NHS softball takes down Lions, 4-3

By Mike Miller

Nordhoff softball coach Don Rodarte will be sporting a new look this week. After beating the Oaks Christian Lions, 4-3, Rodarte made good on a promise to his team to shave his head. The thrilling 4-3 win over their rivals improved the team’s record to 3-6 overall and 1-2 in Tri-Valley League play.
The loss at the hands of the Lady Rangers is the first-ever Tri-Valley League defeat for Oaks Christian, according to Rodarte. He said, “After the game I told my girls that showing maturity to win games comes through game experience, whether that experience is good or bad. The important thing is to remember those experiences and learn from them.”
The game was a thriller that came down to the very last out before a winner was decided. Samantha Perez got the Rangers going with a shot to right field that got over the head of the Lions’ outfielder for a two-run home run, giving NHS the 2-1 lead. Oaks Christian battled back to take the lead in the fifth, but then McKenna Myers broke out of an early season slump with a hit that could not have come at a better time for the Rangers. Myers belted a shot to center field for an RBI double, scoring Hanna Riley. Riley, who had taken a line drive off her knee to start the game, earned the respect of her coach. He said, “It was loud and painful, however, she kept her composure and picked up the ball and threw out the batter. Hanna sucked it up and played tough the rest of the game.”
The Lady Rangers would take the lead for good when Ashley Pulido hit a solo home run. Pulido also pitched for the Rangers and kept the game close down the stretch. The drama was thick in the seventh and final inning, when an overthrow back to Pulido was picked up by Myers, who threw out the Oaks Christian runner at home. Rodarte recounted the play, “The runner took advantage of the situation and ran home, but the heads-up play and hustle of Myers and Pulido got her out on a close play.”
Kelsey Endo sealed the win by ending the drama and making the final out of the game for the Lady Rangers. The Rangers will return to action on March 29 when they face Channel Islands at 11 a.m. They will play Oaks Christian again on April 17 at Oaks Christian.

Farrar hopes to rebuild Buena

By Mike Miller

After 21 years of leading the Nordhoff Rangers football program, head coach Cliff Farrar announced last week that he is leaving to take the head coaching job at Buena High School in Ventura. Farrar’s announcement comes after a season in which the Rangers reached the CIF finals before losing to Oaks Christian. In his 21 seasons, Farrar went 150-98-2, with nine league titles, reached the CIF finals four times and the CIF semifinals four times and had a 25-15 record in CIF play-off games.
Farrar will take over a program that he feels is on the verge of great things. When asked what attracted him to Buena, he said, “I am ready for a new challenge and I think that Buena is a good fit. I have always enjoyed rebuilding teams. When I was a kid, I was always the one on the playground that would organize games and set up teams. Putting together a team and seeing it become successful is what keeps me going.” Farrar will take former player and long-time assistant coach Mike Rodriguez with him to Buena. “Mike is a big part of what I do and we are both excited for a new challenge. I can hear the excitement in his voice and we are anxious to get going,” noted Farrar.
Coaching football will not be Farrar’s only duty at Buena, he will also be teaching part-time, just as he did last year at NHS. His biggest task will be rebuilding a program that has only won nine games in the last four seasons. Farrar admits that leaving behind a program that he resurrected will not be easy. “When I came to Ojai, I wanted to establish a program that people wanted to be a part of. I wanted all of the 9- and 10-year-old boys that were looking through the fence to want to become Rangers some day. I think that we accomplished that here. I am so proud of this program and this community for all that we have been able to accomplish. It has been weird driving by the school knowing that I won’t be coaching the Rangers anymore. Everyone backed this program, from the players and parents to the band and cheerleaders. It just seemed like there was something for everyone, and that made it special.”
When asked about his most memorable moment as football coach, Farrar paused. “I don’t know if I can name just one, there were just so many. That 1991 team will always hold a special spot in my heart, though. They were the first team that truly bought into what we were trying to do. In 1990, we finished in last place in our league, but then in 1991 we won league. The 1994 team was also real special for me because both of my sons (Brian and Russell) were on that team. Kids enjoyed playing Ranger football and that has been important to me over the years,” he said.
Farrar’s parting comments to his Nordhoff family, past and present were, “I just want to say a big thank-you to all of my former players. Not many programs can say that they went to the play-offs for 16 of 17 seasons and that is due to that hard work and dedication of those players. I can’t tell you how many times people approached me after the season to say that they were surprised that we finished as well as we did and that is a testament to those kids and their effort. To the community, thank you for your support over the years. I have enjoyed it a lot. They backed us all of the time. And finally to my family, they gave me the time to do what I love. My wife, Roxanne, has been our biggest fan and she has just been great.”
Farrar added that six members of last year’s coaching staff have indicated that they would like to remain with the football program. “They are doing a nice job and will keep the kids motivated and make sure that they are ready to go next year,” said Farrar.

