Scheer Has Caught On Quickly to Funny Ball

Taft High senior tight end Alex Scheer has made remarkable strides considering he had never seen a football before sixth grade.

Scheer was born in Paris and spent the first 10 years of his life in Europe. Scheer played soccer because he was forbidden from playing rugby. Scheer’s father was a talented rugby player until a neck injury ended his career.

When he arrived in Los Angeles, a junior high coach suggested he play football.

“I was bigger than most kids and faster,” Scheer said. “He said I’d make a great tailback.”

With the Toreadors (13-0), who play San Pedro (13-0) in the City Section 4-A title game Friday night, Scheer (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) never made it as a tailback, but settled in at tight end the past two seasons.

Scheer, a senior, has 37 receptions for 536 yards and nine touchdowns this season despite missing two games with a shoulder injury.

But it was a tough process.

“[Taft Coach Troy] Starr yelled at me more than everybody else combined,” Scheer said. “Finally I stood up to him. When I did, I finally had the confidence to do well. I think that’s what he wanted all along.”

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Van Nuys has won five consecutive games to get to Friday night’s City 3-A title game against Wilson and that means one thing to Coach Mark Pomerantz--don’t change a thing.

Not his underwear, not his T-shirt and certainly not his pregame meal.

“I’m hard-core,” he said. “You don’t change things [when you’re winning].”

When Pomerantz jumps on the bus and heads for the Coliseum with his players Friday, he will have a tummy full of the same contents he’s had the last five weeks--four tacos and a large Pepsi from Taco Bell. A hamburger and fries certainly is out of the question.

“There’s one or two things out there that are unexplainable,” he said. “You don’t want to tempt fate.”

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Don’t expect the Southern Section Division III final between Camarillo and Notre Dame to be low-scoring.

But expect it to be close.

In the last six weeks, Camarillo has scored 265 points, an average of 44.2, and Notre Dame has scored 264, an average of 44.0.

Notre Dame has been incredibly consistent, scoring 42 to 48 points in each of the six games. Camarillo has a high of 54 and low of 28 during that span.

Notre Dame outscored Camarillo, 457 to 455, over the course of the season. Notre Dame allowed 158 points, Camarillo 264.

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St. Bonaventure wide receiver Pepe Villasenor will play Saturday night against Nordhoff in the Southern Section Division X title game despite a badly bruised left shoulder, Coach Jon Mack said.

Last week, Villasenor, 5-7, 153 pounds, set the Ventura County record for receptions in a season with 103. The previous mark of 101 was set by Leodes Van Buren of Newbury Park in 1993.

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CITY SECTION 3-A

5 p.m. Friday at Coliseum

* Wilson (9-4) vs. Van Nuys (9-4)

* TV: KLCS (cable)

CITY SECTION 4-A

8 p.m. Friday at Coliseum

* San Pedro (13-0) vs. Taft (13-0)

* TV: KLCS (cable)

* Directions to Coliseum:

From Ventura and West Valley: South on Highway 101 to the 405 freeway south. Exit 405 and go east on Highway 10. Exit 10 and go south on Highway 110. Exit at Exposition Blvd. and turn right. Left on Figueroa Blvd. and enter parking lot on right, in front of Coliseum.

From Antelope Valley and North Valley: South on 5 freeway to Highway 170 south. Exit 170 and go south on Highway 101. Transition south on Highway 110. Exit at Exposition Blvd. and turn right. Left on Figueroa Blvd. and enter parking lot on right, in front of Coliseum.

* Ticket information:

Adults $8; students $6; children under 12 $2.

SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION III

7:30 p.m. Friday at Camarillo High

* Notre Dame (12-1) vs. Camarillo (12-1)

* Radio: KNJO (92.7 FM)

* Directions to Camarillo High:

Highway 101 to Pleasant Valley Road/Santa Rosa Rd. North on Pleasant Valley/Santa Rosa. Left on Adolfo Rd. to Mission Oaks Blvd. Left on Mission Oaks. School parking is immediately on left.

* Ticket information:

Adults $7; students presale (available at Camarillo and Notre Dame high schools) $4; students at gate $7; children under 12 $4.

SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION X

7:30 p.m. Saturday at Nordhoff High

* St Bonaventure (11-1-1) vs. Nordhoff (12-0-1)

* Directions to Nordhoff High:

Highway 101 to Hwy. 33 north. Continue on Hwy. 33/Ventura Ave. for 15 miles to Maricopa (still Hwy 33). Left on Maricopa Hwy. Go two blocks. School parking is on left.

* Ticket information:

Adults $7; students presale (to students at Nordhoff and St. Bonaventure high schools) $4; students at gate $7, children under 12 $4.