THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Lancers sideline video board showed less than five percent remaining as there were under five minutes remaining in regulation, as TO nursed a one-score lead over the El Modena Vanguards.
The big question: Would the Lancers have enough energy left in their batteries?
By the end of overtime, they had their answer.
Thousand Oaks lost to the Vanguards, 41-34, on Friday night in its season opener. With the loss, the Lancers begin their season at 0-1 and will travel to Ventura next Friday looking to even their record.
“At the end of the day, we had our chances, we could have won the game and just didn’t get it done,” head coach Ben McEnroe told The Lancer in a postgame interview.
The Lancers kicked off their 2024 season against El Modena from Orange County, a team they defeated 41-34 in the first round of the CIF-SS playoffs in 2023.
Just like in that game, Friday’s matchup had some drama.
After coming back from a 34-21 deficit, the Vanguards scored the game-tying touchdown with just 50 seconds on the clock, but T.O. junior Luke Sullivan blocked the would-be game-winning extra point, forcing the game into overtime.
Under CIF rules, which mirrors that of college, both teams start at the opponent’s 25-yard line. The Vanguards were able to capitalize in a two-play drive ending in a rushing touchdown. The Lancers were unable to convert on a fourth down on their possession, resulting in a stunning loss to open their season.
“We lost so we have lots to work on, but at the end of the day we are going to watch some film,” junior running back Justin Lewis said. “See what we need to fix, and come back better next week.”
Lewis ran for 88 yards and one touchdown on 18 attempts, he also helped in the passing game with two receptions for 94 yards and one touchdown.
And he was a star from his first carry.
Lewis, a transfer from Oaks Christian, turned his first touch as a Lancer into a 40-yard rushing touchdown.
“We couldn’t have scripted it any better for him. First touch, and you takeoff on a 40-yard run,” McEnroe said.
The Lancers were back on offense after a quick response from the Vanguards. Similar to the opening drive, quarterback Jackson Taylor’s second 3rd-and-long of the season once again resulted in him scrambling for the first down, and his legs weren’t finished yet as the drive ended in a Taylor one-yard touchdown rush to give the Lancers a 14-7 lead.
After junior Adam Soto provided the first Lancer sack of the season in the red zone to end a threatening drive from the Vanguards, the Lancers’ momentum soon ran out, as Taylor threw his first interception of the year, while attempting to throw out of a sack. The Vanguards’ response ended in a one-yard quarterback-keeper by star QB Xzavior Guess for the touchdown.
However, the first-half fireworks were not done yet, as Taylor had a 2nd-and-10 completion to Lewis that resulted in an 80-yard touchdown pass, Lewis’ second in the game, and Taylor’s first touchdown pass of the year. Soon after the Vanguards responded with another QB keeper once again for a touchdown and went into halftime with momentum in a 21-21 tie..
After both teams had two drives in the third quarter, the Lancers held a strong 34-21 lead. Junior Luke O’Neill had two touchdown receptions, and senior Zach Reer intercepted a deflected pass to set up the second score.
But senior safety and captain Jack Steinberg was injured late into the third quarter, leaving the Lancers without a key piece of the defense.
The Vanguards’ next drive would carry into the fourth quarter resulting in the third QB rushing touchdown of the game, narrowing the score to a one-possession game with under six minutes remaining.
A kick return touchdown by Reer, featuring a dozen jukes, was called back due to an illegal block in the back, and the Lancers couldn’t get anything started. The Vanguards 13 unanswered points resulted in a 34-34 tie after regulation and overtime for the season opener.
“It changed on our inability to pick up a first down, and our inability to cover down the field,” McEnroe said.
