-0-1 overall, 5-0-1 in league play) must defeat Royal (7-1-1, 4-1-1) next Friday at Moorpark College if the Warriors are to claim their first title since 1982. Thousand Oaks (6-1-2, 4-0-2), which can still win its second consecutive title, will play host to Agoura next Friday.

Westlake trailed by 13 points midway through the third quarter before rallying behind three consecutive scores to take a 34-27 lead with 7 minutes 10 seconds left.

Thousand Oaks pulled within one, 34-33, on a four-yard pass from Peterson (10 completions in 24 attempts for 131 yards) to Jeff Watts with 3:51 left. Peterson’s two-point conversion pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

Westlake came back with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Todd Preston (16 of 25 for 282 yards, three touchdowns) to Seamus Gibbons on third and four with 1:16 left. Preston’s conversion gave Westlake a 41-33 lead and the Warriors appeared to have the game in hand.

But Thousand Oaks was grimly determined. The Lancers took over at their 31 with 1:09 left and Peterson hit Jeff Trevathan for a 15-yard gain, then found Jeff Watts for 16 yards to Westlake’s 30.

After an incomplete pass, Peterson scrambled 21 yards to Westlake’s nine, then dashed six yards to the three with 24 seconds left. After a pass-interference call, Buchanan scored.

The game was an offensive display from the start, and the teams combined for 820 total yards. Preston set school single-season records for touchdown passes (20) and passing yardage (2,055).

Thousand Oaks took a 6-0 lead on Buchanan’s one-yard run with 5:49 left in the first quarter. The drive included a 15-yard completion from Peterson to Shane Graham on third and six from Westlake’s 27.

Westlake drove 66 yards in four plays, only to turn the ball over when Thousand Oaks’ Dan Fitzgerald recovered Reuben Allen’s fumble at the Lancers’ 16.

On Thousand Oaks’ second play from scrimmage after the turnover, Cory Bowen broke four tackles on a 76-yard run. Fitzgerald’s conversion extended Thousand Oaks’ lead to 14-0 with 7:38 left in the first half.

Westlake, which punted three times and fumbled on its first four drives, reached the end zone on its fifth drive, which was set up by Vince Bruno’s fumble recovery at the Lancers’ 32. Preston scored on a nine-yard run.

Westlake tied the score when Allen--178 yards rushing--bolted 50 yards with 2:10 left in the half.