DEJA VU: NEWBURY PARK STUMBLES : VENTURA 41, NEWBURY PARK 39.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer

Different year, same result. Another top ranking, another first-round exit.

For Newbury Park High, the scenario is becoming all too predictable. The only difference this time was the opponent.

Much like last season, when the Panthers were bounced from the postseason in the opening round of the playoffs, a wild-card team came into Newbury Park and left with a shocking win.

This time it was Ventura, the fourth-place team from the Channel League, handing the Panthers a 41-39 loss in a first-round Southern Section Division IV game.

Last year, Arroyo Grande beat Newbury Park 54-31 in the first round. Arroyo Grande went on to with the Division III championship.

The Cougars (5-5-1) did it in much the same fashion, piling up yards on the ground with a tricky veer-option offense and taking advantage of turnovers and missed extra points by the Panthers.

They also used a well designed defensive effort to frustrate Newbury Park (7-3), especially in the first half.

The key was the heady play of quarterback Mike Anderson, who had 157 yards passing, one touchdown throw, two scoring runs and a handful of other key plays.

``We're just going to stay focused on next week's opponent,'' Anderson said. ``If we can beat this team, we can beat anyone.''

Newbury Park, which fell behind 41-26 midway through the fourth period, climbed back in with two Nick Czernek touchdown throws to Tyler Johnson. The second, a 4-yarder, came with 45 seconds to play. The Panthers were unable to come up with an on-side kick, and the Cougars ran out the clock from there.

The loss ends Czernek's often brilliant, sometimes bittersweet high school career. He ends the season with 2,995 yards and and 27 touchdowns, but as was the case in last year's playoff loss, he struggled in the postseason.

Czernek threw five interceptions against Arroyo Grande and had two against Ventura. On the night, he had 260 yards and the two touchdowns to Johnson.

Czernek's first interception, which was returned 57 yards for a touchdown by Tyler Ebell, set the tone for the game.

Ventura jumped on Newbury Park with 31 points in the first half, scoring on an interception, a forced fumble and another picked off pass.

Ebell got it started for Ventura, intercepting Czernek on the third play of the game and racing 57 yards for the touchdown.

Newbury Park tied it up on its next possession when Craig Hundley scored on a 1-yard run, capping a 6-play, 61-yard march.

Ventura went ahead 14-7 on Anderson's 39-yard touchdown throw to Scott Ellis with 4:18 remaining in the first quarter, then stretched the advantage to 17-7 when Ellis kicked a 39 yard field goal.

Newbury Park closed to 17-14 on Ryan Shipton's 7-yard run, but back came Ventura again, getting a 9-yard run by Tyler Ebell to make it 24-14 then a 3-yard run from Anderson to go ahead 31-14.

Ebell had 72 yards on 18 carries for the Cougars. Shipton ended with 147 yards for Newbury Park.