A pair of 6-foot-7 targets will be on display tonight during VCSPreps.com's Domino's Game of the Week between Camarillo and Channel Islands highs.

Camarillo's Jake Maulhardt was well-known locally before he set the state record for receptions in a game last month at Canyon High.

"Jake is probably their primary offensive threat," said Channel Islands coach Gary Porter. "They throw it pretty well and they threw it to set up the run."

Meanwhile, Channel Islands features 6-foot-7 tight end Jeremiah Valoaga

"He's excellent," said Camarillo coach Dennis Riedmiller. "They try to get him the ball. He's a big, strong target. He's an athlete... We're going to have to take him away from them or he's going to be a pain for us on defense."

Valoaga has caught 26 passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair of TD catches in last week's 50-14 over Santa Paula.

He also has 29 tackles, two sacks and four fumble recoveries playing defensive end.

Maulhardt, of course, is in the process of challenging Richard Mullaney's year-old CIF receiving records.

The 6-foot-7, 215-pound target already has 73 catches for 922 yards and six touchdowns. He had 28 catches for 351 yards and three scores from sophomore quarterback Michael Marin in the 52-28 loss at Canyon Sept. 23.

Upon starting quarterback Travis Valdez's return last week, Maulhardt reeled in 13 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns in Camarillo's 49-15 win over Oak Park.

Two years ago, the Channel Islands High football opened 5-0 before suffering through a winless Pacific View League campaign.

This fall, behind the play of quarterback Steven Gutierrez, running back Richard Gray and tight end Jeremiah Valoaga, the Raiders have started 4-1.

Tonight's visit to traditional PVL power Camarillo, the Ventura County Star's Domino's Game of the Week, may show how much the program has progressed in head coach Gary Porter's three-year tenure.

"We've had this start before," said Channel Islands third-year coach Gary Porter. "We haven't competed in our own league.

Gutierrez has completed 57 of 100 passes for 747 yards and six touchdowns.

"He's shown a lot of poise," said Porter. "He runs the offense well. The team rallies around him."

Gray leads Ventura County with 750 yards rushing and seven touchdowns.

"He runs hard," said Porter. "We lead with a fullback and try to get him in favorable situations."

Those situations have become more frequent now that the Raiders have solved some holes in the offensive line. Guard Luis Ramirez and tackle Alejandro Magana return to form the left side, but junior center Javier Vasquez has performed well as a junior and guard Vince Cerrano has made the transition from the defensive side of the ball.

Defensively, Channel Islands has been boosted by the limited return of middle linebacker Richard Palmer, who suffered a broken leg in August.

"He'll get some spot play," said Porter.

The Raiders haven't played the Scorpions within a one-score game since a 30-24 loss in 2004.

But Channel Islands certainly has Camarillo coach Dennis Riedmiller's attention this year. 

 "They're a very good football team," said Riedmiller. "They have very good skill position athletes. They get after it. They're aggressive. That's a big difference. This is a team that can definitely beat us."

Channel Islands have dropped the past six meetings with Camarillo by an average margin of 46-8.

"This isn't going to be a 56-0 game," said Riedmiller. "These guys are going to come out here to beat you. Right now, we're all 0-0 and this is a game for a championship. That's how we're looking at it.

Dennis Riedmiller feels like more like a general manager after the trading deadline this month than the Camarillo High football head coach.

The Scorpions (2-3) welcomed starting quarterback Travis Valdez back for last week's 49-15 win over Oak Park. The junior had missed the first four games of the season with a broken hand.

"It's like making a trade," said Riedmiller. "All of a sudden you have this stud coming in that you've never had. That's what we've got with Valdez."

Tonight, when surprising Channel Islands (4-1) visits, Camarillo is boosted by the return of junior slot receiver Corbin Covey, who missed the first half of the season with ankle surgery.

"He'll really help our offense out," said Riedmiller.

Covey had 26 catches for 393 yards as a sophomore.

The CIF-Southern Section girls volleyball rankings for this week have been released. Here's a look at the area teams:

Division 1-AA
7. Thousand Oaks

Division 2-AA
4. Oaks Christian
Others receiving votes: La Reina

Division 2-A
7. Camarillo
Others receiving votes: Oxnard

Division 4-A
3. Grace Brethren
Others receiving votes: Malibu

Here are the local teams ranked in this week's CIF-SS Top 10 polls:

Division I-AA
10 (tied) Thousand Oaks

Division 2-AA
4. Oaks Christian
Others receiving votes: La Reina

Division 2-A
3. Camarillo
10. Oxnard

Division 4-A
6. Grace Brethren
Others receiving votes: Malibu

The CIF-Southern Section girls volleyball polls for this week were released. Here are the area's teams that are ranked:

Division I-AA
7. Thousand Oaks

Division 2-AA
4. Oaks Christian
8. La Reina

Division 2-A
3. Camarillo
9. Oxnard

Division 4-A
7. Grace Brethren

Camarillo boys' volleyball coach Rob Vandermay brought team outside and told them not to come back into the gym until they were ready to play.

