NHS Gridders win fifth straight game
By Jesse Phelps

Perhaps the best idea is just for Nordhoff to lose its first game every year. Maybe that would inspire the type of winning streak this year's edition of the varsity football team is currently enjoying.

After a pummeling by heavily favored Moorpark in its first game of the season, the Rangers have risen up to win five consecutive games, the most recent being Friday's 29-14 romp over Tri-Valley League rival Fillmore Flashes at Fillmore.

Nordhoff (5-1, 3-0) remained undefeated in league heading into next week's showdown with CIF Southern Section No. 2 Oak Park, a team that hasn't yet lost this year.

Against Fillmore (1-5, 0-3) the Rangers used their typical mix of run first, pass when the opportunity arises, to build a solid 20-0 halftime lead. Junior back Will Strong once again paced the running game, amassing 114 yards on 15 carries and scoring three touchdowns.

Strong scored on runs of 1 yard and 23 yards in the first half, the latter coming as he found an opening, shed a defender and sped into the end zone.

"We run our belly series and they'd been doing a good job of coming up and stuffing that," said Nordhoff head coach Cliff Farrar. "We called a new scheme and he read the defense real nicely, bounced off one of the tacklers and outraced everybody. A good block by Andy Doyle - he's been doing an excellent job of blocking -sprung him for the touchdown."

For Doyle, it wasn't all hard work and blocking as he also found pay dirt before the half ended on a 26-yard catch. It was Doyle's 12th catch of the season and his third for a touchdown.

"We had planned on using Doyle as a decoy deep," said Farrar. "We were actually looking to throw the ball to Paul Chesser in the slot, but Doyle broke open and (quarterback) Ryan (Whitcomb) hit him right in stride."

Fillmore got its own passing game in order in the second half, but couldn't come all the way back, thanks in part to a Nordhoff defense that refused to surrender the big play.

"They ate up a lot of yards, controlling the ball through the pass," said Farrar. "A lot of underneath stuff we were willing to give up to eat up the clock."

The Rangers did surrender two second-half scores to the Flashes, but answered with two long drives of their own, culminating in Strong's third score of the night and a field goal by Trevor Wright.

Said Farrar, "In the second half they did a good job of moving the ball against us. Between our two drives and their two drives, it pretty much ate up the clock, which was great since they didn't have enough time to stage a comeback."

For the day, the Rangers tallied 178 yards rushing and another 93 through the air, a continuance of the more balanced offensive attack being implemented by offensive coordinator Scott Titus.

"We want to be balanced, able to throw the ball 10,12 times a game," said Farrar. "We tried to throw 14 balls, we also had a penalty on one pass. So, in the neighborhood of 15 throws, which is what we're looking to do now."

The Rangers, who are averaging well over 20 points per contest, might find the going a bit rougher come Friday against Oak Park, who beat NHS 20-8 last season. This year's homecoming game will match the CIF Southern Section's Nos. 2 and 3 teams and Farrar said he expects a dogfight. The Nordhoff defense, he said, will need to be on its toes.

"They're a very good football team, scoring a lot of points," he said. "Our defense is going to have to play a good game and their defense is hardly allowing any points. They have a very good receiver. They like to throw the ball to him. We're going to have to do something to stop him."

Oak Parks' junior wide-out Gavin Ketchum lists at 6 feet 4 inches, 190 pounds.

"He was picked to be a top offensive guy in our league," said Farrar. "They'll throw to him on any down."
As usual, homecoming will feature fireworks,

floats and the crowning of king, queen and court at halftime. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. and will be preceded by the junior varsities.
Tickets are available at the gate for $6 or $3 for Nordhoff Parent Association members.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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