Lady Rangers honored

Tri-Valley League basketball awards go to players, junior varsity coach

By Mike Miller

Despite a season that saw Nordhoff’s Lady Rangers basketball team miss the CIF play-offs for the first time in years, the team was recently honored by the Tri-Valley League when three of its players were named to the All-League team.
Sophomore Carmen Cotsis earned honorable mention honors for her guard play. Cotsis scored a season-high 19 points in a game against Bishop Diego. She averaged six points a contest along with 2.4 assists. Junior Nicole Bergmann, who battled through an injury most of the season, was named to the second team All-League. Bergmann serves as the Rangers’ best defender and long range shooter. She averaged 6.3 points per game this season.
Top honors went to the much- improved Hanna Riley. Riley was named first team All-League despite starting the season on the junior varsity team. She has earned the praises not only of the basketball coaches for her improvement, but head softball coach Don Rodarte also notes her inspired play on the softball field.
Junior varsity coach Gary Tuttle was also honored for his coaching ability. He was named Girls’ Junior Varsity Coach of the Year by the Ventura County Basketball Coaches Association. According to head coach Ted Cotti, Tuttle is the first NHS girls’ basketball coach to earn that honor. Tuttle led the junior varsity team to an impressive 18-1 finish.
Team award winners were:
Coaches’ Award:
Nicole Bergmann
Coaches’ Award:
McKenna Myers
Coaches’ Award:
Tanya McQueen
Most Improved:
Hanna Riley
Most Valuable Teammate:
Carmen Cotsis
Rookie of the Year:
Autumn Brobisky

Villanova BB players make All-League teams

10-0 Lady Wildcats’ hoopsters get Frontier League honors

By Mike Miller

The dust is still settling after Villanova’s girls’ basketball team excited the Ojai Valley by winning 16 consecutive games and going deep into the CIF play-offs. Head coach Sarah Angell announced earlier this week that more than half of the team was honored by the Frontier League as members of the All-League teams.
Both junior Morgan Henry-Ehritt and freshman Madison Harwell were honorable mention winners for their gritty play during the season.
Comprising the second team All-League were senior Maryrose Vigorita and sophomore Rebecca Parziale. A pair of seniors that VPS will certainly miss next year in Hannah Hoffman and Kaitlin Reilley earned first team All-Frontier League honors.
The top honor for the Lady Wildcats went to freshman Hannah Kolbeck, who was named Co-Most Valuable Player of the Frontier League in her inaugural season. While the team will need to replace its three seniors who established a tradition of winning, Angell has to like what the future holds for the Wildcats because of their young, yet accomplished, underclassmen.
VPS went a perfect 10-0 in Frontier League play before falling to Whittier Christian in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division VAA play-offs.
Whittier Christian would go on to be crowned CIF champions. All-CIF honors will be announced later this month. Check the OVN for updates as winter accolades continue to pour in.

Heralds end ‘Cats’ run in BB semifinals

By Mike Miller

The Lady Wildcats of Villanova saw their amazing run of 16 consecutive victories come to an end last Saturday when they fell to Whittier Christian in the CIF-SS semifinals, 48-30. The loss was the second this season to Whittier Christian, who also defeated VPS back in December, 46-20. With the win, Whittier Christian will play Maranatha in the Division VAA title game next week.
In their semifinal matchup, Villanova struggled to score points and after falling behind 27-14 at halftime, their 13-point deficit proved to be too much to overcome. The Heralds were led by Jacqueline Joseph (13 points) and Kristen Schafer (12 points) and neither player missed a shot from the field in game. Both Joseph and Schafer went six for six and the Heralds shot better than 47 percent from the floor to overtake the Lady Wildcats.
“Whittier Christian was a good team, but we definitely were not outmatched,” said head coach Sarah Angell. “We just couldn't make a shot to save our lives. We shot 17 percent from the field and 37 percent from the free throw line (we shot a total of 32 free throws).
“We didn't allow Whittier Christian to score for about five minutes in the third quarter, but we weren't able to take advantage of our great defense because we couldn't seem to put the ball in the basket,” said Angell. “In a big game like Saturday's, we just couldn't afford to shoot so bad as a team.”
Villanova was led by senior Katilin Reilley, who continued her stellar play with 12 points. With the loss, VPS will bid farewell to the trio of Reilley, Maryrose Vigorita and Hannah Hoffman. The three seniors established a winning tradition at Villanova by winning an incredible four consecutive league titles.
VPS fans have a lot to look forward to in the future as well. Angell and staff will welcome back several key players, including Rebecca Parziale, who was greatly missed this season after suffering a season-ending injury.
Current freshman Hannah Kolbeck will be looking to improve over the summer and, after a terrific freshman campaign, Kolbeck could become one of the most dominant players in the county.
“Despite the loss, I am really proud of how the girls played and what they accomplished as a team,” said Angell. “They never gave up and played hard until the buzzer sounded at the end of the game.”

