Los Angeles Times 1995 All-Ventura Football Team : PLAYER OF THE YEAR : He Threw Yearlong Party

Without doubt, one of the most improbably success stories of the high school football season was the soft-spoken Newbury Park High quarterback with the soft touch.

Chriz Czernek, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior, is not fast. He is not big. He is not bless with a tremendously strong arm.

He just gets the job done. And he got it done better than any passer in state history, throwing for 4,362 yards, breaking a record set two years ago by Newbury Park’s Keith Smith.

Czernek also threw 45 touchdown passes, breaking the Southern Section record of 42 set by Pat Haden of Bishop Amat in 1970.

“Looking back, it’s surprising and it is something the whole team can take pride in,” Panther Coach George Hurley said. “For Chris to accomplish this in his junior year is really something.”

The records are bittersweet for Czernek because Newbury Park (13-1) lost the Division III final to Diamond Bar.

“They don’t mean much because winning the championship was the important thing,” he said.

Given time, perhaps Czernek will appreciate all he accomplished. He completed 262 of 464 passes, distributing them nearly evenly among four wide receivers, each of whom had more than 50 catches.

In four playoff games, Czernek compiled statistics many quarterbacks would like for an entire season, completing 72 of 122 for 1,149 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He and the Panthers peaked in a 49-29 quarterfinal victory over Ayala in which Czernek passed for six touchdowns and ran for another.

In the final two games--a victory over Westlake and the loss to Diamond Bar--he threw eight interceptions, as many as he had in the previous 12 games.

“The interceptions might have affected his confidence a little bit, but Chris just needs time to reflect on what an incredible season he had,” said Gary Fabricius, Newbury Park’s offensive coordinator.

“He surpassed everyone’s expectations and for a junior he showed great leadership.”

Czernek, who won the starting job halfway through his sophomore season, has passed for 5,592 yards in his career, giving him a shot at Smith’s state career record of 9,971.

Several starters are expected to return on offense, including receiver Patrick Reddick and most of the line.

“And we are going to have a quarterback who has thrown for 4,000 yards in a season,” Hurley said.