5th Game - SIMI VALLEY vs AGOURA

Last Year 09/29/06

Simi Valley 19, Agoura (CA) 28
Last season's results: (Tied for 4th in Marmonte, 6-4 overall) Agoura began the 2006 season by winning its first five games, including road wins at Simi Valley and Newbury Park. In the second half of the year, however, the Chargers fell apart by losing their next four games, three of them at home and two games by only three points each.
Notable returnees: Doug Shumway, sr., QB (121 completions for 1,429 yards, 11 TDs, 5 INTs); Adam Azoff, sr., LB/RB (19 tackles); Kevin Graf, jr., OL/ DL; Matt McGinnis, sr., RB/LB (74 tackles, 1 INT); Patrick Rohn, sr., WR/ DB (25 tackles, 2 INTs) Impact newcomer: Sam Bradley, soph., RB Who they play: After opening the season at home vs. Ventura (Sept. 7), the Chargers play three consecutive contests on the road, including a tough Marmonte League opener against Thousand Oaks (Sept. 28). Agoura will then return to play four of its next six games at home, including big showdowns against Simi Valley (Oct. 5), Newbury Park (Oct. 12) and Moorpark (Oct. 19).
Overview: With a returning senior quarterback and an experienced offensive line, Agoura may contain one of the more explosive offenses in the league. In his junior year, Shumway averaged 158.8 yards passing per game and proved to be a tough customer in the pocket.
With players like Graf, James Barmasse, Nick Rubin and Chris Lees returning on the offensive line, look for Shumway to improve his numbers. Shumway will be throwing to receivers such as Rohn, senior Nick Haraden, junior Kevin Hansen and senior Sean McNamara.
The Chargers lost running back Matt Bradley to graduation but gained his younger brother, Sam. According to head coach Charlie Wegher, the younger Bradley isn't as hard nosed of a running back as Matt Bradley was, but Sam is a better receiver coming out of the backfield.
The key to the team's success will be its defense. Azoff, McNamara, Rohn and McGinnis are all proven varsity players, but the Chargers need help from new linebackers Ali Rubinstein and David Claxton if they want to slow down opposing offenses that will be looking to match the AHS offense point for point.
In a nutshell: The Chargers must play an entire season the way they've played the first half of the last two campaigns. For that to happen, Wegher said AHS must win the turnover battle. The Chargers have won 34 of their last 38 games when they've had more takeaways than giveaways.
Gittelson's PREP FOOTBALL stuff
BY GERRY GITTELSON Staff Writer
DAILY NEWS PREP FOOTBALL TOP 20

1.Birmingham (4-1) – Would be a shock if Patriots lose another game

2. Hart (4-0) – Starters called it a night early in 2nd quarter vs. Claremont

3. Crespi (3-1) – Deeply talented Celts appear to have no weaknesses

4. Notre Dame (3-1) – Showed heart in comeback win over Saugus

5. Oaks Christian (2-2) – Talented but must keep intensity for whole game

6. Saugus (3-1) – No opposing RB has surpassed 100 yards

7. Chaminade (4-0) – Why play overmatched ECR this week?

8. Newbury Park (4-0) – Key Marmonte League showdown vs. Westlake

9. Palmdale (3-1) – Should not lose another regular-season game

10. Westlake (2-2) – Registered two safeties in win over Calabasas

11. Valencia (2-2) – Last year’s two-win season a distant memory

12. Alemany (3-1) – But can the Warriors defeat a good team?

13. St. Francis (3-1) – On a roll after third victory in a row

14. Canyon (1-3) – Cowboys need to wake up or it could be a long year

15. Oak Park (3-1) – Another step-up game vs. Camarillo this week

16. Thousand Oaks (2-2) – Lancers on comeback trail with two wins in row

17. Harvard Westlake (3-1) – Loss to City power Carson should evoke toughness

18. Loyola (2-2) – No shame in loss to powerful Dominguez

19. Simi Valley (3-1) – Yet to allow more than two TDs in one game

20. Moorpark (2-2) – A hard team to gauge after up-and-down first month

Gotta love YouTube

I've been getting a few e-mails with links to highlight videos that've been posted on YouTube. Tonight's video comes from Simi Valley, where running back Langston Hughes has developed into one of the toughest runners in Ventura County.
Posted by Ramona Shelburne on September 28, 2007 01:39 AM

Varsity Times Insider

Simi Valley 14 Moorpark 6 Another surprise, but when you have a game-breaker like RB Langston Jackson on your side, anything is possible. It seems that the Musketeers are going to have to post an upset of their own (like beating Newbury Park or Westlake) if they're going to be a postseason contender. See what the Ventura County Star had to say about this one.

