Swafford Does Job, Leads Ventura, 23-19

Ventura High’s Derek Swafford failed to gain the 400 yards he predicted against Westlake, but his two touchdowns, the final one with 1 minutes 57 seconds remaining, gave the Cougars a 23-19 nonleague victory Friday night at Ventura High.

Swafford made difficult receptions for gains of 33 and 18 yards on the winning drive before sweeping right on an option play for the final 10 yards and the touchdown.

“I knew if I didn’t make those catches, we would lose,” Swafford said. “The first one was in the lights, but I was able to run under it. The other one was low, but I was able to scoop it.”

He finished with only 54 yards in eight carries, but he caught four passes for 88 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.

Ventura quarterback Mike Ellis (six of 13, 128 yards) threw a pair of touchdown passes, including a 37-yard strike to George Lopez for a 16-12 lead in the third quarter.

But Westlake (0-2) came back to take a 19-16 advantage with 8:20 to play on a 15-yard pass from Brian Field to Billy Miller. Field completed 12 of 17 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown and threw one interception.

After Ellis capped Ventura’s first drive with a 31-yard field goal, Westlake turned a pair of Cougar mistakes into two touchdowns and a 12-9 halftime lead.

Ellis’ third-down pass on Ventura’s second possession was intercepted by Brandon Zimmerman and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. Scott Morris shanked his point-after attempt, keeping the Warrior lead at 6-3.

On Ventura’s next possession, adversity struck again when Dirk Boon’s long snap from the 26 was high and Ellis fumbled the ball before falling on it at the Ventura five.

A personal foul on Ventura (2-0) moved the ball to the two and Field wedged it in for a 12-3 lead.