Westlake vs. Oaks Christian: Showdown in suburbia

By Eric Sondheimer

Oct. 5, 2011 12 AM PT

Normal, quiet life in suburbia is going to come to a screeching halt in Westlake Village on Thursday night as all eyes focus on the Marmonte League football showdown between Oaks Christian (3-1, 3-0) and host Westlake (4-0, 3-0).

If the matchup is anywhere close to what happened the last time these two neighborhood rivals played, Westlake Coach Jim Benkert will get a few more gray hairs and Oaks Christian Coach Bill Redell will get even balder.

Oaks Christian defeated Westlake, 29-28, in the Northern Division championship game when a 41-yard field-goal try by Alex Ball hit the right goal post with one second left.

Ball is back for his senior year at Westlake hoping for a second chance. He has made seven field goals this season.

Westlake is averaging 51 points per game and is coming off a school-record 73-point performance against Simi Valley Royal.

“I’m not sure how good we are,” Benkert said. “At times we look unstoppable. At times, we don’t know how to line up.”

Said Redell: “I think it’s a real even game. I think you have to have at least 35 to 40 points” to win.

Both schools will rely on young quarterbacks to handle the pressure. Oaks Christian sophomore Brandon Dawkins has been magnificent since taking over as a starter. He has completed 28 of 32 passes for 460 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception. Westlake junior Justin Moore has had a smooth transition taking over for the graduated Nick Isham. He has completed 64% of his passes for 639 yards and four touchdowns.

Westlake’s two big, imposing defensive linemen, Justin Solis and Johnny Stuart, could be key factors in trying to slow down Oaks Christian running backs Ismael Adams and Carlos Mendoza while putting pressure on Dawkins.

A sellout crowd is expected, and the game will be televised by FS West live at 7:30 p.m.

“The team that wins will be in the driver’s seat to win league,” Redell said.

Perfect fit

Los Angeles Loyola basketball Coach Jamal Adams said the decision of 6-foot-5 senior Julian Harrell to commit to Pennsylvania is a great fit for both.

“He’s a tremendous student-athlete,” Adams said. “His versatility will allow him to play multiple positions in the Ivy League.”

Harrell led Loyola in scoring as a junior, averaging 15.7 points.

Adams, who graduated from Columbia, also sent former Loyola guard Miles Cartwright to Pennsylvania.

“I never might not be invited back to my alma mater,” he said.

Headed to Colorado

Xavier Johnson, a 6-6 senior basketball player at Santa Ana Mater Dei, has committed to Colorado.

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