Simi inspiration: Told they were underdogs against a program the school had not beaten since 1996, Simi Valley football players found inspiration in a pregame talk last Friday.
Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy Tony Tutino and his sister, Jill, dedicated a flag that had been flown at the U.S. Capitol building in memory of their brother, Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Jim Tutino, who was killed in a 2005 Metrolink crash.
Jim Tutino had been an assistant football coach at Simi Valley for five years.
"Jim dedicated countless hours to his profession," said Jill Tutino, "but his true love was coaching kids. Jim taught the kids more than just football; he inspired them to live life the fullest."
After Jill spoke to the team about proving prognosticators wrong, players tapped the flag above the door in the locker room and pulled off a 14-6 win.
The Tutino family has handed out 12 scholarship awards through a fund in Jim's honor. For further information about the scholarship fund or an annual fundraiser on Oct. 13, log onto http://www.jimtutino.com/.
Based on the recent performance of both teams, MaxPreps predicts on: 10/5/2007
Simi Valley will beat Agoura Agoura 21, Simi Valley 17:

Is this a magical season for Simi Valley? Can the Pioneers knock off a Marmonte League contender for the second week in a row? Yes they can. But the Deuce sees Agoura's running game taking control of this game.
The Deuce may be reached at deads@VenturaCountyStar.com.

Simi Valley (3-1) at Agoura (2-2)
Outlook: Simi Valley came up huge at home last week, defeating Moorpark 14-6 behind the strength of its impressive defense. The Pioneers kept Moorpark's offense out of the end zone- MHS scored a defensive touchdown- and will be ready to go against the Chargers, 37-26 losers to Thousand Oaks in their league opener.
Although Thousand Oaks standout running back John Lister left last week's game with an injury, Agoura still allowed TOHS to rush for 249 yards as a team.
If the AHS rush defense doesn't improve this week, Simi Valley's Langston Jackson will have a field day. Jackson has rushed for 476 yards and six scores in four games.

Simi breaks through SVHS beats Moorpark for firstime since '96

By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com
BRIAN MOUNT/Acorn Newspapers

CARRYING THE LOAD- AJ Dettorre of Moorpark High latches onto Simi Valley's Tommy Dowling in an effort to slow down the running back during last Friday's homecoming game. Behind an outstanding defensive effort and just enough offense, the Pioneers got past Moorpark, 14-6. This was the type of statement game the Simi Valley High football program had been searching for.
With a 14-6 upset win over Moorpark last Friday night during homecoming, Simi Valley (31, 10) may have established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the race for a Marmonte League title. Thrilled with his team's play on both sides of the ball, Pioneer head coach Todd Borowski said beating Moorpark (22, 01)- the fourthranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Northern Division coaches' poll entering the game- was the biggest win in his three years with the SVHS program.
Simi Valley's 34-27 shocker over Canyon during the 2005-06 season had been Borowski's teams' crowning on-field achievement to date, but that was before Moorpark came to town.
"This is bigger than Canyon because it's a league game," Borowski said. "We haven't beat Moorpark in I don't know how long. We'd have to go back in the record book to find that out. "The league title goes through Moorpark. I'm not saying we're title contenders, but we're one step closer to the playoffs, a place we haven't been in about 25 years." Simi Valley, which hadn't beaten Moorpark since 1996, last made a postseason appearance during the 1986 season, and judging by the way the team has played defense during the first four games of the year- they've allowed the fewest points in the Marmonte- the Pioneers appear very capable of breaking the long playoff drought.
"Look at our stats; the defense comes to play every week," Borowski said.
Friday's game was scoreless in the first half. Moorpark nearly got on the board in the opening quarter when Adam Barry tried to score on a quarterback keeper on fourthandgoal play from the 3-yard line. SVHS defensive lineman Shawn Morrison made a tremendous effort to stop Barry and keep the Musketeers off the scoreboard. Midway through the second quarter, Simi Valley wide receiver Joey Bernardo caught a tipped pass in the end zone, but the apparent score was wiped out by a penalty.
The game-changing play may have occurred on the second half kickoff when Simi Valley's James Barona laid a crushing block on Moorpark's Garrett Meadows, setting off a wild display of emotion that reverberated from the Pioneers' sideline up into the stands.
"I saw him going to the right and totally set him up," Barona said.
"We came in as big underdogs and were going to have to be physical to win the game. A play like that helps set the tone."
Still, it was Moorpark that scored first when defensive back Tim Vizzi intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. A missed extra point kept the score at 6-0 in favor of the Musketeers.
After that it was all Simi Valley.
Pioneer cornerback Evan Green recovered a fumbled punt at the Moorpark 39 with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter. Less than three minutes later, on the first play of the fourth quarter, SVHS running back Langston Jackson scored on a 2yard touchdown plunge. David Castro's extra point made the score 7-6 Simi Valley.
With 5:05 remaining in the contest, after converting a crucial third down in Moorpark territory, Jackson went around the right side of the Pioneer offensive line, found the sideline and headed for paydirt.
Jackson's 21-yard score was his second of the game and sixth of the season. He finished with 125 yards on 30 attempts, with most of his damage done in the second half.
Down 14-6, MHS attempted a final drive, but the Pioneer defense held on a fourth-down play from their own 39. Jackson and the offense reentered and put the game away with a first-down conversion. "Langston Jackson was the man," said Pioneer quarterback Jared Zahorik, who finished with five completions for 89 yards.
"He doesn't get as much hype as he should, but Simi Valley High is a real football team, and Langston Jackson is a real football player." With last week's euphoria in the rearview mirror, the Pioneers face a stiff challenge when they travel to Agoura (2-2, 0-1) tonight for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Chargers are coming off a tough league-opening loss against Thousand Oaks.
"We can't focus on how well we played against Moorpark when we've got Agoura this week," Borowski said. "They're good, and they'll be ready for us. But the way we're playing, we're pretty good, too."

