Simi breaks through
SVHS beats Moorpark for firstime since '96
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

BRIAN MOUNT/Acorn Newspapers CARRYING THE LOAD- AJ Dettorre of Moorpark High latches onto Simi Valley's Tommy Dowling in an effort to slow down the running back during last Friday's homecoming game. Behind an outstanding defensive effort and just enough offense, the Pioneers got past Moorpark, 14-6.

This was the type of statement game the Simi Valley High football program had been searching for.

With a 14-6 upset win over Moorpark last Friday night during homecoming, Simi Valley (31, 10) may have established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the race for a Marmonte League title.

Thrilled with his team's play on both sides of the ball, Pioneer head coach Todd Borowski said beating Moorpark (22, 01)- the fourthranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Northern Division coaches' poll entering the game- was the biggest win in his three years with the SVHS program.

Simi Valley's 34-27 shocker over Canyon during the 2005-06 season had been Borowski's teams' crowning on-field achievement to date, but that was before Moorpark came to town.

"This is bigger than Canyon because it's a league game," Borowski said. "We haven't beat Moorpark in I don't know how long. We'd have to go back in the record book to find that out.

"The league title goes through Moorpark. I'm not saying we're title contenders, but we're one step closer to the playoffs, a place we haven't been in about 25 years."

Simi Valley, which hadn't beaten Moorpark since 1996, last made a postseason appearance during the 1986 season, and judging by the way the team has played defense during the first four games of the year- they've allowed the fewest points in the Marmonte- the Pioneers appear very capable of breaking the long playoff drought.

"Look at our stats; the defense comes to play every week," Borowski said.

Friday's game was scoreless in the first half.

Moorpark nearly got on the board in the opening quarter when Adam Barry tried to score on a quarterback keeper on fourthandgoal play from the 3-yard line. SVHS defensive lineman Shawn Morrison made a tremendous effort to stop Barry and keep the Musketeers off the scoreboard.

Midway through the second quarter, Simi Valley wide receiver Joey Bernardo caught a tipped pass in the end zone, but the apparent score was wiped out by a penalty.

The game-changing play may have occurred on the second half kickoff when Simi Valley's James Barona laid a crushing block on Moorpark's Garrett Meadows, setting off a wild display of emotion that reverberated from the Pioneers' sideline up into the stands.

"I saw him going to the right and totally set him up," Barona said.

"We came in as big underdogs and were going to have to be physical to win the game. A play like that helps set the tone."

Still, it was Moorpark that scored first when defensive back Tim Vizzi intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. A missed extra point kept the score at 6-0 in favor of the Musketeers.

After that it was all Simi Valley.

Pioneer cornerback Evan Green recovered a fumbled punt at the Moorpark 39 with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter. Less than three minutes later, on the first play of the fourth quarter, SVHS running back Langston Jackson scored on a 2yard touchdown plunge. David Castro's extra point made the score 7-6 Simi Valley.

With 5:05 remaining in the contest, after converting a crucial third down in Moorpark territory, Jackson went around the right side of the Pioneer offensive line, found the sideline and headed for paydirt.

Jackson's 21-yard score was his second of the game and sixth of the season. He finished with 125 yards on 30 attempts, with most of his damage done in the second half.

Down 14-6, MHS attempted a final drive, but the Pioneer defense held on a fourth-down play from their own 39. Jackson and the offense reentered and put the game away with a first-down conversion.

"Langston Jackson was the man," said Pioneer quarterback Jared Zahorik, who finished with five completions for 89 yards.

"He doesn't get as much hype as he should, but Simi Valley High is a real football team, and Langston Jackson is a real football player."

With last week's euphoria in the rearview mirror, the Pioneers face a stiff challenge when they travel to Agoura (2-2, 0-1) tonight for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Chargers are coming off a tough league-opening loss against Thousand Oaks.

"We can't focus on how well we played against Moorpark when we've got Agoura this week," Borowski said. "They're good, and they'll be ready for us. But the way we're playing, we're pretty good, too."