Saum Backs Up Boast as Nordhoff Routs Santa Paula, 48-21

Nordhoff High’s Steve Saum says the Rangers can score at will.

And Santa Paula did nothing to disprove the senior quarterback’s brash proclamation Friday night as the Rangers routed the Cardinals, 48-21, in a Frontier League showdown at Santa Paula.

“When our offense wants to do something we do it,” said Saum, who completed seven of 10 passes for 106 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. “I just don’t think we can be stopped when we want to get into the end zone.”

The win gives Nordhoff (8-1, 4-0) its second straight outright league championship. The Rangers will close the regular season next week with a nonleague game at Carpinteria.

Under first-year Coach Rick Shoup, Santa Paula (3-5, 2-1) began the game as the only other undefeated Frontier team. The Cardinals could have tied the Rangers for the league title with a victory Friday and next week over Calabasas. Despite the loss, the Cardinals secured a Division IX playoff berth.

Santa Paula quarterback Bryan Whittaker, a 6-foot, 175-pound senior, completed 12 of 20 for 130 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

Nordhoff rode a 27-point second-quarter explosion to a 34-14 halftime lead, then cruised in the final 24 minutes. The Rangers outgained the Cardinals, 298 yards to 86, in the first half.

Nordhoff Coach Cliff Farrar began removing starters midway through the third quarter. Ranger running back Adam Blundell also played well, leading all runners with 121 yards.

Blundell--who began the game with a league-high seven touchdowns--added another of two yards.

Two of Saum’s three first-half touchdown passes were caught by receiver Jason Kimpton, who was alone in the right corner of the end zone on each play. Kimpton’s second touchdown catch came with just 41 seconds remaining in the half. The Rangers drove from their 32-yard line in just under two minutes to close the half’s scoring.

“We have a big-play team,” Farrar said. “We have a lot of guys who can break things at any point in the game--just like tonight.”

The Cardinals missed assignments throughout the half and were penalized eight times for 80 yards.

Things might have been worse had not Steven Gonzales returned a Nordhoff fumble 70 yards for a touchdown when the Rangers appeared to be driving for yet another score.