Cabrillo's offense had a short field to work with most of the second half Friday night.

Pioneer Valley's defense still posted a shutout in its inaugural Los Padres League game.

Cabrillo quarterback C.J. Simmons fumbled the snap with a first-and-goal at the Pioneer Valley 1-yard line with 2:30 left in the game. The Panthers recovered, the Conquistadores' last chance was just about gone and Pioneer Valley came away with a 14-0 win at Huyck Stadium at Lompoc High School.

The game was Cabrillo's LPL season opener as well. The Conquistadores, who tied Lompoc for the league title last year and then were hit hard by graduation, fell to 0-3-0 overall. The Panthers are 3-1-0.

Jaime Cardenas caught quarterback Bryan Beyers' swing pass in the first quarter and ran in to complete a 17-yard scoring play. Andrew Gonzales scored on a 3-yard run 2:17 before halftime.

Andres Montiel kicked two extra points. Pioneer Valley's defense took care of the rest.

Cabrillo's offense “basically did,” what the Panthers' defense had game-planned for said Gonzales, who had a solid game at defensive end.

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LInebackers Josh Vogt and Daniel Segoviano and defensive back Zev Olvera helped spearhead a Panthers defensive unit that gave up only 166 yards in total offense. Cabrillo came away with nothing despite starting possessions at the Pioneer Valley 44, 47 and, after a Beyers quick kick from the end zone on third down after Simmons' fumbled snap, 43 in the second half.

“It was just basically getting after ‘em,” that keyed the Panthers' success, said Pioneer Valley defensive end Nick Leyden.

“Our defense really has been playing well all season,” said Pioneer Valley coach Greg Dickinson.

“You look at last week and we gave up 27 points, but we gave them the ball three times inside the 20,” in Sun Valley Village Christian's 27-7 win at Pioneer Valley last week.

Panthers senior Victor Bryson led all rushers with 75 yards on nine carries. He saved the Panthers' 86-yard drive for their second touchdown by catching a Beyers pitch that was behind him and running for 18 yards. Blocks by linemen Antonio Aguayo and Terry Keath on the left side sprang Bryson for 19 yards to the Cabrillo 18, and Gonzales scored four plays later.

“I thought our line was blocking good the whole game,” said Bryson. “I couldn't have done it without the line.

“If we had kept trying some of the things we did in the first half, I think they could have worked.” Penalties and the work of Ryan McGinty - Cabrillo's Player of the Game for his work on defense and special teams -, lineman Josh Sanders and linebacker Matt Rotondi helped shut the Panthers' offense down after halftime.

Swing passes by Beyers helped key both touchdown drives. Pioneer Valley didn't try any after halftime.

“We were really moving the ball well in the first half,” said Beyers. “We tried some things we thought would work in the second. Unfortunately, they didn't.”

Cabrillo's dangerous quarterback, C.J. Simmons, had been practicing for two weeks, Cabrillo coach Don Cross said, and was cleared to play this week.

“This was his first game back,” Gonzales said. “We figured he'd try to do it himself.”

Simmons started making some plays in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers still held him to 38 yards on 14 carries on the night.

Pioneer Valley's defense nailed Simmons twice on third-and-short blitzes in the second half. Olvera, Steven Esquivel and Chris Etheridge got him on the first one at the Panthers 37. Gonzales nailed him for a 10-yard loss back at the Cabrillo 46 in the fourth to put the Conquistadores in fourth-and-long.

Cross came on to the field, saying to an official that Gonzales was offside on the play. Simmons' 23-yard pass to Trevor Wagonseller was still three yards short of a first down, but a roughing the passer call gave Cabrillo a first down on the Pioneer Valley 24.

Simmons gained 10 yards on the next play, then hit McGinty for nine yards on the next. Cabrillo seemed all set to score, but then Simmons fumbled the snap.

Besides the sack on the blitz, Cross was also aggravated about two other calls. However, “Officiating certainly did not cost us this game,” he said.

“Our defense has been there for us all season. We need to find away to get some points for them.”

Vogt, Segoviano and Olvera helped Pioneer Valley's defensive unit keep the Conquistadores from breaking long running plays. Olvera stayed with Cabrillo receivers the few times the Conquistadores tried deep passes.

Pioneer Valley hosts new LPL rival St. Joseph next Friday at 7:30 p.m. Cabrillo plays a league game at Nipomo the same night and time.

Sept. 23, 2006