Rio Mesa-Camarillo matchup carries postseason implications
With a win, Spartan football team can change course of PVL
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

ROMAN CASTRO/Acorn Newspapers MISSED OPPORTUNITY- Camarillo High quarterback Marcus Sanchez, left, is pressured by Oxnard's Dustin Koehler during last weekend's Scorpion loss, a defeat that prevented ACHS from gaining at least a share of the Pacific View League championship.

This is one week football players from Camarillo and Rio Mesa high school may want to visit the principal's office.

When the Scorpions host the Spartans tonight at 7 p.m., the game will be for more than just crosstown bragging rights. The way the Pacific View League standings are set up entering Week 10, both teams may need a win to make the postseason.

With a loss last week at Oxnard High, the Scorpions saw their league record fall to 3-1. The loss also dropped ACHS into a tie for second place in league with 31 Pacifica High.

Looming in fourth place is Rio Mesa, who's 2-2 in league. If RMHS was to beat Camarillo and Oxnard was to get past Pacifica, there would be a three-way tie for second place with only two of the teams making the postseason.

At 4-0 in league, Oxnard has already clinched a share of the PVL title and a postseason berth.

According to Camarillo head coach Dennis Riedmiller, if ACHS, Rio Mesa and Pacifica were to end up deadlocked, the tiebreaker would come down to a vote from the principals from all six schools in the PVL.

A first-place vote would earn three points, a second-place vote two points and a third-place vote would garner one point. Two teams would continue playing into the postseason, and one team would go home.

"I much rather prefer a coin flip," Riedmiller said. "There is too much politics involved with the voting system. If it came down to a three-way tie, the decision would be made that night- I believe after the game. Where it would take place, I don't know."

Now, take into consideration what would happen if Camarillo won against Rio Mesa and Pacifica were to beat Oxnard.

In that scenario, the three teams- Camarillo, Oxnard and Pacifica- would've all clinched a playoff spot, but there would still be a three-way tie for first place. A coin flip would determine the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 playoff seeds.

When asked why one tiebreaker was a coin flip and the other was decided by school principals, Riedmiller said, "That's a good question. I have no idea."

If both Pacifica and Rio Mesa were to win, Camarillo would miss the playoffs. A Camarillo win knocks RMHS out.

Before any of that comes to fruition, however, there's still a football game to be played between two old rivals.

"We need to get back to us playing the brand of football we played before the game last week against Oxnard," Riedmiller said. "Rio Mesa has a good team and a really good defense. They are very well-coached, and we're going to have to play very well to win."

Leading Rio Mesa's defense is senior Quinton Greenlaw, who's registered 70 tackles.

Spartan head coach Bob Gregorchuk said he's glad to finally have a healthy team on the field. Key performers that have returned to action after suffering injuries include safety Garrett Chamberlain and linebacker Fernando Raigoza Jr.

Chamberlain missed a month due to a punctured lung.

Rio Mesa also got quarterback Matthew DeLosSantos back for the first time last week after he suffered an injured spleen in October.

Gregorchuk said on Wednesday that DeLosSantos would line up as the starting signal-caller against Camarillo.

"He played a little last week at quarterback and wide receiver, so I think he's back to 100 percent," Gregorchuk said. "I don't think doctors would have cleared a guy with an injured spleen unless he was totally healthy."

For Rio Mesa to be successful, its defense must be able to hold ACHS quarterback Marcus Sanchez in check. Prior to last week's loss against Oxnard, Sanchez had passed for 1,960 yards. He threw for only 99 yards against Oxnard.

Gregorchuk said the key to the game, however, may be how well his Spartan offense plays.

"Our defense has been doing a good job this year, but, more importantly, our offense has to get going this week," Gregorchuk said. "Camarillo is going to make its plays, but we need to put some points on the board ourselves."