Shumway shows Agoura the right way to a victory
BY KEVIN CONNELLY, Special to the Daily NewsInside SOCAL
Article Last Updated:10/06/2007 03:31:28 AM PDT
AGOURA HILLS - It has been difficult to determine which Agoura High football team will show up this season.
The same Chargers team that upset Rio Mesa of Oxnard this season has also given up 37 points in a losing effort against Thousand Oaks.
Doug Shumway took it upon himself to make sure Agoura would suffer no such setback Friday night, as the quarterback was 16-of-28 passing for a game-high 233 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Chargers to a 31-21 Marmonte League victory over visiting Simi Valley.
Shumway added 64 yards and a touchdown on the ground for Agoura (3-2, 1-1), while Nick Haraden caught seven passes for 86 yards and a touchdown and Patrick Rohn had two receptions for 92 yards and another score.
"We have been up and down as a team all season," Shumway said. "But we pulled it together and played mistake-free football. This was a huge win for us, because starting off 0-2 in the Marmonte League would have been almost impossible to come back from."
Jared Zahorik finished 16 of 27 for 192 yards and two touchdowns for Simi Valley (3-2, 1-1), which was coming off a 13-6 upset victory in last week's Marmonte League opener over Moorpark, last year's Southern Section Northern Division runner-up.
The Pioneers' ground game was held in check, as leading rusher Langston Jackson was limited to 41 yards on 14 carries.
"We got some players back from injuries (Friday), and it really made a difference on defense," Agoura coach Charlie Wegher said. "This game was a must-win for us to remain in the hunt for the league title."
The Pioneers scored four minutes into the game on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Zahorik to Keith Williams, but Agoura scored 24 unanswered points spanning the next 25 minutes.
Shumway connected with Haraden on a 14-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
Shumway found Rohn on Agoura's next possession on a 55-yard scoring strike. Eric Bailey's 34-yard field goal capped the first-half scoring.
Simi Valley cut a 17-point second-half deficit to 24-21 with 4:02 remaining on a 10-yard pass from Zahorik to Tommy Dowling, but Agoura immediately responded with a scoring drive completed by Shumway's 1-yard touchdown run to make it a two-possession game.
Copyright ©2007 Los Angeles Newspaper Group.

4th Game - SIMI VALLEY vs MOORPARK

Last Week:

