Czernek Pass Finds Right Man at the End : Football: Newbury Park’s DaJuan Hawkins catches tipped pass at goal line in closing seconds to lead Newbury Park to 22-15 victory over Westlake in Division III semifinal.

It was just another in a succession of errant passes by a frustrated Chris Czernek. But when a quarterback has passed for more than 4,000 yards in a season, perhaps he is entitled to one gift.

Receiver Justin Vint barely touched Czernek’s pass intended for him with 23 seconds to play, and the ball zipped straight into the chest of teammate DaJuan Hawkins at the goal line.

Hawkins fell into the end zone to give Newbury Park High a 22-15 victory over Westlake in a Southern Section Division III semifinal Saturday night before 9,500 at Thousand Oaks High.

“I got lucky, that’s all I can say,” said Czernek, who was 14 of 29 for 177 yards with four interceptions, easily his worst outing of the season.

The victory was lucky No. 13 in a row for the unbeaten Panthers, who face Diamond Bar (13-0) in the final Saturday at a site to be determined.

Westlake (7-5-1), which had followed a third-place finish in the Marmonte League with two upset victories in the playoffs, appeared to have Newbury Park on the ropes, 15-7, after Philip De La Cruz kicked a 20-yard field goal with six minutes to play.

However, Eddie Patterson returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and Czernek hit Hawkins on a fade pattern for a two-point conversion that tied the score.

The Warriors, who ran 31 plays in the fourth quarter to eight by Newbury Park, could not move the ball on their final three possessions. For most of the game, nimble Westlake quarterback Casey Preston was effective, completing 17 of 38 for 240 yards and one touchdown.

Trailing, 7-6, at halftime, Westlake scored on its first possession of the third quarter on a 53-yard run by fullback Jon Weems to take a 12-7 lead. Westlake maintained its lead until Newbury Park’s final possession when Czernek led the Panthers 52 yards in four plays, all passes.

“That was rough,” Westlake receiver Steve Aylsworth said. “A great game, and a rough one to lose.”

With Newbury Park’s passing game all but shut down, fullback Brock Diediker got the call and rushed for 110 yards in 13 carries.

Weems was Westlake’s leading rusher with 89 yards in 13 carries. Tailback Jamal Harris gained only 32 yards in six carries with 29 coming on one run. Harris, however, played the entire game at cornerback and helped shut down Panther wide receivers Patrick Reddick and Hawkins.

Reddick had three catches for 68 yards, Hawkins was held to two for 24, Patterson had four for 46 yards and Vint had two for eight. All four receivers have more than 50 catches this season.

After a scoreless first quarter, Newbury Park scored on a 67-yard drive that took only 1 minute 17 seconds. The key play was a 38-yard fade pass to Reddick--the Panthers’ longest gain of the half. Brock Diediker rambled 14 yards on a counter trap for the touchdown and Chrissy Sanford’s extra point made it 7-0.

Jason Victor slipped on the ensuing kick return as soon as he caught the ball at the seven, but on Westlake’s first play from scrimmage the senior receiver ran a slant pattern that caused Newbury Park cornerback Reddick to slip.

Victor caught the pass and raced 93 yards for a touchdown. Victor scored from 92 yards last week against Notre Dame on the same play.

Brant Diediker tipped De La Cruz’s extra-point kick, causing it to sail wide left, leaving Newbury Park with a 7-6 halftime lead.

Czernek threw three interceptions in the half, but Westlake was unable to capitalize on any of them, despite Preston’s 200 passing yards.

Newbury Park held Westlake’s running game to four yards in 12 carries.

Czernek was eight of 19 for 134 yards in the half. Diediker rushed for 83 yards in nine carries and caught three middle-screen passes for 31 yards.

Preston was 11 of 23 with no interceptions. Aylsworth had six receptions for 59 yards. The Westlake interceptions were by Joey Cuppari--his ninth of the season--Bret Young and Victor.