Thousand Oaks Holds On for Upset

Gabe Portilla connected with Joey Casillas on a 55-yard touchdown pass play with one minute 10 seconds to play and Thousand Oaks High snapped Newbury Park’s seven-game winning streak with a 42-41 Marmonte League victory Friday night at Newbury Park.

Casillas rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown, and caught two passes for 81 yards. Casillas caught the winning pass at the Newbury Park 45-yard line and raced untouched to the end zone.

Newbury Park (7-2, 5-1 in league play) drove to the Lancers’ 27 with 38 seconds to play, but defensive back Larry Schneider intercepted a pass at the eight-yard line with 33 seconds left.

The teams combined for almost 900 yards offense and the lead changed hands five times in the fourth quarter. The loss was Newbury Park’s first in league play since 1996.

Wes Cobos of Thousand Oaks (5-4-1, 4-1-1), the region’s leading rusher, early in the second quarter because of an ankle injury and did not return. Cobos had 62 yards in 11 carries.

Czernek completed 25 of 38 passes for 347 yards and one touchdown. Brian Swett of Newbury Park caught 10 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.

Portilla completed nine of 16 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Portilla had a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.