Villanova bound for semifinals

‘Nova’s Hannah Hoffman, right, celebrates victory with teammates Gabrielle Root and Maryrose Vigorita. The 19-7 Wildcats will head to La Habra Saturday to face the 22-7 Whittier Christian Heralds.

By Mike Miller
If you are a fan of fast-paced basketball, you would have loved the CIF quarterfinal game that showcased Villanova (19-7) and Rosamond (23-4) last Wednesday night. Villanova battled back from a 12-point first-half deficit to beat a well coached and well-prepared Rosamond team, 74-63.
The game was much closer than the final score would show. The Lady Wildcats were slow out of the gate and fell behind 15-9 in the first quarter. Had it not been for the early play of Katilin Reilley, VPS would have been in serious trouble in the first half. Reilley scored six of the nine first-quarter points for the Wildcats and it was not until 6:42 to go in the second quarter when someone other than Reilley made a shot from the field. Enter freshman Hannah Kolbeck. Kolbeck went on a roll, scoring a game-high 27 points and nabbed 17 rebounds in the winning effort, solidifying herself as one of the area’s best young players to keep an eye on.
After trailing 36-29 at the half, head coach Sarah Angell and her staff made some adjustments and her crew executed perfectly in the third quarter. The Lady Wildcats erased their seven-point deficit and took a three-point lead into the final frame thanks to the fact that they outscored the Roadrunners 20-10 in the quarter. Senior Hannah Hoffman joined Reilley and Kolbeck in the scoring column by adding 24 points of her own, including several clutch free throws.
The Roadrunners were determined to go home with the victory and they made a couple of fourth-quarter runs at VPS that had the student body on the edge of their seats. After Rosamond’s Amanda Smith banked home a three-pointer, the VPS lead was cut to three. From there, the trio of Reilley, Kolbeck and Hoffman salted the game away with put backs, free throws and open looks as a result of crisp passes from their teammates.
Rosamond was led by Smith and her 20 points. Smith did get her fourth foul early in the third period, which contributed to the 20-10 run by VPS. Arianna Pelayo also played well, scoring 19 points, but she simply could not contain Kolbeck on the block.
After the game, Angell said, “What won that game for them was heart. It was all heart. To be down almost 10 points at halftime, and then to win by more than 10 points against this team shows heart.” When asked if the furious pace in the first half worried her, she added, “No. Our subs were just as capable as theirs. I knew if necessary, we could count on them. This was a total team effort.”
Next up for Wildcats is a familiar opponent in Whittier Christian (22-7). The two teams matched up back in December, with Whittier Christian winning, 46-20. Villanova is amuch different team now, having won 16 consecutive games and they appear to be getting stronger as the play-offs wear on.
The semifinal game will be played tomorrow. Visit ojaivalleynews.com for the location and time of the game as well as updates on the game as soon as they become available.

VPS Heating Up

The Lady Wildcats hosted Rosamond tonight in a CIF quarterfinal match up and overcame a 12 point first half deficit to win 74-63. Freshman Hannah Kolbeck led Villanova with 27 points and Hannah Hoffman added 24. See Friday's OVN for the full story and quotes from VPS head coach Sarah Angell.

‘Nova advances in finals

Wildcats girls’ hoops beat Kern Valley, 42-30

By Mike Miller
After earning a first-round bye, the Lady Wildcats of Villanova (18-7, 10-0) got their first taste of play-off basketball last Saturday when they played host to the Kern Valley Broncs (17-7, 6-4) and came away with a 42-30 win.
Despite being a low-scoring affair, the game was exciting and was closer than the final score would show. VPS set the tone early in the game with their defense and did not allow the Broncs to get many good looks at the basket. Freshman Hannah Kolbeck paced the Lady Wildcats early with seven first-half points, and she controlled the inside game for VPS.
After the first quarter, VPS had a 10-4 lead and they were able to stretch that to 23-13 at halftime thanks in large part to the play of Kaitilin Reilley and Maryrose Vigorita, who along with Kolbeck scored all but two of the Wildcats’ first half points.
The Broncs, who play in the High Desert League, came out in the second half behind the shooting of guard Lupita Anzaldo and proved that they would be worthy opponents. Late in the third quarter, Kern Valley cut the VPS lead to seven points and appeared to be on the verge of making a run at the Wildcats.
Those hopes were dashed when freshman Madison Harwell hit two big second half shots and grabbed a few key rebounds to slam the door on Kern Valley’s momentum.
Kolbeck led the Wildcats in scoring with 12 points, followed by Reilley, who scored 10. Anzaldo led all scorers with 16 points in a losing effort.
With the win, the Lady Wildcats have advanced to the quarterfinals tonight against Rosamond at 7:30 p.m. The Roadrunners come to town with a 23-3, 10-0 record and they are riding a 14-game win streak, just one shy of the Lady Wildcat’s 15-game streak.
The winner will take on the winner of the La Reina vs. Whittier Christian game in the semifinals on Saturday. Check ojaivalleynews.com for tonight’s play-offs updates.

