Adam Barry had been Moorpark High's starting quarterback the previous two seasons. But his first game in the Musketeers' retooled pass-first offense turned him into an insomniac.

"I couldn't sleep at all last night," he said following Moorpark's 12-0 victory over visiting Mayfair in its season-opener Thursday night. "I was so pumped. I think we all were. I couldn't wait to get out here and play the game."

There were mistakes, physical and mental. There were missed opportunities. But there was also glitzy promise.

Barry threw for a career-high 270 yards, and Moorpark's revamped defense pitched a shutout in its debut as Moorpark launched its 2007 season in enthusiastic fashion.

After a sluggish start, Barry finished 19 of 39, including a 20-yard hookup with new favorite target Ryan Murry that gave the Musketeers a 6-0 lead just before halftime.

Murry grabbed 10 passes for 157 yards, and sophomore Austin Edmonson, taking over the starting running back slot in the wake of Darrell Scott's transfer, rushed 16 times for 68 yards, and caught six passes for 72 yards.

It was Edmonson's 1-yard touchdown run with 7:49 left in the fourth quarter that all but sealed the victory.

"I'm excited," said Barry. "We got off to a slow start, but made some adjustments that allowed us to start clicking. I know I've got a lot to work on, but I think we really started to come together tonight."

The rest was left to the Moorpark defense, transformed by graduation but looking like its usual dominant self. Senior defensive end Casey Blum led a charge that limited Mayfair to 68 yards in offense in the first half, and 162 yards for the game. The Monsoons, who finished 10-1 a year ago, never crossed midfield in the second half.

Blum's sack and forced fumble of quarterback Jordan Lane in the final quarter after Mayfair had reached their own 48-yard line ended the visitor's last hope.

Blum said expectations are high.

"We believe in ourselves," he said. "We want to win a state championship."

Blum said the defensive chemistry jelled during fall camp.

"We've got the great defensive coaches in the world, and they had us ready to play tonight," he said. "We've come together in practices. We want to play like this all season."

Barry, for one, was impressed.

"The defense was awesome," he said. "It's really exciting to see them play a game like that."

On its sixth drive of the first half, Barry and the Moorpark offense finally found top gear.

Taking over at their own 10-yard line inside two minutes, the Musketeers marched 90 yards in 10 plays, capped by Barry's 20-yard connection with Murry.

In the second half, Moorpark twice drove inside the 20-yard line before stalling on fourth down. On its third try, Moorpark completed a 10-play, 58-yard drive culminating in Edmonson's score.