Grasping for air

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers NOWHERE TO RUN—Camarillo High ball-carrier Geoff Lockley, center, can't escape the jersey tackle of Ventura's Daniel Marquez. Through the first five games of the high school football season, not much has gone right for perennial Pacific View League powerhouses Camarillo and Rio Mesa.

Rio Mesa has yet to enter the win column, and while Camarillo defeated Oak Park on the road last week, 10-7, the Scorpions are still under .500 at 2-3.

Thankfully, the beginning of play in the PVL has brought new hope for both teams.

"We're approaching this week as if we are 0-0," Rio Mesa head coach Bob Gregorchuk said.

"We control our own destiny from here on out."

The Spartans, who won the PVL title in 2004 and 2006, missed the postseason last year. For RMHS to return to its glory days, the team's defense must improve. Rio Mesa has allowed a leaguehigh 143 points this season.

"We just need our whole team to show up during games," Gregorchuk said.

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers FREEDOM—Rio Mesa High's Jamaal Perkins, right, blows past Dos Pueblos' Isaiah Brown in Week 5. "One week our defense shows up, but our offense doesn't. Then the next week our offense will show up, but our defense won't. We need both of them playing well at the same time."

The Rio Mesa defense has been led by senior strong safety Michael Alvarez, who heads the team with 46 tackles. Senior linebackers Scott Downey and Aldo Maclas, as well as senior safety Garrett Chamberlain and junior linebacker Connor Benado, have also played well at times.

The Spartans' biggest star this year on offense has been junior running back Jamaal Perkins. Perkins has rushed 99 times for 468 yards and five touchdowns.

Perkins "is one of the hardest workers on the team," Gregorchuk said. "We knew he would be good this year, but we weren't sure how good he would be. As our offensive line starts developing, he's going to be even better."

While Rio Mesa is still looking for its first win, Camarillo begins PVL play with a bit of momentum on its side after having toppled Oak Park.

Unfortunately for the Scorpions, their first league game is at home against Oxnard, last year's PVL champion.

The game should be a battle of defenses. Camarillo has given up only 78 points this season, second in the league to Oxnard's 41.

"This is probably the biggest matchup we've had in a long time," Camarillo head coach Dennis Riedmiller said. "They have a very good defense, and if this game is a 10-to-7-type game, I'll be very happy.

"The one thing we can't do is turn the ball over. We turn the ball over a couple times and we'll get blown away."

Camarillo's defense is led by senior defensive end Weston Yahn, who had a team-leading 48 tackles and four sacks entering last week's contest at Oak Park.

Linebackers Noah Lyche, a senior, and junior Cole Bernard, as well as senior cornerbacks Joey Valdez and Charles Baca have also stood out on defense.

Unfortunately for the Scorpions, the offense is struggling.

In four of the team's first five games, ACHS has failed to post more than 10 points. The news doesn't get much better this week as Baca, who also plays wide receiver, is doubtful Friday due to a knee injury. During the win against Oak Park, Baca had 11 receptions for 91 yards.

While ACHS has had trouble putting points on the scoreboard, Cornerstone Christian's games are the exact opposite.

Playing in the eight-man Omega League, the Eagles (3-2, 1-0 in league) have scored a league-high 222 points (44 points per game).

Sophomore Kendall Rettig is the team's leading rusher. The senior has carried the ball 77 times for 698 yards and six touchdowns.

The aerial attack has been fueled by sophomore quarterback Willie Kudera, who's completed 61 of 117 passes for 1,114 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Kudera's favorite targets have been junior Aaron Roth, who's caught 29 balls for 482 yards and nine touchdowns, and junior Nathan Roth, who's hauled in 19 receptions for 451 yards.

Cornerstone Christian seems to need every single one of those points, however, as the defense is the most vulnerable in the league. They've allowed 203 points in five games.

In each of the Eagles' games this season, one team on the field has scored at least 48 points. Cornerstone Christian visits First Lutheran today at 3 p.m.

Camarillo's game against Oxnard is slated for 7 p.m. Rio Mesa hosts Channel Islands at 7 p.m.

Pacific View standings