Varsity Times Insider

He's back: Does it surprise anyone that after his forgettable performance against Pacifica, Langston Jackson had his big comeback on Thursday? The heavily-recruited Jackson rushed for 138 yards and scored four TDs as Simi Valley mashed visiting Burbank, 28-0. If Jackson can do this against some tougher opponents (a.k.a Marmonte League teams), the Pioneers might have an outside chance at a playoff berth.
Simi Valley
Simi Valley head coach Todd Borowski is looking for a quarterback who can read defenses well and put the ball in the proper spots on the field, all while limiting turnovers and serving as a team leader. With that in mind, he'll hand the reigns of the Pioneers' offense to one of two juniors- Jared Zarhorek or Tim Farelli.
Both Zarhorek and Farelli played on the SVHS sophomore team last season. According to Borowski, Zarhorek is great at sizing up defenses, while Farelli possesses a strong arm and is accurate when throwing the deep ball.
"It's a battle between those two," Borowski said. "I always tell the kids that nothing is won or lost during the summer; it's won or lost when we put the pads on."
With senior Langston Jackson, arguably the league's premier running back, lining up in the offensive backfield, the Pioneers' starting signalcaller will have a valuable asset at his disposal. Jackson's "definitely going to help
Moorpark
With senior signal-caller Adam Barry at the helm, the Musketeers appear to be in good hands.
Since becoming Moorpark's starter during his sophomore season in 2005, Barry has completed 205-of-392 passes for 3,134 yards with 31 TDs and 14 INTs, including only four interceptions last year.
More important than the numbers, though, Barry has posted a 21-7 career record at MHS and has helped guide his school to consecutive CIFSouthern Section title-game appearances.
"He's been willing to do a lot of off-the-field work to improve his game," Moorpark head coach Tim Lins said. "He's got a tremendously strong arm, and he has worked to cultivate the different types of passes that a quarterback has to throw, other than just the longball."
According to Lins, Barry has been contacted by multiple Pac10 universities, as well as Boise State and the University of Nevada, Reno. While the talent and positive results are certainly there, Barry and the Musketeers face this year's biggest question: How does a team replace superstar running back Darrell Scott, who transferred to St. Bonaventure, and a mammoth offensive line? Time will tell.
True test begins tonight for Musketeers Team hopes to parlay preseason success into league play By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com
BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers GUNSLINGER- In three games, Musketeer quarterback Adam Barry has completed 54-of-109 passes for 758 yards and six TDs. Moorpark High defensive coordinator Ron Wilford refers to it as "fitting it."
What he's talking about, essentially, is an ongoing expectation level within the football program at MHS. It's high school sports, so the faces often change from year to year- Wilford has nine new starters on defense, for example. But what remains the same, the thing that serves as the backbone of Musketeer football, is a proud work ethic and the desire of players and coaches alike to perfect their craft both on and off the field.
Hard work is the reason that, despite the graduation of their entire starting offensive line and wide receiving corps, the loss of the aforementioned defenders and the transfer of prep superstar Darrell Scott, Moorpark (2-1) is playing as well as any team in the Marmonte League as the regular season is set to begin tonight.
"A lot of it is mentality and getting the guys to play hard without taking plays off," said Wilford, whose defense earned a shutout in its first game and held Ventura to nine points two weeks ago.
"They also need to have that willingness to get after it and go hard all the time; I think that's part of it. There's also an expectation level at Moorpark that we're going to be a quality program, so I think they want to fit in with that." Moorpark's defensive success to date begins with its linemen.
Senior Casey Blum and junior Corey Sandoval are returning varsity players and both have made their presence felt in the trenches. Junior Cameron Phillips, at 6-foot-3 and 190-pounds, has joined Blum and Sandoval in the starting lineup.
"We just do our job," Blum said. "We expect to be successful."
Senior Garrett Meadows, a starter on the defensive line in 2006, missed the first three games with an ankle injury but is expected to return for tonight's league opener at Simi Valley.
The Musketeer defense also features three sophomores- safety Joey Eckert and linebackers Marc Palacios and AJ Dettorre. Wilford said he hasn't started that many sophomores since the 1996 season.
Eckert, Wilford added, has been a pleasant surprise. "He's starting to make all the checks and getting us into the right coverages," the coach said. On the offensive side of the ball, senior quarterback Adam Barry, a three-year starter, has led by example and produced when the lights are brightest.
A running team with Scott in the backfield, the Musketeers have opened up the passing attack in Barry's final campaign. After attempting 183 passes in 14 games a year ago, Barry has already attempted 109 passes in three contests this season.
"I do like the way Adam Barry has kind of taken charge of the offense," head coach Tim Lins said. "We've improved ever so slightly over the past three games in the offensive production department."
Although his completion percentage only stands at 49.5 percent- a number he'd certainly like to improve upon- Barry is spreading the ball all over the field. Nine different receivers have caught passes, including team reception leader Ryan Murry (15), Austin Edmonson (10), Kevin Dimmit (nine) and Tim Vizzi (seven).
