Battered and bruised Lompoc High quarterback Tim Ochoa stood on the sideline, saying to anyone near him what his backup was enduring.

“Pure pain,” Ochoa said. “See that was me out there getting crushed.”

Ochoa didn't last the entire game Friday night, leaving with nine minutes left as nationally ranked Oaks Christian of Westlake Village showcased that it boasts more than the country's top senior quarterback and a prolific offense.

Ochoa didn't have much time to do anything against a stout defense. The Lions sacked him eight times and allowed him to complete just two passes en route to shutting down Lompoc 49-0 in the season opener at Huyck Stadium.

“I had no time. There was one time I got hit before I handed off the ball,” said Ochoa, who finished 2 of 10 passing with 17 yards and two interceptions. “We did what we could, but they are not No. 3 in the country for nothing.”

Oaks Christian, loaded with 10 NCAA Division I recruits, extended its winning streak to 32 games.

For at least one night the defense overshadowed Notre Dame-bound quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who threw for 202 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

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The Lions flew to the ball, disrupting anything Lompoc's wing-T ran.

The Braves offense, responsible for helping win CIF Southern Section Division X championships in 2002 and 2003 and reaching last year's final, couldn't muster much. The backfield combined for 37 yards on 49 carries.

Thirteen backs received a shot and none could get past the defense led by defensive end Duke Lemmens and linebacker Casey Matthews. The two seniors being recruited by Oregon led everyone with nine tackles each.

When they weren't hammering the backs, the duo was dropping Ochoa. Lemmens sacked Ochoa three times and Matthews got to the senior twice.

“They are incredible. I told (Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell) those two guys he had at defensive end were (college players),” said Lompoc coach Robin Luken, referring to the 6-foot-5 Lemmens and 6-foot-5 defensive end Michael Ebbitt, who's being recruited by Texas A&M. “I think we need to check their driver licenses.

“They are all what Sports Illustrated wrote. No doubt in my mind.”

Before Friday Luken said he didn't know how good Oaks Christian really was since the parochial school from Los Angeles County hadn't played anyone during its three Southern Section Div. XI title-run.

But the Lions convinced him right away that they are the real deal.

When the defense wasn't on the field to impress the 16-year Lompoc coach, running back Marc Tyler did.

The USC-bound senior needed just 12 carries to gain 218 yards. He scored Oaks Christian's first two touchdowns. The first came as a linebacker after returning a 20-yard interception for a touchdown.

Three minutes later, no one could get a hold of the 6-foot, 214-pounder. He scored on a 15-yard run as Oaks Christian went ahead 14-0 with 5:31 in the first quarter.

“They had more guys in the box, so it was kind hard to run between the tackles,” Tyler said. “But with Jimmy he's a threat and they can't (stop) both of us.”

Clausen's arm opened things up for the running game.

Seeing Lompoc stick to its man-to-man coverage, the 6-3, 208-pounder picked apart the secondary. Only once did the defense get to Clausen, when outside linebacker Zach Wales sacked him on the Lions' opening drive.

Clausen threw three touchdowns to three different receivers before halftime to give Oaks Christian a commanding 35-0 lead. The throw creating the most buzz from the crowd of close to 4,000 fans was a perfect 43-yard strike to Marshall Jones near the end zone.

Clausen said he was prepared to see single coverage.

“They played it last year,” he said while signing autographs.

He kept signing until some fans called him a superstar, and he said he wasn't.

That's because on this Friday night Oaks Christian's defense unveiled its superstars.

Sports Writer David Carrillo Peñaloza can be reached at 737-1055 or by e-mail at dcarrillo@lompocrecord.com.

Sept. 2, 2006