Westlake Game

After a bye week and two solid weeks of practice, it was time to hit the field again for our final non-league game of the season.

Newbury Park Panthers (5-1)

at

Westlake Warriors (3-3)

It was a Homecoming of sorts 

After all, I had been the Head Varsity Football Coach at Westlake H.S. for 11 seasons from 1978-1988.

During my tenure, the Warriors did not have an on campus stadium like they do now. Instead, all of our "home" games were played at Thousand Oaks H.S.

Game Captains

Scout Team: #19 Tanner Coolidge

Special Teams: #23 Andrew Noble

Defense: #50 Alex Urias

Offense: #7 Tyler Hwang

Ryan Matlock leading us out

with the BIG HAMMER

Dario Longhetto with

nice Pre-Game Hops

The game looked to be a close one as Westlake was much better than their record indicated with their three losses coming at the hands of powerhouse programs Red Mountain (Arizona), Long Beach Poly and Mater Dei.

FIRST QUARTER:

Dario's First Kickoff

was a Touchback!

Westlake Ball: The Warriors ten play drive covered 36 yards and ended when they went for it on Fourth Down but LB Austin Matney came up with a -11 yard QB sack to stop the threat.

Tavis Valenzuela on the tackle

Newbury Park Ball: The Panthers' six play drive only covered 14 yards but Tavis Valenzuela's 31 yard punt was downed by Alex Urias at the Warriors' 11 yard line.

Tavis Valenzuela Punting

Alex Urias Downing the Punt

Westlake ran the ball quite well

Westlake Ball: Westlake picked up another 35 yards on another six plays before punting.

Swarming to the Ball

Newbury Park Ball: The Panthers ran two plays as the First Quarter came to a close all knotted up at Panthers 0 - Warriors 0.

SECOND QUARTER:

Tyler Hwang throwing through

a forest of Warrior arms

Newbury Park Ball: The drive that ended the First Quarter continued with another nine plays ending in a two yard TD run by Kalani Sanchez. Dario Longhetto add the PAT and the Panthers led 7-0. In total, this drive covered 73 yards on 11 plays with the key being a Fourth Down fake punt. That play covered ten yards on a pass from Tyler Hwang to Andrew Noble.

Kalani Sanchez on the loose

Westlake Ball: The Warriors countered with a six play, 65 yard scoring drive. Their TD was a 32 yard pass, the PAT was good and we were tied up again at 7-7.

Newbury Park Ball: The Panthers only gained 13 yards and threw an interception on the eighth play of the drive.

Shawn Gocke driving on

the Westlake Receiver

An Open Andrew Noble

A Big Run by Tyler Hwang

Westlake Ball: The Warriors wasted no time in cashing in on the Panther turnover. After a 41 yard run on their first play, they hit an eight yard TD pass on their second play. The PAT was good again and the Warriors led 14-7.

Goal Line Offense

TD Kalani Sanchez

#6 Jack Ensey flying over a great

block by Austin Matney

Newbury Park Ball: A seven play, 63 yard drive ended on downs.

Ryan Matlock

on a 32 yard scamper

Matlock again,

this time for 14 yards

Westlake Ball: The Warriors ended the First Half with a harmless three play, 17 yard drive as time expired.

The Half Time score was Westlake 14 - Newbury Park 7.

THIRD QUARTER:

BIG Play by Mike Estandian

recovering a surprise onside kick

to start the Second Half

Ryan Matlock's Miracle Catch was

called back due to a holding penalty

Newbury Park Ball: Needing to cash in on the great field position that Mike Estandian's recovery of the Westlake surprise onside kick, NP drove eight plays and 35 yards before turning the ball over on downs again.

Ryan Matlock on a 26 yard run

Nice Double-Team Block by

Vincent Carreon and Kalani Sanchez

Westlake Ball: The Warriors enjoyed an efficient 12 play, 72 yard scoring drive that ended with a perfect six yard TD pass in the back corner of the end zone with a one handed catch. The PAT was good as Westlake extended their lead to 21-7.

Westlake TD Pass

I don't think that our DB could have played it much better than this.

Newbury Park Ball: Time was running out and NP had to get things done in a hurry! Unfortunately, we only came up with 39 yards on seven plays as the drive ended with our second interception of the game. 

Great Grab by Kaiden Raduziner

Westlake Ball: Westlake was driving as the Third Quarter ended. They had covered 36 yards on four plays up to that point. The Third Quarter ended with the score being Westlake 21- Newbury 7.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Westlake Ball: The Warriors continued their drive for two more plays that covered only six yards before punting.

Newbury Park Ball: Time to start a furious comeback! Six plays and 89 yards later, the drive ended with a 17 yard strike from Tyler Hwang to Ryan Matlock. Longhetto's PAT was good again and the Westlake lead was cut to 21-14. 

Ryan Matlock's TD

Westlake Ball: After a great Kickoff tackle by Austin Matney and Jack Walsh, Westlake had the ball at their own seven yard line. The Warriors would fumble a handoff exchange on their third play of an eight yard drive and Nicolas Cellona would recover it deep in Westlake territory!

Warrior FUMBLE!

Cellona Recovers

Newbury Park Ball: In only three plays, the Panthers were able to drive the necessary 20 yards to pay dirt! Big catches by Kaiden Raduziner and Ryan Matlock led to a one yard QB Mathieu Paredes-like QB Wedge for the TD.

Now, to go for the win or the tie? Never in doubt -- go for the win! Our two-point pass play was knocked away on a good effort by a Westlake LB. Westlake still led 21-20. 

Another fine Kaiden Raduziner catch

Ryan Matlock came down

at the one yard line

WEDGE for SIX!!!

Two-Point Pass

Our Defense had to come up BIG!

Westlake Ball: On the third play of the Westlake drive that had covered only 5 yards, SS Tyler Hwang broke up a Warrior pass that ricocheted into the waiting arms of FS Kaiden Raduziner. We had the break that we needed!

Tyler Hwang breaks it up and . . .

. . . Kaiden Raduziner intercepts it!!!

Kalani Sanchez on a 20 yard pick up

Newbury Park Ball: After this nice 20 yard gain by Sanchez on the first play of the drive, we could only muster an incomplete pass followed by our third interception of the day.

Westlake Ball: The Warriors were satisfied to turn the ball over on downs after consuming a lot of the remaining game time via a seven play, 36 yard drive.

Newbury Park Ball: The Panthers last chance ended meekly gaining only eight yards on four plays.

Westlake Ball: The Warrriors took a knee three times and the game was over. The Final Score was Westlake 21 - Newbury Park 20.

Westlake is now 4-3 and opens their Marmonte League season next Friday against Moorpark.

Newbury Park drops to 5-2 and opens our Camino League season at home against the 4-3 Camarillo Scorpions.

Camarillo will be another tough game for us. So far, their non-league season results in order are:

Beat Rio Mesa 16-6

Lost to Paso Robles 19-21

Beat Simi Valley 35-14

Beat Ventura 16-6

Lost to Saugus 0-9

Lost to St. Bonaventure 14-17

Beat Calabasas 34-20

Time to Re-Group