"It helps that he's making good decisions," Lins said. "He's working to get the ball to the open guy and not just focusing on one guy. That's good to see, and hopefully we can continue to improve his ability to see the defense and get the ball to the right guy."
Edmonson, a sophomore, has taken over as the starting running back. At 5-foot-7 and 155 pounds, Edmonson is the type of player football fans fall in love with, regardless of the level of competition. He's compact and fast, and can run between the tackles or catch a pass in the flats.
Through the first three weeks, Edmonson is averaging 94 all-purpose yards per game and has scored twice. He said the biggest difference between playing freshman football and being on the varsity squad is the speed of the game. Still, the transition hasn't fazed him much.
"It's still football," Edmonson said. "There are just more fans and lights."
The spotlight will be on the Musketeers tonight in Simi Valley, where the Pioneers will hold their homecoming festivities.
Simi Valley (2-1) returned its entire defense from last year and has allowed a league-low 31 points this season. Murry, the wide receiver, said he expects a tough crowd and an intense opponent. "We're going to be fired up; we're going to be fired up," Murry said. "Hopefully we can put up some points."
Defensively, the Musketeers must contain Pioneer senior running back Langston Jackson, a powerful, bruising tailback who's already rushed for 380 yards and scored four touchdowns. Blum said the defense has a plan of attack to try and limit Jackson. "We've got to prevent him from going north and south," Blum said. "We have to make him cut and run east to west."
Tonight's kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
Deuce's picks: Maybe Swami's lecture will help
By Derry Eads Friday, September 28, 2007
Swami, the Deuce hears you.
He knows that a .631 winning percentage is enough to be a division champion in Major League Baseball, but it doesn't cut it on the high school football fields of Ventura County.
He knows you don't want to listen to the fact four games decided as time expired — the Deuce is 0-4 in those games — are all that's keeping him from a respectable, even with your high standards, .701 percentage.
"You should know these things are going to happen," the Swami sternly lectured after witnessing a third straight sub-par week of Deuce picks. "It would never happen in my day!"
The Deuce has been right on with his predictions for Newbury Park, Hueneme, Oaks Christian, Oak Park and Calabasas. The rest?
Well, let's just not go there. Undaunted and feeling the fever pitch of league seasons about to open, the Deuce plunges forward.
Last week: 9-6. Season: 36-21, .631.
Moorpark 29, Simi Valley 17: Moorpark's assignment, if it chooses to accept, and, really, it has no other choice, is to slow down Simi Valley RB Langston Jackson, who rushed for 131 yards and four TDs last week. Simi Valley's defense will back up deep for red-hot Moorpark QB Adam Barry.
Thousand Oaks 34, Agoura 27: It has been six years since T.O. won a Marmonte title and many believe the Lancers have the right stuff on both sides of the ball to return to the top. Based on Agoura's past league history, this game could go down to the final minute.
Westlake 23, Calabasas 12: The school bell rang and campus spirits were uplifted after Calabasas broke through in the win column last week. Repeating that kind of effort could make this game against the defending Marmonte champion closer than people think.
Newbury Park 20, Royal 9: After wins over three quality non-league opponents, Newbury Park has to be brewing confidence. Royal runs right smack into another strong defensive team. Yipes.
Oaks Christian 35, Venice 24: The end of Oaks Christian's 48-game losing streak may not be the best news to its future opponents. Oaks Christian has game. And soul.
Oxnard 32, San Marcos 18: Oxnard had two players with 100-yard games rushing last week. Yellowjackets are showing the kind of game that brought them to the top of the Pacific View League earlier this decade.
Pacifica 21, Buena 20: Pacifica boosters would breathe easier if head coach Donnie Rea started his one-minute offense 47 minutes earlier. Defense has kept Buena within striking range in its two losses.
St. Bonaventure 40, Crespi 26: St. Bonaventure has good reason to respect Crespi. Even though it lost its highly rated QB to an injury, Crespi beat a Birmingham team that owns upsets over Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks and Long Beach Poly.
Cantwell Sacred Heart 24, Villanova 17: When you've hit the big show of small schools 11-man football, which Villanova has, you'll play home games under the lights wherever you can find 'em. So Villanova's packing up its bags and headed to Carpinteria tonight. Hope this isn't your homecoming, Villanova. Tell the Deuce it ain't so.
Rio Mesa 28, Nordhoff 17: Rio Mesa hopes this game doesn't come down to a field goal again. Nordhoff has one of the best kickers in the area, as witness to his school-record 51-yarder last week.
Grace Brethren 16, Channel Islands 14: Grace Brethren only threw 31 times in comeback win last week as QB Kevin Ramay showed that he can run, too. Channel Islands lit up the scoreboard last week and the hope on its Oxnard campus is that it will light up the program.
Carpinteria 27, Fillmore 24: With a veteran team back, Carpinteria is surprisingly slow out of the gate. There may be a few heads in the Fillmore community looking more ahead to next week's rivalry game with Santa Paula.
Oak Park 33, L.A. Baptist 21: After the teams that Oak Park has played to date, some might think this as a pushover game. Just ask Fillmore and Santa Clara how good L.A. Baptist is playing.
Santa Paula 20, Bishop Diego 17: It has been seven years since Santa Paula has opened the season with a 4-0 start. Bishop Diego was the top-ranked Mid-Valley Division team until three-game win streak ended last week.
Santa Clara 30, Flintridge Prep 16: Cierre Wood has been virtually unstoppable for Santa Clara.

