Moorpark Buries Streak in the Mud

Put a slash through The Streak.

Rain wasn’t the only thing coming down during Moorpark High’s 33-0 victory over Carpinteria in a Southern Section Division X semifinal football game Friday night at Moorpark.

The Musketeers ended a losing streak of 51 games against Carpinteria, beating the Warriors for the first time since 1934.

“The streak is dead,” Moorpark Coach Ron Wilford said. “There is a God in Moorpark.”

There is also a defense.

The second-seeded Musketeers (12-1) tossed their fifth shutout of the season, yielding 59 yards to the third-seeded Warriors (9-4) before an estimated crowd of 5,500.

The dream season continues for Moorpark, which has advanced further than any team in school history.

The Musketeers play the winner of tonight’s Orange Lutheran-St. Monica game for the championship next week.

If St. Monica wins tonight, there will be a coin flip Sunday morning to determine next week’s home team. If Orange Lutheran wins, it will automatically play host to next week’s game, likely at Brea Olinda High.

It doesn’t get any better than this for the Musketeers. Or does it?

“We’ll see,” said Chad Willis, who completed five of 10 passes for 78 yards with a touchdown and an interception. “There’s nothing better than winning the finals.”

The Musketeers used all of 3:07 before putting the scoreboard operator to work.

Erris Green caught a short out pass from Willis, juked a tackler, broke through a couple more and was gone down the left side for a 46-yard touchdown and a 7-0 Moorpark lead.

The Musketeers, who allowed 11 yards in the first quarter, started the second with a bold drive that lasted 15 plays and took 7:29 off the clock, Willis capping it with an eight-yard keeper that made it 13-0.

Carpinteria had four first downs in the game, two of them by penalty.

There was a media blitz all week long at Moorpark, as well as appearances by alumni from up and down the West Coast.

“It’s been a production,” Wilford said.

Adding to the mystique was former Moorpark quarterback Gary Cabriales, who gave the team an emotional pep talk the night before the game.

Cabriales recounted the 1974 game, when, after having a pass intercepted in the final minute, he was told three words by a smiling Carpinteria player: “Not this year.”

Artie Lopez had 83 yards in 18 carries for Moorpark.

“The credit goes to them for not letting the environment bother them,” Carpinteria Coach Coley Candaele said.

Division X Championship

Moorpark vs. Orange Lutheran or St. Monica

* Site and time of game to be announced