Community Corner

Moorpark High Readies for Thursday Football Showdown

The Musketeers face league favorite St. Bonaventure.

Moorpark High’s football team is hoping a month of preparation is enough to match up with state-power St. Bonaventure on Thursday in a key Marmonte League showdown.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. Thursday at Moorpark, and the host Musketeers would love to knock off the mighty Seraphs—one of three league favorites. The other two, Oaks Christian and Westlake, happen to play each other on the same night.

“We’ve got St. Bonnie coming up, and they’re a tough league opponent,” Moorpark quarterback Grant Rohach said. “We’re getting prepared for them, and we want to play our best.”

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St. Bonaventure (3-1, 2-1) has defeated Moorpark four times without a loss through the years, including a 28-25 win last year.

Also, the Seraphs defeated Moorpark 42-7 in the 2008 Northern Division championship, plus a 27-7 playoff win in 2005 and a 46-40 playoff win in 2002.

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So it’s not going to be easy. But these are the kind of showdowns Moorpark (3-1, 2-1) must win if the Musketeers want to be keep pace.

“We have to play well. We have to play physical, and we have to execute on offense and defense,” Rohach said. “St. Bonanventure is a physical team, they’re well coached, and they’re very athletic as well. So they’re a very good opponent.”

A win means Moorpark will find itself no worse than second place with six games remaining with Oaks Christian and Westlake still on the horizon.

“There are a lot of tough teams. To beat St. Bonnie would be great heading into the rest of the season,” Rohach said.

Moorpark has won two in a row, including a 42-7 win over Agoura last week, as Rohach completed 12 of 19 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns, including a 78-yarder to Alex Tolliver and a 50-yarder to Kenny Feyh.

Moorpark led by seven at the halftime before breaking it open after intermission thanks to interceptions by Jordan Guerrero and Jordan Russell.

Aaron Stanton rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown, Rohach added 52 yards rushing, and Tolliver had five catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns, as Moorpark amassed 436 yards.

Some of St. Bonaventure’s top players are quarterback Marc Evans, running back Shaun Wick, tight end Nick Arbuckle and offensive lineman David Barajas.

Moorpark College won its second in a row with a 48-7 win over visiting Compton College on Saturday, as Langston Jackson rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns, including a 49-yarder, as Moorpark (3-2) amassed 499 yards while giving up only 140.

Donnell Robinson chipped in eight receptions for 164 yards and three touchdowns, and Nick Owens completed 13 of 24 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns.

Joey Eckert, formerly of Moorpark High, had two interceptions, returning one for 36 yards.

Moorpark's next game is Oct. 14 at Calabasas.


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