Based on the recent performance of both teams, MaxPreps predicts on: 9/28/2007
Moorpark (CA) will beat Simi Valley (CA) with a final score of 21 - 8.

« GITTELSON BITS column
Gotta love YouTube
I've been getting a few e-mails with links to highlight videos that've been posted on YouTube. Tonight's video comes from Simi Valley, where running back Langston Hughes has developed into one of the toughest runners in Ventura County.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJoDcQmVV48
Posted by Ramona Shelburne on September 28, 2007 01:39 AM



the805 Posted: 09/21/2007 10:54 AM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions 1 - TO - Got it going last night and will improve with each game
2 - NP - Cameron is the best QB in the league, defense is improved
3 - Westlake - Smacked by Hart, but always tough in the league 4 - Agoura - They will beat Moorpark for the last playoff spot
5 - Moorpark - No D Scott, no playoffs
6 - Royal - Morris is legit, they could finish higher
7 - Simi - Jackson is solid, but he can't win games by himself
8 - Calabasas - Nice win last night, hope they get another this season!!

shortgrass
Posted: 09/21/2007 11:39 AM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
Who are you?? Why should I beleive anything you say?Must be a TO fan....
We'll see you at Langston vs. Lister... I wish I could actually see who some of these Posers, ehhh hmmm, i mean posters are around here. The Shiot talkin is great and every year there is always another one. You have no merit around here. Go back to MYSpace and finish your "How to get away from Chris Hansen" Blog.
preppy
Posted: 09/21/2007 12:02 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
The thing about Lister vs Langston that gets me is that talent can be compared to talent regardless of the rest of the team. Are you going to say that there are QBs better than Brett Farve just because their team record is better or better stats, you must scout for Michigan or Notre Dame. No need for me to push Langston or Simi. Coach Borowski retreated and came up with a game plan to defeat the type of defense they lost to. He did an excellent job of re-evaluating his strengths and weakness (sign of a good coach). TO has a great program, but the true test is what can you do with a little. Just like Clausen, the next level is all even, all the players were good preps. Last night Langston had 4 tds and 134 yds. The difference? He had blocking this time, just a little. Every touted RB comes from good teams, Bass, Scott, McNeal, etc. Fantasy...but what would they have done with a team not as good? We'll never know, just like Scott leaving, why? Because he didn't think he could run 3000 yds with his old team. I'm sure Langston could have done the same by transferring and been welcomed at Canyon, Crespi, Alemany, Grace B and of course, Moorpark. Langston has skills also as a punter. Check his stats. I did. His punting makes him competitive with Marmonte's best, Mannisto. So while he gets bashed by TO lovers, remember he stayed loyal to his home school. Or maybe those type of traits aren't important to you
YouShouldHaveThatLookedAt
Posted: 09/21/2007 12:04 PM
Langston Jackson
You know, for the life of me, I can't figure out where all of the disrespect for Langston Jackson comes from. Too much talk about how good he is? Frankly all I see on this board is talk about how good he's not. Most of the posts go along the lines of "We'll have to see how good he REALLY is when they play a real team....etc., etc. " Other than myself, the only posters I have seen who support the kid are all Simi posters.The bottom line is, 95% of the people who post here are moms and dads and kids who graduated in the last couple years who only see their own team's games. You are not qualified to pass judgement on players you never watch - not that you would be qualified even then. Why do you try to pass yourselves off as "experts"? You are "homers" and these posts, while entertaining, are a joke.You want to know who knows about players? Coaches and college recruiters. Why? Hours upon hours of studying game film and real life experience on the football field. Let it be known that Langston Jackson is a great player and we should all appreciate the opportunity to watch him play while he is still in high school. One day your kids will say, "Yeah, I almost tackled him once, wanna see the scar?" For those who only know what's posted on MaxPreps, let's put the stats in perspective. If you tried to drive a Mack truck through the holes Jackson has to run through, you would kill seven kids. No disprespect to Simi, but if the kid had more room to run the numbers would be obscene.
thebrownhelmet
Posted: 09/21/2007 12:05 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
He doesn't get bashed by all TO fans. I still don't get why they just can't both be really good.

YouShouldHaveThatLookedAt
Posted: 09/21/2007 12:45 PM
Speaking of "Homers"...
...here's my predictions. They are very close to my original predictions for Marmonte back in June or July.
1. Thousand Oaks - yeah, I know. I'm a freakin' homer too. The passing game is really coming along to go with arguably the best running game in the league and possibly the top defense (along with NP). I'm just going to say that this team is much better than the scoreboard may indicate and leave it at that.
2. Newbury Park - very similar to TO. Balanced offense with a lot of weapons to go along with a tough, tough defense. Beware Royal and Westlake, this will be a tough team to prepare for because I have a feeling they have not put all their cards on the table yet. NP vs. TO sets up very nicely as a league championship game.
3. Westlake - Another balanced offense but I give the top two teams the edge when it comes to stopping their opponents' running game. Westlake will have to win all the games they're "supposed to" win and knock off NP or TO to win league. Honestly, the league champion may very well have two league losses this year.
4. Moorpark - I moved them up from 6th on my original prediction. I still think that Moorpark may be vulnerable due to the fact that most of the Marmonte league should be able to completely shut down their running game. I have been impressed with their new offense, however. Adam Barry is a very good QB whose numbers would be a lot better if not for many dropped passes. Ryan Murry is a top notch receiver. It takes balance to win in a league like this where a few turnovers over the course of a season are the difference between 1st place and 5th place.
5. Agoura - Maybe they are more like 4b. I have no objective reason to rank them below Moorpark other than maybe what happened at Camarillo. They have the players to compete with every team in the league. They have a balanced offense and should be able to wear their opponents down. If the defense steps up, they may compete for the title.
6. Simi Valley - They moved down from 5th in my original predictions. The problem with a team like Simi is you just never know what you're gonna get. I cannot imagine how they lost to Pacifica - that one floored me. But I guarantee you that they will break someone's heart this year. In fact, I would not be at all surprised to find these guys in the playoffs when all is said and done. Two traits make this team dangerous: A solid defense and the ability to make big plays - any number of players on offense and defense can break one. And then theres that overrated Jackson kid....
7. Royal - Someone has to be 7th. Royal has actually been better than I thought they would be (just forget about the Oak Park game because that was not indicative). If they are going to make the playoffs they are going to have to find a consistent passing game because most of the defenses they will be facing can shut down a one-dimensional offense. Morris is solid and Mittel is a dangerous receiver so the potential is definitely there.
8. Calabasas - Congratulations on the big win guys. Enjoy it. Savor it. Everyone in the league is happy for you.

