Camarillo well-equipped to defend its title
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

PEOPLE MOVERS-From left, Camarillo tight end Dan Rasp and offensive linemen Armando Valenzuela, Ty Odle, Justin Bricker, Sam Nguyen and Kurtis Gunther are looking forward to protecting quarterback Samson Szakacsy this year and opening up huge running lanes. ACHS begins the preseason next Friday at Newbury Park.

Just because Camarillo High doesn't have a home field ready to play on, it doesn't mean the Scorpions football team isn't prepared to defend their 2005 Pacific View League title.

With 35 seniors returning to the team in '06, the squad wilnow have another weapon to add to its arsenal: experience.

"We are way ahead of where we were last year at this time, especially with learning the playbook," head coach Dennis Riedmiller said. "The coaches have done a great job preparing the kids that were at the J.V. level last year. With that team basically using the same system that the varsity does, the incoming juniors are learning very fast."

One of the most prominent returning players is quarterback Samson Szakacsy.

Last year as a junior, Szakacsy, who's headed to USC, completed 177-of-241 passing attempts for 1,959 yards and 23 touchdowns, for a quarterback rating of 103.

GUNSLINGER-ACHS quarterback Samson Szakacsy led the Pacific View League with 1,959 passing yards last season. His accomplishments helped Szakacsy land a scholarship to USC.

This season, Szakacsy could be even better, thanks to an offensive line that may be the best in the league.

There are three returning seniors on the offensive line for the Scorpions, including Justin Bricker at center, James Wilson at right guard and Sam Nguyen at left guard. Junior Armando Valenzuela should also contribute after playing last year as a sophomore.

"I'm really excited about this year," Szakacsy said. "I've been working really hard in the offseason and the work ethic of this team has been great. No re

ceiving corps works harder than ours does. We have a lot of cats on this team that are very talented at the receiver position."

ACHS pass catchers include Dan Rasp, a tight end who previously played only basketball, and Bryan Anger, who returns to the flanker position after not playing there since his sophomore year.

"Everything seems to be coming together for this team and everyone is working really well together," Anger said. "I'm very excited about playing receiver again and I'm trying real hard in practice. I want to start really bad."

Anger will see a lot of action on the field regardless of how he catches the ball. He's one of the best kickers in the state, and according Riedmiller, Anger's foot is the real deal.

"He helps our offense tremendously as far as field position goes," Riedmiller said. "In practice, he's been booming some kicks that had as much as a 5.3-second hang time."

Other key starters for the Scorpions on offense will be seniors Isaac Alonzo and Sam Lyche. Lyche carried the ball 77 times last year for 321 yards and scored three touchdowns. Riedmiller said Michael Sliger will also see time at the fullback position.

"Michael is a big kid and a very powerful runner that knows how to pound the ball well for our running game," Riedmiller said.

The defense should be solid for the Scorpions. Brandon Nixon returns at strong safety and Alex Daro-46 tackles, 24 assists, four sacks-returns as an outside linebacker. Garret Macedo, a transfer from St. Bonaventure, should fill in at middle linebacker.

Even though the Scorpions captured the league title last year, they started out 0-3 before winning eight straight games.

Though the team is motivated to begin the season better this time around, it's still uncertain when ACHS will first play a home game due to a "crown" in the field that had to be removed.

According to the Department of Plant Pathology, crown rot is always associated with some type of stress in a plant, or in this case, the grass on the ACHS field.

Riedmiller said the crown had been growing a lot during the last few years and was something that needed to be dealt with eventually.

Because of the delay, Camarillo will now open the preseason next Friday at Newbury Park instead of at home.

The coach is hoping the field will be ready by Sept. 29 when the Scorpions are scheduled to host Ventura.

If the field isn't ready by that time, Camarillo will be faced with a season that will have seven road games and only three homes contests.

"Sure, it's nice to have a home game, but a field is just a field. You go out and just do your best wherever you play," Anger said.

All things considered, it seems as if nothing can distract this Scorpions team from repeating their quest for another Pacific View League title.

"We may have less home games but we are very prepared," Riedmiller said. "Our motto is that we basically will play any team, any time, anywhere."