Camarillo’s Anger Delivers Decisive Blow to Rio Mesa

A body blow delivered by Mike Anger in overtime ended Friday’s soccer match between Camarillo High and Rio Mesa in the first round of the Southern Section Division I playoffs.

Anger, Camarillo’s sweeper, ran into the Rio Mesa penalty area and deflected with his chest a corner kick by teammate Christian Routzen into the net, giving the Scorpions a 1-0 upset.

Anger’s goal, scored in the 100th minute of play and about 10 seconds before a sudden-death period would have begun, moved Camarillo (16-5-3) into a second-round match Wednesday against Royal at Camarillo.

Royal, which defeated Palmdale, is the Marmonte League champion and twice defeated league rival and third-place finisher Camarillo in the regular season.

Rio Mesa, the Channel League champion, fell to 14-3-5.

Anger’s goal allowed the Scorpions to carry good news to a fallen teammate--midfielder Chad Schutt--who suffered a head laceration in the first half and was taken by ambulance to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard.

In the 17th minute, Schutt and Rio Mesa’s Adam Reeves raced out of bounds in pursuit of a loose ball. Past the boundary, the players grappled as they ran into a long-jump pit and Reeves threw down Schutt, whose head hit a cement curb.

A St. John’s spokesperson said Schutt was treated and released.

Schutt’s injury, which delayed the match for 25 minutes and led to shouting between some Camarillo and Rio Mesa players, further intensified a match between neighboring rivals.

“We were a little upset with [Reeves] but you have to realize it’s hard play between these two teams and things are going to happen,” Anger said.

The match was the third meeting this season between the teams. Camarillo won a nonleague season opener, 3-1, before Rio Mesa claimed a 3-0 victory in the Calabasas tournament.

Friday’s play was competitive and physical. The Scorpions, led by Anger, contained Spartan striker Jaime Ambriz, who finished the season with 21 goals.

At the other end, Rio Mesa’s defense was equally impressive, sparked by sweeper David Chooljian and fullback Steve Gonzales.

Rio Mesa Coach Brent Kruk, who had dreaded drawing Camarillo as an opening playoff opponent, said he couldn’t fault his team’s effort.

“It may not have been the prettiest game to watch, but it was one of the hardest-fought I’ve seen,” said Kruk, whose team advanced to the Division II semifinals last season.

“If we’d played someone else I don’t think the bodies would have been banging as hard. Our guys left everything on the field, so I have no complaints. It just wasn’t meant to be this year.”

Rio Mesa outshot Camarillo, 11-9. Goalkeepers Christian Zuniga of Rio Mesa and Jay Caligiuri of Camarillo each made three saves.