And his Scorpions responded by taking the final two games of a five-game thriller with visiting Ventura Tuesday night, 25-21, 25-27, 15-25, 25-19, 15-11.

"I was proud of the way they responded," said Vandermay.

Danny Reilly had 15 kills and five blocks, Christian VanOuwerkerk and Connor Hoybjerg had eight kills apiece, Jesse Flitt had 40 assists and Jose Rojas had 10 digs for Camarillo (9-2), which gained a measure of revenge against the team which won its Camarillo tournament.

Tylour Mullaney and Kevin Tanner had 15 assists apiece for Ventura (8-2), which was without starting setter Zach Svenson. Michael Henchy and Dustin Neary had 10 kills apiece. 

Julian Ramon spurred a five-run first inning with a two-run home run and Mikel Beltran scattered five hits to earn his third win as the Oxnard High baseball team stayed atop the Pacific View League standings with a 7-5 win over visiting Camarillo Tuesday afternoon.

Anthony Alvarez was 2 for 2 with two runs scored and J.R. Baneulos was 2 for 3 with an RBI for the Yellowjackets (7-2, 3-0).

"It's a great start," said Oxnard coach Al Tarazon. "But it doesn't mean a hill of beans unless you take care of business on Thursday."

Camarillo, which hosts Oxnard Thursday afternoon, pulled within 5-4 with a four-run third inning highlighted by Taylor Hansen's three-run home run.

Kevin Minjares was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored and Andy Yingling was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run for Camarillo (7-2, 2-1).

Isaac Archibeque of Ventura placed fourth in the 171-pound weight class at the CIF State Wrestling Tournament Saturday in Bakersfield.

Matt Hickman of Camarillo and Isaac Archibeque of Ventura are contending for third-place finishes at the CIF State Wrestling Tournament in Bakersfield.

It wasn¹t a championship match, but had all the flavor of one.

Camarillo High¹s Matt Hickman and San Lorenzo Valley¹s Cody Rodebaugh, both
returning state placers and currently ranked among the top 145-pound
wrestlers in the state, met in the quarterfinals of the Five-Counties Tournament Saturday at Fountain Valley High.

Rodebaugh, the 2009 state 140-pound champion, defeated Hickman, 6-4.

Rodebaugh is ranked No. 1 in the state at 145 pounds.

Hickman, who was 3-2 and one place away from a top-eight finish last year at
state, finished fourth in one of the most prestigious tournaments of the
season. Hickman is No. 4 in the state.

Brent Meline of Camarillo was 1-1 in the 140-pound division

We're less than four minutes from kickoff here in Moorpark, for the CIF-SS Northern Division showdown between Camarillo and Moorpark

All the pregame hype is here. With AC/DC's Hells Bells as the soundtrack, the captains are meeting at midfield.

Check back here for updates after each quarter or on Twitter for in-game updates

For the second time in three weeks, the Camarillo High football team scored the last two touchdowns to turn a double-digit deficit into a come-from-behind win.

Quarterback Jeff Matthews hit Chase Tackett for a 12-yard touchdown and running back Ossie Toc ran in the winning score from 4 yards away with 5:36 to play as Camarillo opened Pacific View League play with a 27-23 comeback win over host Pacifica Friday night.

"Just believe," said Toc. "We all have heart on this team."

Camarillo (5-1, 1-0) has outscored its past four opponents 50-6 in the final quarter, all victories.

"We've done it before," said Matthews, who threw two touchdowns in the final 2:53 to beat Ventura 26-25 on Oct. 2. "We have confidence in each other."

Toc ran for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Matthews completed 13 of 16 passes for 220 yards, including a pair of timely 53-yard strikes to tight end Andy Dean, and two touchdowns.

Camarillo trailed 17-7 with 4:16 left in the third quarter and 23-14 with 10:56 to play.

Henry Pineda's 21-yard field goal and Max Mondol's 4-yard scoring strike to Pierre Gutter, following a 44-yard interception return by defensive lineman Mark Samoa, gave Pacifica a 17-7 lead over Camarillo with 4:16 left in the third quarter.

Jeff Matthews pulled Camarillo within 17-14 with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Molesworth along the right sideline, set up by a 53-yard strike to tight end  Andy Dean on third and 17.

But Pacifica pushed the lead back out to nine points on Jose Garcia's 4-yard touchdown run with 10:56 to play, which capped off a 6-play, 65-yard scoring drive, which included a 30-yard Mondol pass to Frankie Estanol. 

UPDATE: Camarillo pulls within 23-21 on Matthews' 13-yard strike to Chase Tackett with 8:28 to play, capping a 7-play, 66-yard scoring drive.

Camarillo answers with a 9-play, 79-yard drive on the legs of running back Ossie Tac, who breaks three long runs before finishing the march from 3 yards out with 2:01 left in the half.

Tac has already rushed for 88 yards and the score on 12 carries, including runs of 13, 12, 12, 12, 14 and 11 yards.