Toads win thriller, 47-46

Final-seconds' three-pointer by Chris Thomas against Newbury Park Adventist advances Thacher in basketball play-offs

By Mike Miller
Thacher head coach Jason Carney called his team’s second-round play-off win against Newbury Park Adventist, “One of the most exciting sporting events that I have ever been around.” The Toads extended their play-off run last Friday night with an epic win on a deep three-point basket by senior Chris Thomas with only 15 seconds left in the game, giving Thacher the 47-46 win.
The Toads were down, but not out, late in the game. Trailing by 11 points with less than five minutes to play in the game, Thacher got down to business as they chipped away at the 11-point deficit. They were led by Thomas, who scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Due to an injury and illness, Josh Jackson was asked to step up and he delivered in a big way with nine points and nine rebounds.
Jackson gave the Toads valuable minutes down the stretch and gave his team a one-point lead with 58 seconds to play. Newbury Park Adventist scored again, giving them the 46-44 lead. Carney said, “We called time with 30 seconds left and set up a play for Trevor (Currie); they double-teamed him and he calmly hit Chris (Thomas) for the game winner.”
“Our kids showed so much heart down the stretch and gutted out an enormous victory. Unbelievable,” added Carney.
With the win, the Toads earned another shot at the Rosamond Roadrunners. Rosamond bounced Thacher out of the play-offs last season with a 47-26 win in the semifinals. Rosamond comes into this matchup as the No. 1 seed this year and they have an impressive 22-5 record on the season.
Carney said, “They have everyone back except for one guy and they have once again earned the No. 1 seed. It will be an extremely tall order for us, but the guys are thrilled to have the opportunity to play a team of this caliber and will be up for the challenge.”
The game was played last night at Rosamond.

Thacher Boys Win First Round Contest

Chris Thomas and Austin Krause both scored 14 points as the Toads kicked off their 2008 play-off run in style by beating the California Military Institute, 56-41. Thacher used a 24-2 run in the first half to take a 31-15 lead into half time and they never looked back from there. See Friday's edition of the OVN for details and stats from tonight's big win for the Toads.

Tip Off Time Changed In Thacher Game

The Thacher boys' basketball team will tip off at 6:30pm tonight against the California Military Institute rather than the standard CIF play-off time of 7:30pm. The game will be played at Thacher.

Ojai Valley Basketball Teams Headed To Post Season

Three local teams have earned the right to extend their seasons in hopes of winning a CIF-SS title. The Thacher boys' team will play first. They will host the California Military Academy on Wed., Feb. 13. The Thacher girls' squad will also host their first round play-off game when they welcome Victor Valley Christian on Thurs., Feb. 14.

The Villanova Lady Wildcats earned a bye in the first round due to their number four seed. VPS will play the winner of Kern Valley and Newbury Park Adventist. Villanova will host the second round game on Sat., Feb. 16. All games are slated to start at 7:30pm unless agreed upon by the two schools. See Wednesday's OVN for more information on these match-ups.

