Pacifica visits Newbury Park as Westlake holds No. 2

Top-ranked Pacifica travels to Newbury Park on Friday, Oct. 9, in a Marmonte League football showdown between two teams headed in different directions.

The Tritons (5-1, 1-0) carry the No. 1 spot in the Ventura County Star's Super 10 rankings, published Monday, Oct. 5, by Joe Curley. Westlake (5-1, 1-0) holds at No. 2. Both programs won their league openers on Friday, Oct. 2, and both enter the week dealing with injuries at key positions.

Pacifica heads to Newbury Park

Pacifica, the defending Marmonte League champion, routed Oaks Christian 38-17 on Oct. 2 after a slow start. The Tritons scored 28 of the final 31 points. Coach Mike Moon told the Star after that game, "We came out flat."

The Tritons' senior class owns a 30-4 regular-season record. Pacifica also carries a No. 18 ranking in the Los Angeles Times' Southland Top 25. But injuries are thinning the backfield. The Super 10 entry notes junior Jamarcus Harmon is next in the rotation.

Pacifica's lone loss came at Sierra Canyon, 42-10, on Sept. 25.

Newbury Park (4-2, 1-0) opened Marmonte play with a 35-0 shutout of Bishop Diego on Oct. 2. Junior Darrien Johnson scored on a 7-yard run and caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Anthony Munoz. Running back Tyler Stromsoe added a 15-yard scoring run.

The Panthers have playmakers across the field. Johnson has caught four touchdown passes, run for two scores, intercepted a pass and blocked four kicks, according to the Star's midseason top 100 players list. Stromsoe's eight rushing touchdowns on 96 carries rank second in Ventura County. Linebacker Simon Mekari, a cousin of NFL lineman Patrick Mekari, has 48 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Newbury Park head coach Joe Smigiel's squad will need all of it against a Pacifica offense led by quarterback Taylor Lee. The Portland State commit ranks in the top five in Ventura County history with 84 career touchdown passes.

Tucker keeps Westlake rolling at No. 2

Westlake has not missed a beat despite losing sophomore starter Ford Green to a knee injury nearly a month ago. Freshman Hendrix Tucker carries a 118.6 quarterback rating, according to the Super 10 rankings.

Green completed 45 of 75 passes for 646 yards and nine touchdowns before going down in Week 3, per the midseason top 100 list. Tucker stepped in and has not looked back. In his first start on Sept. 18, he completed 13 of 27 passes for 196 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 28-21 loss to Tustin.

"Obviously, we didn't get the win, but I got out of it what I needed to see from a coaching perspective," coach Rick Clausen told the Star on Sept. 24, reflecting on that loss.

The Warriors bounced back with consecutive wins, including the 34-7 rout of Rio Mesa on Oct. 2 that opened Channel League play. Linebacker August Gibbs returned a 70-yard interception for a touchdown in that game.

Westlake's receiving corps gives Tucker plenty of targets. Senior Charles Davis leads the group with 27 catches for 372 yards and eight touchdowns. Davis, ranked No. 5 on the Star's midseason top 100, recently reopened his college recruiting after previously committing to UC Berkeley.