Pacifica recovered a punt on the Camarillo 23 with six seconds left in the half, but two incompletions later, the teams go to the half tied at 7.

Tight end Jaime Razo pops a rocket screen and lopes 70 yards for a Max Mondol touchdown pass, which gives Pacifica a 7-0 lead with 4:19 left in the first half.

The Pacific View League opened slowly until until Pacifica LB Marqus Williams' jarring hit on Camarillo QB Jeff Matthews, which popped off the QBs helmet on a third down play late in the first quarter.

Both quarterbacks combined to complete 15 of their first 18 passes.

For the first time in school history, Camarillo has bettered the 60-point scoring milestone.

Northern Division

Buena 27, Thousand Oaks 20: Buena passes big test by Derry Eads in Ventura.
Newbury Park 34, Rio Mesa 6: Newbury Park adjusts well by Joe Curley in Newbury Park.
Pacifica 56, Simi Valley 27: Mondol, Pacifica roll past Simi Valley by Sean Ceglinsky in Oxnard.
Camarillo 49, Agoura 14: Camarillo clicks against Agoura by Jeffrey Dransfeld in Camarillo.
Hueneme 33, Calabasas 0: Hueneme blanks Calabasas by Ted Cotti in Hueneme.
Westlake 42, Saugus 20: Isham powers Westlake over Saugus by Bob Buttitta in Santa Clarita.
Chaminade 33, Royal 14: Chaminade too much for Royal by David Lassen in Los Angeles.

Northwest Division

Santa Paula 23, Golden Valley 13: Santa Paula earns first win by Steve Pratt in Canyon Country.
Morro Bay 28, Oak Park 13: Morro Bay holds off Oak Park by Lance O'Fallon in Oak Park.

Thanks to the Jewish New Year - Rosh Hashanah, which begins tonight at sundown - we get two nights of high school football this week.

Here are the news, notes and highlights from last night's games:

Buena 27, Thousand Oaks 20: It was only a matter of time before Cliff Farrar turned the Buena program into a winner again. But this quick? Wow. In Farrar's second season at the helm, the Bulldogs recorded their biggest win in several years. Buena QB Robert Munoz completed 15 of 19 passes for 218 yards as Buena improved to 2-0 against a Thousand Oaks team that played Valencia down to the wire last week. The Lancers were without the services of RB Richard Minyard.

Camarillo 49, Agoura 14: On the same day the school conducted tryouts for its loudest students, Camarillo gave them plenty to scream about. Ossie Toc - could there be much better of a name? - rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Molesworth caught three touchdown passes from Jeff Mathews in the route. If you espouse the Kevin Bacon theory, Ventura might be in for a handfull tonight against Moorpark. The Cougars lost to Agoura 12-0 in the opener last week.

Newbury Park 34, Rio Mesa 6: The Panthers scored 34 unanswered points and held Rio Mesa to just 37 yards of total offense in the second half. Newbury Park QB Jake Geringer threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more.

Westlake 42, Saugus 20: Nick Isham knows what perfection feels like. The Westlake QB finished an eye-popping 16 of 16 for 153 yards and four touchdowns. If that wasn't enough, Isham also caught four passes for 27 yards and returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown as the Warriors posted 42 points for the second straight game. Tavior Mowry rushed 13 times for 103 yards. 

Pacifica 56, Simi Valley 27: This game was over by halftime as QB transfer Max Mondol completed 9 of his first 10 passes, including four touchdowns. Mondol finished the game 13 of 15 for 190 yards and his second incompletion of the game didn't come until less than 10 minutes remained in the fourth quarter.

Chaminade 33, Royal 14: Chaminade led 33-0 before Royal finally put together a few scoring drives. Royal QB Zach Collins completed 24 of 43 passes for 270 yards and Connor Wolcott had 11 receptions for 166 yards.

Hueneme 33, Calabasas 0: Sure the Vikings haven't played the toughest schedule, but 3-0 sure feels good after not winning a single game last season. Speaking of that, Calabasas can relate to losing streak. The Coyotes have had a few of their own over the years. Senior RB Trashaun Nixon had a stellar performance for Hueneme, rushing for 269 yards on 16 carries and scoring three touchdowns. Nixon broke off TD runs of 76 and 93 yards in the fourth quarter.

Morro Bay 28, Oak Park 13: The Eagles had to dig deep to find a starting QB last night. Brad Taylor was out with headaches and his backup Connor Hill was out with a hernia. Oak Park turned to WR-turned-QB Dereck Deakin, who completed 3 of 8 passes, including a 66-yard touchdown pass to Aiki Zapati (another classic name for the vault).

Santa Paula 23, Golden Valley 13: Santa Paula registered its first win behind Ivan Ledesma. The senior returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown and went 69 yards on a screen pass thrown by sophomore Kameron Klein for another touchdown. Ledesma finished with five catches for 125 yards. 

 

Four Ventura County cross country teams have been accepted as sweepstakes entries for the Woodbridge Invitational Sept. 19 in Irvine.