Thousand Oaks Plunges to Its Low-Water Mark

It was not a good Royal Invitational for Thousand Oaks High senior Eric Shafer.

Shafer, one of the top sprinters in the area, finished fifth in the 50-yard freestyle at the invitational, then scratched for the 100 freestyle to prepare for the 200 freestyle relay. The Lancers were trying to qualify the relay team for the Southern Section Division I championships next month.

However, when the event started, only one of the four swimmers was at the starting blocks. Thousand Oaks was disqualified even before it had a chance to hit the water.

“There are screw-ups and then there are screw-ups,” said Coach Bill Gemberling. “This was a big screw-up.”

Heartwarming: Burroughs pitcher Robert Barillas pitched the game of his life last Tuesday, a three-hitter against Canyon in a Foothill League game, and it came with a heavy heart.

Barillas was supposed to pitch three days before in a doubleheader against Crespi but his father suffered a heart attack the day before and Barillas missed his chance.

But with his father doing better, Barillas was able to pitch effectively and earn his first victory of the season.

“It’s been a rough week for him,” Burroughs Coach Jose Valle. “But he really came through.”

Who’s hot: Top performances last week in Marmonte League baseball:

In two victories by Camarillo, Jeff Bannon was eight for 10 with eight runs batted in. He stole two bases, had two doubles and scored three runs.

Kevin Howard of Westlake had two hits, including a grand slam, and five RBIs in a victory over Agoura. In a victory over Newbury Park, he had two hits, including a two-run home run.

Camarillo’s Andy Kroneberger stole four bases in five attempts to push his season totals to 20 steals in 23 attempts.

Back on track: Hart High senior Becky Skyler, a Southern Section Division II finalist the past two years, finally qualified for next month’s section championships in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke at the Royal Invitational.

Skyler was slowed by mononucleosis and surgery to remove cysts from the roof of her mouth. “It’s a relief,” she said.

Bad to worse: As if things weren’t bad enough for the Burbank High baseball team. The Bulldogs (2-15) lost two of their top three hitters when Mike Lizarraga was benched due to a jammed wrist and Nick Gastro was sidelined by appendicitis last week.

Lizarraga hopes to return this week against Saugus but Gastro may be sidelined the rest of the season.

“It’s just killing Mike because it’s his senior year,” said Coach Frank Des Enfants. “But who knows how strong he’ll be when he comes back.

Good sports: Royal High has been recognized with the Marmonte League Sportsmanship Award for the 1996-97 school year.

Decisions, decisions: Several seniors from St. Bonaventure’s Southern Section Division X championship team are near decisions on college choices, Seraphs Coach Jon Mack said.

Quarterback Teohua Sanchez is leaning toward Cal Lutheran after visiting the school last week with lineman Todd Therrien.

Both are considering Redlands and Sanchez is interested in Pomona Pitzer.

Lineman Ben Miller and receiver Pepe Villasenor recently visited Ohio Wesleyan. Villasenor is considering Cal Lutheran.

Defensive lineman David Bernal recently retook the ACT test. He missed a qualifying score by one point in his previous attempt and is likely to sign with Cal State Northridge if he passes.