Villanova girls’ hoops win league title

43-38 win over Carpinteria earns ‘Cats’ basketball play-off berth

By Mike Miller
One statement can sum up the seniors on the Villanova girls’ basketball team; they are winners. With their 43-38 win at Carpinteria last Tuesday night, the Lady Wildcats were crowned Frontier League champions. This latest title is the fourth for the trio of Maryrose Vigorita, Kaitlin Reilley and Hannah Hoffman, in their four years as varsity players.
With the win against Carpinteria, the Lady Wildcats have stretched their winning streak to an impressive 12 games. VPS played La Reina last night as they attempted to go undefeated in Frontier League play. With the Wildcats being on such a torrid streak, you can bet that not many teams will be happy to see them in their CIF play-off bracket when the post season tips off next week.
The current seniors are sporting some impressive credentials. Vigorita has averaged 6.1 points per game, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals a game in league play. Off the court she is a member of the California Scholarship Federation, was awarded the Coach’s Award and Wildcat Award in tennis this year, and received All-League Honorable Mention honors last year in basketball. She has earned a GPA of 3.7 while at Villanova and plans to pursue a career in early childhood development. She has already been accepted to Cal Lutheran, Whittier College, and San Francisco State.
Hoffman has also been solid in league play for head coach Sarah Angell. She has averaged 7.4 points, five rebounds and four assists per contest. Hoffman received an All-League Honorable Mention honors in volleyball this year and was a member of the All Academic Team. Last year in basketball, she received First Team All-League honors in basketball and was named to the Second Team All-CIF. Hoffman has earned a GPA of 4.1 while at Villanova. She plans to pursue a career in communications and has already been accepted to University of San Francisco, San Francisco State, and St. Mary’s College.
Reilley has been the anchor for the Lady Wildcats this year, averaging 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per Frontier League contest. She has earned First Team All-League honors in volleyball, track and basketball and was selected to First Team All-CIF last year in basketball. Reilly plans to pursue a career in psychology and has already been accepted to San Francisco State but her top choices include Santa Clara University and St. Mary’s College.
Check the OVN web site next week for updates and to see who the Wildcats will play in the first round of the play-offs along with a complete breakdown of their play-off game.

VPS Girls Earn Frontier League Title

With their narrow win over Carpinteria last night, the Lady Wildcats earned the title of league champions as they improved their overall record to 16-7 and 9-0 in league. VPS will look to go undefeated in league play tomorrow night when they travel to La Reina to play their regular season finale. This league title is the fourth in the last four years for Villanova's senior class. See Friday's OVN for a run-down of the three seniors.

Thacher Beats 'Nova By 19 Points

It was cold and wet outside this evening, but inside the Thacher gym things were heating up between Thacher and Villanova as the two school’s boys’ basketball teams faced off. Thacher used a 19-6 third quarter burst to defeat the Wildcats, 59-40. The Toads led by three going into halftime, but they used their inside dominance and defense to break the game open. Chris Thomas led the Toads with 12 points and Todd Robie scored eight points for the Wildcats, but he did most of his damage on the defense end of the court. See Wednesday’s OVN for more details of Thacher’s big win.

Nordhoff Falls To Carpinteria, 39-36

The Nordhoff Rangers boys' basketball team gave the favored Carpinteria Warriors all they could handle tonight in their Tri-Valley League opener. The Rangers battled back from a double-digit deficit and had an opportunity to tie the game twice on three point attempts by Nick Colburn and Jonathan Bower with only seconds to play, but both shots came up just short. NHS was led by junior Matt Smith and his eight points. Garrett Graham hit two huge three point buckets to help close the gap late in the game. The Rangers did a great job on Carpinteria's Jacob Ranger, holding him to only 11 points. Ranger had been averaging over 26 points per contest. See Wednesday's OVN for more stats and quotes from head coach Mike Probyn.

Oaks Christian Crushes Rangers, 52-7

The Nordhoff Rangers were beaten 52-7 Friday night in the Northwest Division CIF Final game played in Newbury Park. Read what Coach Farrar and some players had to say in Wednesday's Ojai Valley News.

Rangers Advance To CIF Finals

By Mike Miller
The Nordhoff Rangers continued their epic season Saturday night with a 35-21 victory over the St. Bernard Vikings in the CIF Northwest Division semi-final game. With the win, the Rangers have earned the right to take on their Tri-Valley League rivals, Oaks Christian next Friday night for the CIF championship. The Rangers were led by Damian Kaiser (three touchdowns) and Chris Gibson (two touchdowns) and their defense. The defense was able to force two early turnovers and the offense turned both into points which allowed NHS to jump out to a 21-0 first-half lead. See Wednesday's OVN for details on the Rangers incredible win and quotes from coach Farrar on his team's performance.

NHS To Host Semi Final Game

The Ojai Valley will play host to the CIF-SS Northwest Division semi-final game as Nordhoff faces off against St. Bernard of the Del Ray League next Saturday night. The winner of the NHS versus St. Bernard games will face the winner of the Oak Park versus Oaks Christian match up on Dec. 7. Get out and support the Rangers next weekend as they look to advance to the finals.

Nordhoff Advances Again After Another OT Battle

Damian Kaiser was once again the hero for the Rangers in tonight's 42-41 victory. The Rangers played the Centennial Apaches in what turned out to be an epic double overtime victory for NHS. After a back and forth regulation period, the two teams continued to battle in OT until Cliff Farrar and his crew decided to go for the win. With the Rangers' season in his hands, Kaiser took the ball from Garrett Graham as he attempted to score the winning two point conversion, but the Centennial defense stuffed him short of the goal line. See Wednesday's OVN to see the exciting details of what Kaiser did to win the game and extend the Rangers' season.

