Passing The Test: Moorpark to Rely on QB Rohach

Any time there are a lot of new faces on a football team, it’s nice to have an experienced, reliable quarterback, and such is the case at Moorpark High.

Grant Rohach, one of the Southland’s top returning quarterbacks, is back, and though the Musketeers are going to develop players at key positions, the senior signal caller is a good building block.

Moorpark continues to take shape during the summer passing-league season, and the Musketeers are participating in the eighth annual Conejo Valley Classic tournament today and Saturday in the 24-team tournament at three sites – Thousand Oaks, Westlake and Newbury Park highs – with the championship scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Thousand Oaks.

Rohach, who has committed to Iowa State, passed for 1,867 yards as a junior, completing 174 of 274 (63.5 percent) and 21 touchdowns, and he also rushed for 331 yards and scored seven touchdowns.

“Yes, I would say he’s a good building block,” coach Tim Lins said. “Offensively, we’re really kind of young, but we do have two starting offensive lineman coming back, Anthony Peterson and Anthony Sarrocco, and they’re both quality linemen. Hopefully, we can build the line around those two guys.”

Alex Tolliver, a fast receiver, is back, too. He had 20 catches for 282 yards and five touchdowns last year.

“We’re hoping he’s going to have a good year with Grant,” Lins said. “It’s a young receiving corps.”

Running back Aaron Stanton should play a key role, too. As a sophomore last season, he rushed for 496 yards (5.8 avg.) and two touchdowns.

“Aaron was a backup for us last year, and he did pretty well for us,” Lins said.

Defensively, two of Moorpark’s top hitters are returning linebackers Bobby Eckert and Christian Dearborn.

“They were standout defensive players last year,” Lins said. “They’re our defensive leaders.”

Meanwhile, Moorpark is rebuilding the rest of its defense, particularly the secondary, so the Musketeers will use summer passing-league competition to get a gauge on who will fit in once the pads come on in August.

“We’re still working on that, but hopefully by the end of this weekend we’ll have a better idea,” Lins said.

Top kicker Alex Nelson has graduated, so Moorpark is searching for a kicking specialist, too.

“We’re just pretty young at some positions,” Lins said.

Moorpark plays one nonleague game against visiting Palos Verdes, then the grueling Marmonte League season begins against Thousand Oaks. Moorpark finished 6-6 last year and advanced to the Southern Section Northern Division semifinals, and it’s again going to be challenge to keep pace with state powers Oaks Christian, St. Bonaventure and Westlake, all of whom have Division I-bound returning starters.

“Our league is really tough. It seems like Westlake, St. Bonaventure and Oaks Christian are always at that top level,” Lins said. “It’s tough to break in, but we hope to compete with those teams and be in the top half of the league.”

WHAT THE HECTOR? HOOPS STANDOUT HEADED TO MOORPARK JC

Derrick Hector, a top basketball player from City Section Division III champion Chatsworth, is playing for  Moorpark College.

Hector, a 5-foot-11 guard, averaged 14.8 points, 4.5 assists and 3.1 steals to help Chatsworth to a 26-10 record, and he also participated for the City Section in the annual Battle of the Valley all-star game at Cal State Northridge.

“I’m going to play for Moorpark Coach Remy McCarthy, and I think we’re both happy about it,” Hector said.