Carp crushes 1-3 Rangers
by Jesse Phelps

A young Nordhoff varsity football team got to measure itself against the best in its division Friday night and discovered it still has some work to do. A week after dismantling Santa Ynez 37-0, the Carpinteria Warriors used a 21-point third quarter to break open a close game at Carpinteria Memorial Stadium Friday night, reasserting themselves as this year's favorite in the Tri-Valley League.
The Warriors (4-0) looked like the No. 1 rated team in Division 11, jumping out to a quick 14-0 lead with 6:23 left in the first quarter. A 50-yard interception return for a touchdown followed quickly by a 40-yard touchdown reception had the Rangers (1-3) on their heels. But not for long. On Carp's third possession, Nordhoff's defense stiffened, forcing a fumble, which Carp regained, only to be stuffed in the backfield on the ensuing play. Forced to punt, the Warriors were able to down the ball inside the three-yard line, typical of the poor field position with which Nordhoff was faced for much of the night.
A 33-yard catch by Darren Smith from Nordhoff quarterback Ryan Whitcomb helped the Rangers recover. Though the drive stalled at the Carp 35, the Nordhoff offense looked like it was beginning to click. Early in the second quarter, the Rangers received a boost from Sean Baier, who began asserting himself on defense, getting into the backfield on successive plays to record a sack and a stop for a loss.
Nordhoff then drove 60 yards for their first score, culminating in a touchdown run of one yard by Jaymes Quirino with 3:01 left in the fist half.
On Carp's ensuing possession, Luis Soto scored on a 40-yard run. But with 2:30 remaining on the clock, Nordhoff was able to answer when Whitcomb completed a couple of key passes to Jarius Rothermel, who had five receptions for 60 yards on the night. Two plays later, the Rangers trimmed the lead to seven with 30 seconds left in the half on a two-yard score by Will Strong, who rushed 12 times for 39 yards. Behind a solid defensive effort and a power-running game complemented by some well-executed short passes, Nordhoff was within 21-14 at the half.
Then came that very tough third quarter. In the end, turnovers and field position stopped the Rangers. A safety, three interceptions - two of which were returned for touchdowns - and two lost fumbles made the difference. Still, the second quarter and the final drive of the fourth suggest that the future is bright for this Nordhoff squad.
"We never gave up, we played as hard as we could," Baier said after the game. "The first few minutes of each half, they got us. We just weren't able to come back on offense."
Late in the third, Whitcomb, who was nine of 16 passing for 157 yards, was replaced by Andy Bowman at quarterback. To their credit, the Rangers kept fighting until the end, eating up over seven minutes on the clock on their final possession, a 70-yard drive culminating in a two-yard touchdown run from Max Thomas, who barreled through three Carp defenders with 30 seconds left to complete the scoring.
The Rangers return home this Friday night for a matchup with Bishop Diego at 7:30 p.m. The Junior Varsity game begins at 4:30. Tickets are available at the gate starting at 4 p.m. Prices are $6 for adults, $3 for NPA members and children under 12.

© 2002 The Ojai Valley News

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