Early indications are that Morro Bay was defeated by St. Bernard which would mean that Nordhoff would host the semi-final game next Saturday. Final play-off match ups will be posted when they are final.

Rangers Win OT Thriller

The Nordhoff Rangers lived on the edge all night long, but lived to see another day as they beat the Nipomo Titans in a thrilling 23-20 play-off game. The Rangers were leading the game 20-13 until the Titans tied the score when they scored with only 27 seconds to play. David Brown kicked the game winning 37 yard field goal in overtime. See Wednesday's OVN for the full story and quotes from star running back/linebacker Damian Kaiser and head coach Cliff Farrar. Also see who NHS will play in next week's play-off match up.

Rangers Draw Nipomo In First Round

The Nordhoff Rangers (6-3-1, 4-1) are the top seed in the Tri-Valley League which means that they earned the right to play a number three seed in the first round of the CIF-SS play-offs. They will face the Nipomo Titons (5-5, 4-3) of the Los Padres League. The game will be held at Nordhoff on Friday night.

Thacher Loses Close Play-off Contest

The Thacher Toads traveled to Catalina Island to play Avalon in the first round of the CIF-SS play-offs this afternoon, but lost 38-36. Avalon outscored Thacher 21-16 in the second half which was the difference in the game. See Wednesday's OVN for more details and stats on this game.

Rangers Are Tri-Valley League Champions!

The Nordhoff Rangers beat Grace Brethren 31-6 on the road tonight to claim the top spot in the Tri-Valley League. Damian Kaiser led the way with two touchdowns and the defense played well, holding the Lancers to only one score on the night. This is the Rangers' first league title since the 2003 season. The Rangers will host a play-off game next week. Stay tuned to the OVN Sports Blog to see who the Rangers' first round opponent will be.

Thacher Wins, 'Nova Falls In Close Game

Saturday was a big day in the Ojai Valley for high school football fans and both Thacher and Villanova were in action at home. The Thacher Toads hosted the Dunn Earwigs and the home team strolled to an easy 75-46 win. The Toads were able to get some of their freshmen and reserves some well deserved playing time in their victory.

Villanova was also in action tonight as they hosted the Malibu Sharks. The Wildcats had a chance to win the game with less that 30 seconds to play, but the Sharks forced a turnover to preserve the victory. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on both games.

Nordhoff Hammered

The Oaks Christian Lions came to town tonight and ran all over the Rangers in a key Tri-Valley League match up, 42-6. Chris Potter scored four touchdowns and Malcolm Jones added two for Oaks Christian. The lone highlight for the Rangers was a four yard score by running back Damian Kaiser. The Rangers are now 3-1 in league play and must win next week at Grace Brethren if they want a share of the Tri-Valley League title. See Wednesday's OVN for more on tonight's game.

Thacher Wins Easily

When the Thacher Toads needed a win, they were able to rise to the occasion as they rolled over Laguna Blanca 47-15 this afternoon. Thacher got a major boost from quarterback Griffin Tripplett, who scored five touchdowns on the ground. With the win, the Toads are virtually guaranteed of a spot in the playoffs. See Wednesday's OVN for stats and quotes from today's game.

WOW!!!

The Nordhoff Rangers pulled off a huge Tri-Valley League upset tonight by defeating the Oak Park Eagles 24-21. The Rangers jumped out to an early 21-0 lead and then held on for dear life as the Eagles attempted a comeback. Chris Gibson scored all three touchdowns for the Rangers and David Brown kicked a 47-yard field goal. Check the OVN on Wednesday for stats, quotes and league standings. The Rangers host Oaks Christian next week.

Toads Stopped By Rams

On a perfect afternoon for football, the Thacher Toads traveled to take on the Cate Rams in a huge Condor League match up. Despite playing their best football of the season and a huge game by quarterback Griffin Triplett, the Toads lost 49-39. Triplett was stellar on the day, throwing for a touchdown and running for three more. See Wednesday's OVN for the whole story and quotes from coach Hooper.

Rangers Win Homecoming On Last Second FG

Nordhoff Ranger fans were treated to a wild Tri-Valley League contest tonight as the Rangers beat the upset minded Carpinteria Warriors on a last second David Brown field goal, 32-29. Garrett Graham threw for three touchdowns on the night and Damian Kaiser rushed for a score late in the game. With the win, the Rangers improve to 4-2-1, 2-0. See Wednesday's OVN for stats and quote from Coach Farrar, Graham and Mireles.

