For Whom Ebell Toils Gets Easy Victory

Tyler Ebell was held to 111 yards.

In the first quarter.

Actually, the electrifying Ventura High tailback had 236 yards.

By halftime.

With Ebell’s numbers rising as dramatically as an eBay auction item or an E*Trade tech stock, Ventura breezed past Royal, 34-0, Friday night at Royal High.

Ebell was pulled late in the third quarter with 309 yards rushing, his third consecutive 300-yard performance. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior with the Mighty Mouse tattoo has 1,014 yards in three games.

He cuts through the tiniest sliver of a hole, makes defenders miss with elusive jukes and cutbacks, then turns on the jets. Ebell dashed 83 yards for the Cougars’ first touchdown, had a 90-yard scoring run in the second quarter, a 25-yard touchdown moments before halftime and a 43-yard score in the third quarter.

Surrounded by sweaty, smiling lineman on the sideline while the second team ran out the clock in the fourth quarter, an ebullient Ebell spread the credit.

“I’ve got a great line,” he said. “They got up at 5:30 every morning during the summer to work out in the weight room while I slept ‘til 9. They ran with me during the off-season.

“Royal had a nine-man front and my line just made holes anyway.”

In the second quarter, Ebell even gave lineman Brandon Bailey a moment of glory when he fumbled into the end zone and Bailey recovered for a touchdown.

Ebell is not a newcomer. He rushed for 1,622 yards last season and 1,268 as a sophomore, scoring 48 touchdowns. But this is an entirely new level.

“I’m stronger this year,” he said. “When they grab my jersey I can break that. Last year I didn’t have the power.”

Ventura’s defense is strong too. The Cougars (3-0) held Royal (2-1) to 85 total yards, including five yards rushing. Highlander quarterback James Cox completed seven of 28 passes for 80 yards while under constant pressure.

The Highlanders had only one possession inside the Ventura 30-yard line. Ryan Hogan recovered a fumble at the six-yard line early in the third quarter, but consecutive tackles for losses by Richard Martinez keyed a Ventura stand.

When the Cougar defense was on the field, Ebell stayed busy. He was as numbers-conscious as an auctioneer or broker, asking reporters his yardage total and making sure the 90-yard touchdown on a lateral pass was considered a running play.

The way he’s going, he might want to start carrying a calculator.