The Moorpark College Raiders secured their second straight victory in dominating fashion, scoring 31-15
Moorpark captains; Max Leffler, Cesar Fermin, and Travis Key, met at midfield, for the coin flip.
The Pasisadena Lancers took first posseson of the ball; PCC ran 12 total plays resulting in 72 total yards. Three minutes later, the Lancers found themselves in the red zone after a huge run by running back Darrian Cazarian. On 4th and 3, Cazarian rumbled into the end zone on a right side draw. Pasadena put the first points on the board, and led the Raider’s 7-0 with 6:35 left in the first.
Moorpark responded quickly, after quarterback Nick Davis broke off a 28 yard option keeper. Davis who was brought down at the 6, called his own number and crashed up the middle for a touchdown of his own. After only a one minute possession, the Raiders’ evened the score, 7-7.
Midway through the second quarter, after a 63 yard touchdown pass from MC quarterback Davis to receiver was nullified after a penalty, runningback Kyle Jean took three straight hands-offs up the middle. Jean rushed for a total of 29 yards in the drive, and set up a 38-yard field goal attempt by Kicker Chris Taylor. Taylor drilled the ball through the uprights, and increased the Raider lead, 10-7.
On 3rd and 9, with 5:53 left in the half, Lancer quarterback Andrew Mathews failed to get a 1st down after backers Travis Key, and Kyle Rothschiller got in his face, and forced a bad pass. After two costly penalties by the Lancer defense, Moorpark started their final possession of the half at the opposing 40-yard line. Davis found fullback Max Leffler rolling out of the pocket for 9 yards, giving MC a new set of downs. Running back Josh Robles drove down the field with 6 total runs, totaling 22 yards. Quarterback Davis, on the 1 yard line, leaped over his center for another touchdown, scoring the final points of the half, increasing the Raider lead 17-10.
After the drive, Davis was clearly injured as he limped off the field back to the locker room. Davis offered insight on his injury.
“The leg hurts really bad. I can barely put weigh on it,” Davis said. “The way I look at it , I’m not coming off the field unless I’m taken off on a stretcher.”
Three minutes into the third, Moorpark found themselves on a 4th down and 3. Instead of going with the punt, Davis floated a pass to runningback Max Leffler for 4 yards. On the next play, Davis threw up a prayer, and receiver Shane Bluhm came down with the ball and broke a tackle, running into the end zone. The Raiders scored their third unanswered touchdown and improved the score to 24-7.
Pasadena marched down the field with a 9 minute drive, only to lose the ball on the 2-yard line, after Moorpark defensive back Demetrius Wilson forced and recovered a fumble. Two plays later Raider receiver Justin Coburn broke off an 88-yard reception on a bomb down the sidelines by Davis, and scored once again. Just like that, the Raiders scored their fourth unanswered touchdown, and brought the lead up 31-7.
That touchdown proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Lancers, Pasadena scored a desperation touchdown with 3 minutes left in the first, and converted a 2 point conversion. It proved to be too little, too late for the Lancers as Moorpark ran out the clock, and defeated Pasadena 31-15.
MC Head coach Will Thurston, praised the young Raider quarterback in the victory. “This was a huge game for Nick,” Thurston said. “Every quarterback needs a great game to boost their confidence, this was Nick’s game.”
Quarterback Nick Davis was named player of the game. Davis went 14 for 26 passes, for a total of 262 yards, rushed for 75 more, and scored 4 total TDs.
Moorpark (4-3) will travel on the road to face Bakersfield College, Sat. October 26, at 4 p.m.