Rangers Win League Opener

The Nordhoff Rangers defeated the Santa Paula 38-0 in their Tri-Valley League opener tonight on a wet, sloppy Santa Paula field. The Rangers' defense was excellent and Damian Kaiser scored two touchdowns on the ground. See Wednesday's OVN for all the stats and details of the Rangers' big victory.

Rangers Play To 17-17 Tie

The Rangers traveled to San Luis Obispo for a non-league match up and over came the 14 point deficit to tie the Tigers 17-17. Both programs elected to settle for the tie rather than play the overtime with league play starting next week. The Rangers will travel to play a surprising Santa Paula team on Friday. See Wednesday's OVN for stats on quotes on the Ranger's performance.

Wildcats Blank Mariners

The Villanova Wildcats defeated the Santa Monica Mariners 35-0 on Friday night. With the win, the Wildcats improve to 2-4 as they head into Frontier League play next week when they host league power Bishop Diego. Cian Lenehan recovered from an injury suffered in last week's game to score three touchdowns in the Wildcat victory. See Wednesday's OVN for additional details of the Wildcats win.

Toads Fall 44-14

Thacher was defeated by Windward, 44-14 this afternoon. According to head coach Jeff Hooper, the Toads could not stop the Wildcats through the air. Windward quarterback John Manoogian threw four touchdown passes in the game. Harry Hoffman and Chris Thomas both scored for the Toads. See Wednesday's OVN for additional information and stats from today's game.

Rangers Drop Game To Rio Mesa

Jerrel Thomas ran all over the Nordhoff defense tonight as Rio Mesa beat the Rangers 33-20. Thomas scored four touchdowns and rushed for 275 yards in the game. NHS played well at times and saw a 48-yard field goal from David Brown, but Thomas proved to be too much. With the loss, the Rangers drop to 2-2 on the season. Nordhoff will travel to San Luis Obispo next week. See Wednesday's OVN for more information and stats on tonight's game.

Toads Even Record At 1-1

The Thacher Toads defeated Montclair Prep in a thrilling 22-16 game that was not decided until the final moments of the fourth quarter. Chris Thomas scored from 38 yards out to seal the win for Thacher. With the win, the Toads improve to 1-1 on the season. Thacher will play Windard next week. See Wednesday's OVN for more information on Thacher's big win.

Rangers Lose On Final Play Of Game

The Nordhoff Rangers appeared to be well on their way to a 3-0 start until the Pacifica Tritons scored on a last second Hail Mary play as time expired, giving them the 23-20 victory. The Rangers made several big plays on the night including a 96-yard run by Chris Gibson and two long field goals from David brown from 45 and 50 yards. The loss makes the Rangers 2-1 on the season. See Wednesday's edition of the OVN for the heart breaking details, stats and quotes.

'Nova Thumped

The Villanova football team lost their third consecutive game Thursday night when they were defeated by Viewpoint 49-13. Viewpoint was able to rack up 340 yards on the ground and had huge 21-point outbursts in the second and fourth quarters. The loss makes the Wildcats 1-3 on the season.

Rangers Climbing Polls

The 2-0 Norhoff Rangers are the third Tri-Valley League team to claim a spot in the Top 10 Rankins this week (behind Oaks Christian and Oak Park): The Rangers will play Pacifica (1-1) on Friday night.

NORTHWEST DIVISION
RK. LW SCHOOL (LEAGUE) W/L RESULT NEXT
1. 1. Oaks Christian (Tri-Valley) 2-0 Bye @ St. Bonaventure
2. 2. Oak Park (Tri-Valley) 2-0 def. Royal, 35-0 Newbury Park
3. 3. Harvard/Westlake (Del Rey) 3-0 def. Burroughs/Burbank, 27-15 Bye
4. 4. Morro Bay (Los Padres) 2-0 Bye @ Wasco
5. 5. South Torrance (Pioneer) 2-0 def. Bishop Montgomery, 44-17 Warren
6. 6. Templeton (Los Padres) 3-0 def. Orosi (CS), 57-10 Bye
7. 7. Serra (Del Rey) 2-0 def. North Torrance, 35-0 @ Torrance
8. 8. Pioneer Valley (Los Padres) 2-1 def. Eastside, 35-8 Cabrillo/Lompoc
9. 9. San Dimas (Valle Vista) 3-0 def. Montclair, 42-9 Ontario
10. UR Nordhoff (Tri-Valley) 2-0 def. Santa Ynez, 10-6 @ Pacifica/OxnardOthers Receiving Votes: Cathedral (Del Rey), 1-1; St. Joseph/SM (Los Padres), 1-1.

