Steward to Succeed McCune

Phil McCune, who guided Ventura High to the Southern Section Division IV championship, has resigned as football coach.

McCune, who coached the Cougars for 15 years in two separate stints, will be replaced by Brad Steward, offensive coordinator at Ventura the last two seasons.

Steward, a Buena High graduate, also served as an assistant at Ventura from 1986-91, at Mammoth from 1992-94 and at Oxnard from 1995-98.

“Ventura’s historically been a run-oriented team and we expect to continue that,” Steward said. “We were a pretty heavily senior-dominated team, but we have some guys coming back.”

McCune will remain the athletic director at Ventura, but said it was time to resign as football coach.

“Obviously, that’s the best way to go out, is to win a championship and retire that way,” McCune said. “I’ve had a great, great time doing it. The kids have just been outstanding. They’re the reason you coach and the reason you stay in coaching.”

BASKETBALL

* The only people who didn’t seem intimidated by Ben Olson’s muscular arms Monday night were his little cousins, who didn’t hesitate to jump on top of his shoulders after Thousand Oaks High’s 74-55 Marmonte League boys’ victory over Westlake.

The 6-foot-5 Olson scored 20 points and used his strength to control the middle. The Lancers (13-4, 3-1 in league) repeatedly intercepted passes in the post area and used Olson’s presence to make Westlake (8-7, 2-2) feel uncomfortable.

Kyle Kegley scored 22 points and Dave Anderson added 16 for Thousand Oaks, which plays Simi Valley on Wednesday.