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The Acorn's High School Football Game of the Week
In the latest installment of the teams' ultracompetitive rivalry, Newbury Park enters Friday's matchup redhot, having scored a combined 66 points in backtoback road victories over Oak Park and Royal. The Panthers are the only remaining undefeated team in the Marmonte, but as the reigning league title holders, Westlake is regarded by many as the team to beat. "We want their title," Newbury Park linebacker Chance Flaaten said. "They are our rivals, and they'll always be our rivals. We're going to get after them this week, definitely." Westlake, as a whole, is still searching for a breakout performance this season. Although WHS handled Calabasas last week in its league opener, 39-13, the Warriors committed too many penalties and too many mental mistakes, said head coach Jim Benkert. "To be quite honest, right now we're focusing on us and not on our opponent," Benkert said. "We have enough to worry about. . . . "I don't care if we play Newbury Park or anybody else. It's a matter of us doing things right and doing the little things that are necessary to be successful, and right now we're not doing that." In their first two games of the year- a win over Waipahu and a last-second loss to Saugus- the Warriors implemented a two-quarterback system with junior Ben Conlin and senior Nick Owens splitting snaps. During the team's Week 3 loss to Hart, however, Conlin suffered a concussion. As of Monday Conlin still hadn't returned to the practice field, and indications are the left-handed Owens will take all the reps vs. Newbury Park. "Conlin's not going to practice until the affects of the injury are gone," Benkert said. "He's daytoday now, but he was day-to-day last week, too." Against Calabasas, Owens completed 19-of-27 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Curtis Peterson was Owens' favorite target, catching five balls for 109 yards and a pair of scores. Owens said he's looking forward to the challenge of moving the ball against a stingy Newbury Park defense. "Newbury Park plays a really tough scheme, and we need to get after it," Owens said. "We really need to come out and execute. We've been a little sloppy on offense, but if we come together as a team and do what Coach Benkert has set out for the week, I think we can be successful." While facing the likes of Rio Mesa, Oak Park and Royal in the last three weeks, the Panther defense has been almost exclusively in run-stopping mode. Flaaten said Westlake offers more balance in its offensive scheme, making the Warriors much more difficult to defend. "They are a mixed offense, and we're going to see a lot of everything," Flaaten said. "As a defense, we're going to have to incorporate the linebackers, the secondary; we're all going to have to work together as one unit because Westlake will be one of the best teams we face all year." Players to Watch Westlake NPHS QB Nick Owens RB Cooper Shockley WR Curtis Peterson WR Nate Denshaw DL Jackson Powell LB Brandon Born LB Chance Flaaten LB Ron Tathem Outlook If Newbury Park wants what Westlake has- the Marmonte League championship- the Panthers are going to have to take it from the Warriors. Westlake was penalty prone in last week's win over Calabasas. If the Warriors continue to make the same mental mistakes, NPHS will make them pay. |
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