Air Newbury Park Makes Pass at Title

With teams for the region seeded Nos. 1-3 in Southern Section Division III, this may represent the area’s best chance for a section champion.

Newbury Park (10-0), which won the division title in 1993 and reached the final in 1995, has ridden its traditionally strong passing attack to the No. 1 seeding.

Crescenta Valley unseated five-time defending Pacific League champion Muir and enters the postseason seeded second.

Third-seeded Notre Dame was the division’s top-ranked team until it lost consecutive games to St. Paul and St. Francis at midseason. The Knights enter the playoffs as Mission League champion and on a four-game winning streak.

St. Francis, second in the Mission League, and Channel League champion Buena face a potential showdowns with Newbury Park before reaching the final.

Westlake, second in the Marmonte League, faces the likelihood of a second-round date with Crescenta Valley if it gets past San Marcos.

Oxnard will play the winner of the Agoura-Notre Dame game if the Yellowjackets can manage a victory at Lompoc.

FIRST-ROUND GAMES

Tonight

ARROYO GRANDE (6-3)

vs. NEWBURY PARK (10-0)

At Newbury Park High, 7:30 p.m.

Newbury Park was 14-0 and Division III champion in 1993 behind quarterback Keith Smith and was runner-up in 1995 behind Chris Czernek. The Panthers were 13-1 and lost to Diamond Bar in the division final that year. Newbury Park quarterbacks Smith, Chris Czernek and Nick Czernek have passed for nearly 23,000 yards in the past seven seasons. Nick Czernek has passed for an area-high 2,869 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Panthers, who have won the Marmonte League title three times in five years, were eliminated in the quarterfinals last season by Muir.

AGOURA (7-3) vs. NOTRE DAME (8-2)

At Notre Dame High, 7:30 p.m.

Notre Dame, which was seen as a good preseason bet to reach the division title game for a second consecutive year, is just one of many teams in the mix. The Knights’ defense has been an Achilles’ heel in big games and allows an average of 261 yards per game. Justin Fargas continues to lead the area in rushing with 2,221 yards and 27 touchdowns and Dave DeMartinis continues to amaze with no interceptions in 136 passes this season. Agoura hopes Ryan McCann, who has passed for 839 yards and eight touchdowns, shakes off the rust he’s shown since returning from a shoulder injury. The Chargers, preseason favorites in the Marmonte League, finished third and are making their first Division III playoff appearance since 1992. Agoura qualified as an at-large team that year and lost a first-round game in overtime to top-seeded Bell Gardens.

RIGHETTI (5-5) vs. CRESCENTA VALLEY (10-0)

At Glendale High, 7:30 p.m.

Kenny Pritchett has rushed for 1,722 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Falcons. Linebackers Chris Oliver and Jesse Busta are key reasons Crescenta Valley is allowing only 86 yards rushing per game. Cornerback Mark Kier intercepted three passes in last week’s title-clincher against Arcadia, giving him six for the season. Righetti finished behind fourth-seeded San Luis Obispo (7-2) and Lompoc in the Northern League.

MUIR (7-3) vs. ST. FRANCIS (7-3)

At St. Francis High, 7:30 p.m.

St. Francis must at least contain Sultan McCullough, who has rushed 170 times for 1,814 yards and 18 touchdowns. Lashuan Ward of Muir has completed 66 of 123 passes for 1,294 and 14 touchdowns with three passes intercepted. Anthony Kelley has made 33 catches for 687 yards, and Elonte Vaughn has 25 receptions for 499 yards. Each has eight touchdown catches. St. Francis counters with a massive offensive line and tailback Darius Brown, who has 1,216 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns.

ARCADIA (7-3) vs. BUENA (8-2)

At Ventura High, 7:30 p.m.

Buena, the Channel League champion, has lost only to Newbury Park and Oxnard. Five of the Bulldogs’ victories are by five points or fewer. Sophomore Kyle Loughman has passed for 1,137 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Aaron Kleefisch has rushed for 1,080 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bulldog Coach Rick Scott won a Southern Section championship in 1986 while coaching at Hart. Alemany Coach Jim Bonds was his quarterback.

OXNARD (7-2-1) vs. LOMPOC (9-1)

At Lompoc High, 7:30 p.m.

Oxnard, despite going 8-0-2 on the field last season, did not make the playoffs after forfeiting six games because it used an ineligible player. Last week, the Yellowjackets blew a chance to win the Channel League title and host a first-round game by losing to Dos Pueblos. Oxnard relies on the running back tandem of Desmond Davis, who has 1,376 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Chad Pierson, who has 778 yards and five touchdowns.

SAN MARCOS (6-3-1) vs. WESTLAKE (7-3)

At Westlake High, 7:30 p.m.

Westlake has advanced to the semifinals the past two years, losing to Marmonte League rivals Camarillo and Newbury Park. Sophomore quarterback Zac Wasserman of Westlake was still feeling the effects of a concussion early in the week but is expected to play. Joey Cuppari, who has 65 receptions for 1,045 yards and 19 touchdowns, has been playing with a sprained ankle the last few weeks.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Top Ten

Southern Section rankings

DIVISION III

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Rk Team League Rec. 1 Newbury Park Marmonte 10-0 2 Crescenta Vly Pacific 10-0 3 Lompoc Northern 9-1 4 Notre Dame Mission 8-2 5 Muir Pacific 7-3 6 St. Francis Mission 7-3 7 San Luis Obispo Northern 7-2 8 Oxnard Channel 7-3 9 Agoura Marmonte 7-3 10 Arroyo Grande Northern 6-3

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