Oxnard Just Can’t Win for Losing

Oxnard High’s 35-27 come-from-behind victory over first-place Dos Pueblos in a Channel League game Friday night might go for naught.

Oxnard, vying for its first league title in 10 years, will forfeit at least four league victories and a tie for using an ineligible player.

Oxnard Coach Wesley Morimune said he was informed Friday at 4 p.m. by Principal Daisy Tatum that quarterback Adrian Maciel, who transferred from Santa Clara in August, was declared ineligible by the Southern Section. Tatum described the situation as an error by an Oxnard administrator.

Morimune said that Maciel did not play Friday night or in the Yellowjackets’ first two games, a nonleague victory over Camarillo and a tie against Serra.

“We held a team meeting and we all broke down,” Morimune said. “We sucked it up and came out and played today.”

The Yellowjackets, who entered the game with a record of 6-0-2, 4-0-1 in league, trailed, 21-7, in the second quarter. But Oxnard scored four consecutive touchdowns.

Tailback Desmond Davis rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns in 19 carries. Fullback Chad Pierson rushed for 145 yards and one touchdown in 25 carries. Pierson chewed up yardage while the Yellowjackets attempted to run out the clock.

Reserve running back Courtney Palmore added 75 yards in seven carries, including a 40-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that snapped a 21-21 tie.

“There’s a whole lot of running backs on this team, about six guys who can run the ball,” Palmore said. “I only go in for oh-so many plays.”

Quarterback Anthony Ramos provided most of the excitement for Dos Pueblos (8-1, 5-1).

Ramos rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries.

He completed 18 of 35 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown.

Ramos also returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and blocked a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter.