HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: WEEK 3 : Newbury Park Runs Air Raid to Shellshock Buena, 42-8

It’s as though Chris Czernek and his Newbury Park High teammates couldn’t get enough of Hawaii two weeks ago in their victory over Waimea, Kauai.

They act like they can gain another trip courtesy of Czernek’s frequent flyer mileage.

Czernek, the state’s leading passer, threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns in the Panthers’ 42-8 nonleague victory over Buena on Friday night.

The 5-foot-11 junior completed 22 of 32, passing to seven receivers, none of whom caught more than five passes, gained more than 89 yards or had more than one touchdown reception.

Buena (1-1-1), which rushed for 396 yards against Westlake two weeks ago, managed to run for only 65 in 22 carries, including zero yards in the first half when Newbury Park (3-0) took a 29-0 lead.

The Bulldogs needed some help, or at least some Phelps.

Brady Phelps, a junior tailback who rushed for 331 yards and five touchdowns in Buena’s first two games, quit the team earlier this week to concentrate on his honors classes. Phelps watched the game from the stands.

Josh Cross, a senior coming off a hip injury, appeared tentative on early carries until he broke free for a 15-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Cross had 34 yards in nine carries, and sophomore Aaron Kleefisch had 44 in 11 carries--most coming in the fourth quarter.

“Everything went against Buena this week, we were on an upswing, they were on a down,” Newbury Park Coach George Hurley said.

Buena went to the air, but senior Glenn Dudley completed only nine of 25 for 104 yards and threw three interceptions.

Newbury Park took a 16-0 first-quarter lead. If not for 50 yards in penalties--the Panthers had 95 in the game--it could have been worse.

Czernek completed 15 of 25 for 232 yards in the half, then was seven of seven in the second half.

Brock Diediker opened the scoring on a seven-yard run, and four plays later Dudley was sacked for a safety by Nick Zentil and Chris Adams. A 73-yard pass play two plays before the safety was nullified by a holding penalty.

Newbury Park took the ensuing kickoff and after a 40-yard completion to Brant Diediker, Czernek hit Eddie Patterson with a six-yard scoring pass.

Then Newbury Park marched 61 yards in 11 plays, capped by Czernek’s one-yard scoring run.

Following a Buena punt, Newbury Park drove 81 yards in only six plays. DeJuan Hawkins (five catches, 89 yards) turned a pass in the flat into a 42-yard gain, and Patrick Reddick finished the drive with a 21-yard catch-and-run to give Newbury Park a 29-0 lead.

The Panthers scored early in the third quarter on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Hawkins.

Newbury Park’s final touchdown was a 23-yard pass from Czernek to Brant Diediker on the last play of the third quarter.