Camarillo Foes Can’t Gang Up on Line

When Camarillo lost its opener to Leuzinger, 42-21, the Scorpions didn’t panic.

There was no need.

Camarillo (2-1) enters its nonleague game Friday against Buena having beaten Agoura, 41-23, and Thousand Oaks, 39-20, thanks largely to the play of its sizable offensive line.

Right tackle Chad Lerette (6-5, 305 pounds), right guard Glenn Propst (6-2, 320), center Jake Card (5-10, 185), left guard Scott Young (6-2, 225) and left tackle Will Drummond (6-3, 245) are playing together for the first time this season but are a formidable front.

Propst was a starter on the defensive line last year. The rest were second- and third-string players on the varsity or played junior varsity.

“The boys had hardly ever played together before, but they had a good off-season, and they’re coming together very nicely,” Coach Carl Thompson of Camarillo said. “We’re coming along pretty well right now.”

The primary beneficiaries of the line play have been running back Loren Cerny and quarterback Mike Jasper.

Cerny, who rushed for 1,507 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior, has 427 yards and six scores in 80 carries. He had a season-high 174 yards and scored four touchdowns last week against Thousand Oaks.

While big numbers were expected of Cerny, the Pacific View League’s offensive MVP last season, Jasper has been a surprise in his senior season.

Jasper shared the quarterback duties last season with John Gonzalez, but has handled the job with aplomb on his own this year.

He has completed 30 of 47 passes (63.8%), the fourth-highest percentage in the region, for 598 yards and five touchdowns, and shown an ability to run with 155 yards and two touchdowns in 25 carries.

Running the option, he completed 10 of 13 passes for 129 yards and ran 13 times for 143 yards and a score against Thousand Oaks.

“He is really developing,” Thompson said. “He’s got the job all to himself now, and he’s gaining a lot of confidence.”

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After Leslie Lee rushed for 470 yards and five touchdowns in Hueneme’s first two games, Hawthorne limited the senior to 42 yards and a score in 13 carries last week.

But it didn’t matter. In a modified wing-T offense the Vikings (2-1) call the “Hueneme Wing,” the team has other fleet-footed backs to turn to.

The plugged gaps gave Dwayne Taylor a chance to shine in Hueneme’s 27-10 victory. The senior wingback went around the corners to gain 141 yards and score two touchdowns in 19 carries and also caught three passes from quarterback Gordie Pinedo for 32 yards.

Tamar Lee, Leslie’s cousin, added 26 yards in 10 carries and had a 10-yard scoring reception. Julian Gooden had 39 yards in five carries.

“We’ve learned how to work with each other,” Taylor said. “We’re just basically working together. We’re out working hard every day. You’ve just got to be patient. It took me a while to learn that.”