ATHOMES
Posted: 09/21/2007 1:47 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
Oops....what is your other handle? Sounds like rather than predictions you just enjoy stirring things up? Move on.
Simi fans...I think most of the coaches/fans of the Marmonte league respect Langston alot! As always the Marmonte will be very competive with the fight for first being extremley competitive and may be brutal. Also the fight for the final playoff spot willcome down to the last 2 weeks and be between 2 to 3 teams.My picks based on early season scores and passing leagues, etc...NP,TO,WLV,MOOR,AGOURA,SIMI,ROYAL,CALABASAS.

WestlakeHomer
Posted: 09/21/2007 2:06 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
Right now I have Newbury Park as the no. 1 Team in our League.
Following behind is Moorpark and T.O. Both these Teams are truly on the improve and not sure of their upside potential.
Westlake must get some consistancy and very soon. Calabasas will come in next Friday fired up after winning their game vs. Channel Islands. Congrats to the Team and good job by Coach Lance Martin. He has determination and knowledge and has his boys on the right track.
The Warriors need to do some real soul searching and realize that last years undefeated Season don't mean squat this year. I know the Coaches and Players work very hard and they can either put it together or well, you can imagine.

805FBDad
Posted: 09/21/2007 2:57 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
If you saw the Camarillo game last night you would have seen Lister take some heavy pounding at the line. He's a tough kid and really had to work for his yards. Lister may even be as good a linebacker as he is a runner. He works too hard now to play both ways.

hartsc
Posted: 09/21/2007 5:02 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
Funny how T.O. gets 1 win and everyone wants to jump on their bandwagon. Take a look back at the 2005 season when T.O. was picked to win the league and see what happened. The Marmonte League is tough and any of 5 teams this year can win the league. Coaching will not be the difference. Lins, Wegher, Hurly and Benkert are all terrific head coaches and know how to motivate their teams. Leibin is no slouch either and all these guys know their X's and O's. I am not sure yet who is the most talented team in the league. I have not seen N. Park or Agoura play yet so I can't say much about them. I can only go by their scores of their games. Westlake has played the toughest schedule so far and once they settle on a QB they will be ready to go. Westlake's kicker/punter is awesome and gives Westlake a big advantage over everyone in the kicking game. Moorpark's passing offense is still a work in progress but they are definitely on the right track. Moorpark's D is solid as usual and Casey Blum is a complete stud. T.O. has a great RB (Lister) and a tall WR that will give many DB's problems. Defense has looked good so far. Langston Jackson is a great RB and who cares who is better between him and Lister. I am looking forward to seeing Jackson play next week against Moorpark.Good luck to all the teams in the Marmonte League!

musky09
Posted: 09/21/2007 8:47 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
Langston is average at best. Has he ever had a 300 yard night? 200 yard night? Enough already.

805truth
Posted: 09/22/2007 10:29 AM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
Jackson is a great back. Brownhelmet is right. ATHOMES is a coach.

preppy
Posted: 09/22/2007 2:35 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
Ol Musky one, didn't you read YouShouldHaveThatLookedAt's posts. Yes he has, research your stats and then maybe you'll understand. Punter too!

gvgrizzlyfan
Posted: 09/22/2007 5:27 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
1 - NP - They have shown that they are the team to beat.
2 - Westlake - Don't be fooled by the two losses. Those were to two good teams.
3 - TO - The TO fans are really pumping up this team, but I'm not convinced.
4 - Moorpark - No D Scott, but A. Berry & Blum on D, and don't ignore #20.
5 - Agoura - The team has potential but it doesn't look like quite enough.
6 - Royal - Morris is legit, they could finish higher
7 - Simi - Jackson is solid, but he can't win games by himself
8 - Calabasas - Nice win last week, might as well mail it in the rest of the season.

richhunter1
Posted: 09/22/2007 9:22 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
As a westlake fan i have had the chance to see many other teams this season. wonder why? anyway in response to the comments about langston jackson. i watched him play agains buena. didn't have much speed, anybody gets a hole and their gone. but i have never seen someone so hard to take down. 3 or 4 defenders at least to stop him. still one player doesn't make a team. Moorpark week one looked boreing. Their opponent was weak and they were not much better. hope for their sake they are bettter.

