THE PERFECT STING: CAMARILLO COMPLETES 10-0 REGULAR SEASON, NOW WAITS ON PROJECTED NO. 1 SEED

Camarillo defenders Brett Herron and Anthony Feldstott (No. 51) help bring down Royal running back Diego Reynoso while Collin Kirksey (No. 1) and Joseph Hunt surround the stop. Camarillo sealed its first-ever 10-0 regular season with a 49-21 romp of the Highlanders, which also solidified the Camino League title (photo by Lorenzo Reyna). 

One year ago, Camarillo was the team on the outside looking in, as the Scorpions needed an at-large berth to qualify for the playoffs.

Now, the Scorpions are in the school record books for completing the first-ever undefeated varsity football regular season on Mission Oaks Blvd – and awaiting word on if the No. 1 seed in the CIF Southern Section Northern Division III bracket belongs to them.

The 49-21 trouncing of Royal (Simi Valley) at Carl Thompson Field on Friday, Nov. 6 sealed the Camino League championship and 10-0 mark for Camarillo. The playoff fate of the Scorps will rest in the hands of the CIF Southern Section committee, as playoff seeds are unveiled on Sunday, Nov. 8.

Elijah Alexander – who gave the Scorps their most electric plays through two interceptions, two catches that stretched 40 and 38 yards and a 52-yard gain on a fly sweep run during Camarillo’s opening drive – described Camarillo High’s historic night as a “speechless” moment.

Said Alexander: “This is the first time the school has ever done this (go undefeated). It feels so good. I love these boys. It feels amazing to come back from the season we had last year to this remarkable season and making history here.”

Colby Stevens, who went three ways as a bruising running back, underneath receiving target and run-stuffing safety, was another Scorpion who was at a loss for words.

“I’m definitely speechless,” Stevens said. “My team has worked very hard and we definitely deserve it. We knew this team was going to be special because we all grew up together.”

The Scorpions scored first after Alexander’s sweep run led to a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jake Constantine to Wyatt Zambri. A two-point conversion try made it 8-0. Constantine then showed his flair for evading defenders and firing the long ball, as he shed past two Highlander defenders before zipping his throw to Desmond Clancy on an 18-yard strike. The next play saw Constantine find Alexander one-on-one with his defender in the left corner of the goal line, with the versatile senior coming down with the 17-yard touchdown and the 14-0 lead.

Royal (4-6), though, wasn’t going to check out of the game right away. This was the same team that had all of its losses decided by two touchdowns or less, including a near upset of Newbury Park (44-37 defeat) last week.

Quarterback Matt Sciumbato gave Camarillo fits with his arm and legs by engineering a long drive that culminated in a Daniel Henderson 1-yard touchdown run and the lead cutting to 14-7.

Constantine, though, marched Camarillo down the field with its two-minute offense and ended the drive by scrambling down the left side and then barreling past two Royal defenders for the 12-yard touchdown.

Constantine combined for five touchdowns, including four through the air and two that went to Frankie Tostado in the second half (8 and 1-yard scores) to seal Cam’s flawless regular season, plus possible top seed.

“It feels great knowing that this time, we don’t have to play the No. 1 seed on the road,” Constantine said. “They (the No. 16 seed) now comes to us.”