Royal Drubs Undermanned Camarillo, 63-44

Camarillo High’s David Harbour could only sit in a chair, his weary legs outstretched, and shake his head after Royal left the Scorpions’ gymnasium with a 63-44 win in a Marmonte League game Friday night.

Camarillo’s point guard, Rick Schnell, is still wearing street clothes after an emergency appendectomy in December. Camarillo’s all-league center, Scott Foster, is still recovering from mononucleosis. And Harbour--already feeling as if he has to carry the offensive load--played with a 102-degree temperature and a slight case of pneumonia.

“It’s frustrating,” Harbour said. “We put out a good effort, but we lack depth and leadership. We just don’t have much life out there.”

Therefore, Camarillo (9-5, 0-2 in league play), a pre-season favorite to contend for the league title, is off to a poor start. And the league race is becoming more interesting in the process.

Royal, for instance, is 2-0 in league play and the Highlanders (13-3) are within two games of the school record for wins in a season.

“I’m happy to be up there,” Royal Coach Joe Malkinson said.

But Royal had to overcome a flu bug of its own and a third-quarter Camarillo rally for only its fifth win in 37 meetings between the two schools.

The Highlanders led, 28-18, at halftime and survived a mild scare when the Scorpions pulled within 32-30 on Brian Vellmure’s layup with 3:33 left in the period.

“We didn’t handle their pressure very well,” Malkinson said.

But Royal used an 11-3 run to regain its 10-point lead at 43-33 entering the final period and turned the game into a rout by hitting 12 of 13 free throws in the fourth period. The Highlanders were 31 of 37 from the line in the game.

A flu hampered Royal starters Greg Laranjo, Russell Myers, and Jared Byrne.

Myers, who went into the game averaging 27.1 points, still finished with a game-high 19. Byrne had nine points and seven rebounds.

Royal received a lift from David Gnesda off the bench and Chris Moriarty added eight points and seven rebounds. Royal took advantage of Foster’s absence in the middle and outrebounded Camarillo, 30-20.

Camarillo, meanwhile, couldn’t keep up with Royal’s running game. Numerous times Royal answered a Camarillo basket with one of its own on a fast break.

“Hopefully, we’ll get it together for a whole game,” David Harbour said. “It sure is a lot easier to play when (Foster and Schnell) are there.”