zahorik
Posted: 09/22/2007 11:11 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
For those who haven't had the chance to enjoy Langston's work, here are a few clips from last week: Langston Jackson vs. Burbank

simihomer
Posted: 09/23/2007 12:44 PM
Re: Pre-season is done - Marmonte League Predictions
you are right musky...jackson is just average...he should have carried a couple of more guys with him on those runs...he didn't show any speed or explosion...he didn't run anyone over...he went down on impact...hey musky. was lou gehring just another everyday player?...you can shut the f_#% up now!
RESULT:

Simi Valley comes up big
By Loren Ledin Saturday, September 29, 2007

With one disastrous play, Simi Valley High team yielded all the momentum Friday night.
But not the game. Langston Jackson, Alan Steele and the Pioneers' senior leadership would not allow it.
"The captains, the seniors, we all got together to make sure that everybody stayed in the game," said Steele, a senior linebacker. "We weren't going to give up. If everybody would keep playing hard, we knew we could win the game."
After Moorpark broke up a scoreless deadlock on Tim Vizzi's 42-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the third period, Simi Valley responded by taking over the Marmonte League opener.
Marcus Shelby recovered a fumble punt on the next series, Jackson rushed for touchdowns of 3 and 21 yards in the fourth quarter, and Simi Valley fired the first upset salvo in league with a 14-6 victory over Moorpark at Simi Valley High.
Jackson rushed for 125 yards on a workhorse 30 carries, 113 of them in the second half, and Simi Valley's defense pitched a shutout against Moorpark and quarterback Adam Barry.
On Simi Valley's homecoming night Jackson said pride pushed its way to the forefront.
"It seems like people were saying that we're just an average team," Jackson said. "We wanted to prove to everybody that we're a pretty good team. Everybody came together tonight. It wasn't just me. Everybody played hard, especially in the second half, to make sure we'd get a win."
Simi Valley coach Todd Borowski said the victory was significant. But maybe not as important as the followup.
"Moorpark has a program that is used to success and expects to win every time out," Borowski said after his team improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league. "We want to become that. It's a big win for us, obviously. But what we need is consistency.
"I told our guys that as of 8 o'clock (Saturday) all we think about is Agoura. Every week is going to be a knock-down, drag-out game in this league."
Moorpark (2-2, 0-1) has been to consecutive CIF-Southern Section championship games and is ranked No. 4 in the Northern Division. Now it must mount a rally.
Barry completed 13 of 24 passes for 142 yards, Austin Edmonson rushed for 83 yards on 16 carries, but the Musketeers' offense couldn't find the end zone.
"Give Simi Valley the credit," said Moorpark coach Tim Lins. "We certainly had our chances, but made mistakes. (The Pioneers) did everything they needed to do to win."
The game changed in the second half after Vizzi's apparent game-changing interception.
After Simi Valley went three and out on its next series, the special teams and Shelby came up with the recovery of a fumbled punt at the Moorpark 40-yard line.
Simi Valley promptly marched 40 yards in six plays, with quarterback Jared Zahorik accounting for 23 yards on a pass connection to Jackson. The senior running back finished off the drive with a 3-yard scoring run, and David Castro tacked on the extra-point for a 7-6 lead with 11:57 left in the fourth period.
After a Moorpark punt, Simi Valley covered 75 yards in 10 plays, the final 21 yards coming on Jackson's scoring run. (2-2, 1-0) Simi Valley 14, Moorpark 6: Langston Jackson rushed for 121 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead host Simi Valley (3-1, 1-0).
After a scoreless first half, Moorpark's Tim Vizzi intercepted a Tim Ferralli pass and ran it in for a 48-yard score to give the Musketeers (2-2, 0-1) a6-0 lead.
Moorpark, however, fumbled on its next two possessions, including one on a punt return at its own 39-yard line.
Jackson cashed in on the fumbled punt, scoring from 2 yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter to give the Pioneers a 7-6 lead.
Later, after Moorpark was forced to punt, Simi Valley marched 75 yards in 10 plays, taking nearly five minutes off the clock and culminating the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run by Jackson with 5:05remaining.
- Patrick Hamblin

Some Simi Valley highlights
I know it's been almost a week after the fact, but Simi Valley's 14-6 victory over Moorpark was so impressive that I thought someone out there in the blogosphere would enjoy these game highlights I received via e-mail.
There are nice, healthy doses of Simi Valley QB Jared Zahorik and RB Langston Jackson in the video. Also, check out how the Pioneer defense made life difficult for talented Moorpark QB Adam Barry.
The Pioneers play Agoura next, but I'll be at another Marmonte League game -- the one between Westlake and Newbury Park -- on Friday night. Both teams, in my book at least, are the front-runners for the league title and I think it'll be a great showdown. Of course, I'm sure some folks over at Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Moorpark might beg to differ.
By the way, if you have some video highlights or photos you'd like to share, feel free to e-mail me. I can't guarantee I'll blog everything I get, but if it has something to do with prep sports, I'd definitely like to see it.
- Austin Knoblauch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2e1XcwVVJQ