No Walk Into Moorpark for Santa Clara

MOORPARK —  A new Frontier? Perhaps. A new feeling? Definitely.

With its 81-77 victory over Santa Clara High on Friday night in a Frontier League boys’ basketball opener, Moorpark enjoyed the taste of its first victory over the Saints in its seven seasons in the league.

Whether the Musketeers (14-4) can navigate their remaining nine regular-season games with enough fortitude to be the first team in 14 years other than Santa Clara to win the league title outright remains to be seen.

But for one night, Moorpark stood taller than the Saints (6-7), handing them their first setback in 23 league games and only their second in 115.

Senior forward Kevin Lawrence had 31 points and 10 rebounds for the Musketeers. Sophomore guard Todd Tomlinson chipped in with 16 points and Keith Donahue and Byron Burnett each had 12.

Moorpark took the lead for good midway through the second quarter when Lawrence hit one of his two three-point shots for a 27-25 lead.

Santa Clara trailed, 40-33, at halftime and rallied to pull within two points with six minutes to play.

The Musketeers answered with a 9-3 run to effectively seal the game.

“We’ve worked really hard for this,” said Moorpark Coach Tim Bednar, a former Santa Clara player who had never beaten his alma mater. “It’s been a monkey on our backs to not beat Santa Clara and to lead [most of the game] was very satisfying for the coaches and players.”

Senior center Ryan McGill had 28 points and 10 rebounds for Santa Clara. Forward B.J. Ward had 23 points and Mel Angell and Anthony Camper each had eight.

In the end, however, the Saints had no answer for Lawrence, who hit shots short and long, drove the lane and even drew a foul on an alley-oop pass for a three-point play.

“He was awesome,” Santa Clara Coach Lou Cvijanovich said. “An excellent player.”

Cvijanovich, in his 40th season, praised his troops for clawing their way back into the game. The Saints, however, made only 57% of their free throws and sorely missed All-Ventura County swingman Nick Jones, who averaged 16.5 points last season and is recovering from a broken foot.

“If Nick was playing it would have been a lot tougher game,” Lawrence said. “But we’re better this year too. We’re not as big as last year but we hustle and we play smart.”

Asked his thoughts on the Saints’ impressive league record, Cvijanovich was philosophical about the defeat to a school nearly six times Santa Clara’s size.

“The law of averages is bound to catch up with you sometime,” the 71-year old coach said. “My boys gave me 100% and that’s all I can ask. We’ve got a big game at Santa Paula on Tuesday.”

Moorpark is aware that the victory guarantees nothing in terms of the league title.

“The league’s not even close to being won,” said Bednar, whose team was touted last season but finished third. “If we’re not prepared we’ll be in trouble. Especially [in the rematch with Santa Clara] Jan. 31.”