East Returns Favor, Wins

Sloppy even by summer standards, the Ventura County All-Star game turned on two fourth-quarter touchdowns by the East aided by a barrage of penalties by the West.

Following two penalties that negated nearly 60 yards rushing by quarterback Tony Williams of Oxnard High, Mike Martin returned an interception eight yards for a tie-breaking touchdown with 3:39 to play and give the East a 13-7 victory Saturday night at Camarillo High.

Martin, a linebacker from Royal, had two interceptions. His first came near the end of the first quarter and he returned it inside the five-yard line only to fumble after being hit by Mike Kohr of Camarillo.

“I got a second chance and just took it in the end zone,” said Martin, the game’s most valuable player.

Martin’s touchdown came two minutes after Clint Wilson of Thousand Oaks scored on a two-yard run to culminate a 61-yard drive, the East’s longest. The drive was kept alive by a roughing the kicker penalty, one of 11 flags for 107 yards against the West.

Until then, there were more turnovers, eight, than points, seven.

An interception in the end zone by Calvin Bell of Simi Valley with 45 seconds to play that ended the West’s last chance was the 10th turnover and seventh interception. Bell picked off two passes.

The West scored with 4:32 left in the second quarter on a one-yard run by Tino Guerri of Ventura four plays after Tucker Bennett of St. Bonaventure returned an interception 50 yards to the 11.

Ben Santiago of Simi Valley connected with his twin, Julian Santiago, on passes of 12 and 38 yards to move the East to the two-yard line with a minute left in the half. But Santiago fumbled away a snap with 55 seconds left.

A 70-yard punt return by James McGowan of Oxnard and the West was negated by a penalty in the second quarter.