Ventura’s Long Week Ends in Loss to San Marcos, 38-32

What had to have been one of the longest and most trying weeks in Ventura High football history ended with a 38-32 loss to San Marcos in their Channel League opener.

“I’m always proud of my kids,” said Ventura’s interim head coach, Phil McCune, who took over after Coach Harvey Kochel was arrested on sex charges earlier this week. “How could you not be proud of these kids? These kids are great. But San Marcos was better. They knocked us all over the field.”

The host Royals dominated the game in the first half and moved the ball at will throughout the contest, to hold off a second-half Cougar rally.

Senior tailback Steve Guzman ran for 299 yards in 60 carries and scored four touchdowns, two in each half.

Quarterback Danny LaGreca completed 16 of 21 passes for 192 yards and one touchdown.

Ventura was led by senior tailback Derek Swafford, who scored three of the Cougars’ five touchdowns. Swafford ran for 108 yards in 15 carries and caught two touchdown passes, one for 88 yards.

Swafford’s 32-yard touchdown catch pulled Ventura, who had been ranked No. 2 in the region by The Times, to within 31-20, but the Cougars could get no closer until they scored a meaningless touchdown on the game’s final play.

The Cougars fell behind, 24-7, at halftime, plagued by penalties and miscues, while the Royals executed their three-wideout, no-huddle offense to perfection.

Guzman demoralized the Cougars in the opening period, as he repeatedly blasted between the tackles, ripping off long gains up the middle. Guzman ran for 160 yards in 26 carries in the first half alone.

LaGreca was equally impressive, connecting on 13 of 16 passes for 158 yards and a 31-yard touchdown strike to Hector Gonzalez.

That made the score 16-7, and Guzman increased the lead with a one-yard run with less than a minute remaining in the half.