Nordhoff Game Changed To Friday Night

The Nordhoff Rangers will take on the Pacifica Tritons on Friday night starting with the junior varsity at 4pm and then the 2-0 varsity squad will take the field at 7pm. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday night, but it was move to the traditional Friday night slot.

Thacher Falls, OVS Losing Late In Game

Saturday was a tough day of the eight-man football squads that make the Ojai Valley their home. Thacher fell to Hillcrest Christian 32-14. The Toads were outmatched in the game, however, they played hard as they always do. Late in the game, the Ojai Valley School Spuds were down 30-3, but they did score their first ever points as a football program. Check the OVN for details on both games.

Rangers Win Wild Contest

The Nordhoff Rangers defeated Santa Ynez 10-6 on Friday in what turned out to be wild, heart stopping contest that could have gone either way. The lone touchdown for the Rangers came on a fourth and goal from the six-inch line by Chris Gibson. David Brown added a field goal to conclude the scoring for the Rangers. The Pirates scored on a fake punt that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Senior Eric Banks blocked the extra point, which would turn out to be a huge play for the Rangers. Garrett Graham played well for the Rangers, as did Albert Mireles.
The story of the game was the Rangers defense, which played hard and stopped the Pirates all night long. The Rangers improve to 2-0 on the season. See Wednesday's edition for the exciting details and quotes from the Rangers.

Villanova Football Falls To 1-1

Villanova head coach John Muller warned that despite beating Desert Christian 23-0 last year, his team would need to play well to beat the Knights. Villanova Traveled to Lancaster to take on Desert Christian on Saturday night, and fell 20-6. See Wednesday's OVN for the highlights, stats and quotes. The Wildcats travel to Santa Paula next week and will look to get back to their winning ways.

Rangers Win Big In Opener

The Nordhoff Rangers kicked their 2007 season off in style with a huge 31-13 win over St. Joseph high school. The Rangers exploded for 14 first quarter points, and took the 14-13 lead into the half. The second half belonged to the Rangers as they outscored the Knights 17-0.

Touchdowns were scored by Tyler Wadsworth, Matt Smith, Damian Kaiser and Albert Mireles and kicker David Brown was perfect on extra points and added a field goal. The NHS defense lived up to the pre-season hype and shut down the Knights. See Wednesday’s OVN for the full story, stats, and quotes from Coach Farrar on the Rangers’ first win of the season.

'Nova Wins Thriller

The Villanova Wildcats got their season going int style as they went on the road to play Western Christian. Western Christian came out throwing the football and accumulated 278 passing yards against the Wildcat defense. With the game tied at 20-20 and less that one minute to play, Cian Lenehan scored from 6-yards out to give the Wildcats the 27-20 win. See Wednesday's edition for more stats and quotes from the dramatic win.

NHS Impresses In Scrimmage

The Ranger football hosted Oxnard in their annual scrimmage on a sizzling Friday evening and the Rangers proved that good things are to come. The two teams exchanged 10 play series and then played one live quarter. NHS scored two touchdowns and held the Yellow Jackets scoreless. See Wednesday's edition for Coach Farrar's thoughts and see who stood out in the scrimmage.

It's On! The High School Football Season Starts

Ojai Valley high school football fans can finally stop reading about their teams and go watch them as football teams across the state will get underway this weekend. The Villanova Wildcats will hit the road when they take on Western Christian of Covina on Sept. 1.
If you are not looking to drive this holiday weekend, the Nordhoff Rangers will hold their annual scrimmage on Friday night. The Rangers will host the Oxnard Yellow Jackets on Aug. 31. See the Friday edition of the OVN for additional details on both contests.

In Depth Football Previews Are Coming

Are you wondering how your favorite Ojai Valley high school football team will do this year? Who are the returning lettermen? Who will step up from the junior varsity to earn playing time? What do the coaches have to say? What are the team's strengths and areas of concern? Check future editions of the OVN for Mike Miller's analysis of the Nordhoff Rangers, Thacher Toads and Villanova Wildcats.

2007 Nordhoff Football Schedule

2007 Schedule:

Sept. 7
St. Joseph

Sept. 14
at Santa Ynez

Sept. 20
at Pacifica

Sept. 28
Rio Mesa

Oct. 5
at San Luis Obispo

Oct. 12
at Santa Paula

Oct. 19
Carpinteria

Oct. 26
at Oak Park

Nov. 2
Oaks Christian

Nov. 11
at Grace Brethren

Wondering Who Your Football Team Is Playing?

If you are a high school football fan and you are wondering who your favorite team will be playing and when and what the "can't miss" games of 2007 will be, check next week's OVN Sports Section for in depth analysis.