Thousand Oaks Runs Roughshod Over Moorpark

It figured to be a matchup of two powerful rushing attacks, but the Marmonte League game Friday between Thousand Oaks and Moorpark became an unfair fight almost as soon as it began.

The Lancers rushed for 249 yards, and with Moorpark running back Art Garcia hampered by a sprained ankle, the Musketeers couldn’t keep up. Thousand Oaks won, 48-34, at Moorpark.

Senior tailback Wes Cobos ran for 168 yards and four touchdowns for the Lancers (4-4-1, 3-1-1), who clinched a Southern Section Division IV playoff berth.

Cobos gave Thousand Oaks the lead for good with four seconds left in the first half, scoring on a six-yard run. Joey Casillas ran for a two-point conversion to give the Lancers a 20-14 halftime lead.

Thousand Oaks dominated the third quarter, holding Moorpark to zero yards, and Cobos scored on a six-yard run to give the Lancers a 26-14 lead.

Cobos scored again on the first play of the fourth quarter, this time from eight yards, and he added a two-point conversion run to put the Lancers up, 34-14.

The only downside for the Lancers was their sloppy play in the final 11 minutes. Moorpark (6-3, 3-3) closed to within 41-34 with two minutes left, but the Musketeers’ onside kick was unsuccessful.

“We dominated the game, but we have to learn to put teams away,” Coach Mike Kelly said.

Garcia hurt his ankle on a running play on Moorpark’s first possession, and though he returned to the game several times, the 5-7, 168-pound senior managed only 29 yards in eight carries.

In his place, junior Art Lopez ran for 112 yards on 27 carries and scored three touchdowns.

Thousand Oaks blocked a punt midway through the second quarter, recovering at the Moorpark one and setting up Gabe Portilla’s one-yard scoring run.