Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers; they are something football coaches preach and preach not to do, but teams still manage to turn the ball over.
Two costly turnovers by the Ventura College Pirates ultimately cost them the game, in light of some missed opportunities in the red zone, falling to Allan Hancock College 28-21 Saturday night.
Pirate head coach Jon Mack believed the Pirates had some chances to win the game, but could not take advantage of them.
“Tonight we certainly had opportunities to win the game,” he said. “We have to get better.”
“Better” is probably the best word to describe a team that has lost two straight games, including a blowout loss at Bakersfield College, before they have to take on a pesky Moorpark College team desperate for a win.
Mack says that their next game is the most important, garnishing many implications on where they will stand in the playoffs, win or lose. He certainly does not overlook the Raiders, and believes a strong performance overall will be needed to get past their conference rival.
“It’s a critical game if we want to go to a bowl,” he said. “Moorpark has played very competitive in every game [this season].”
The Pirates, in a game full of missed opportunities, had a chance to score on their opening drive after they converted a fourth down pass. In Bulldog territory, the Raiders had a costly offensive pass interference call that pushed them to a third-and-long situation, and were forced to kick a field goal, only to have the 45-yarder go wide right.
The Bulldogs were the first to score in a game that started slowly for both teams offensively, on a 3-yard run by Thomas Sua with 13:49 remaining in the second quarter.
The Pirates got a great return on the ensuing kick-off, as well as extra yardage tacked on by a personal foul call, only to see the drive turn disastrous when Jimenez’ pass was picked off by leaping defensive lineman John Sua, giving the Bulldogs excellent field position.
Despite a holding call that negated a seven-yard run, Sua added his second touchdown of the night on fifteen-yard run on a long third-and-goal to give the Bulldogs a two-touchdown lead.
The Pirates dodged a bullet when Sua was about to score a third touchdown before the half ended, but fumbled at the one-yard line trying to dive into the end zone, and the game stayed 14-7 at the half.
The Bulldogs got all of their offense from Sua, who scored four touchdowns to cap off a night where the Bulldogs rushed the ball for 316 yards.
The Pirates put on a surge late to try and come back, but Pirates quarterback Antavius Sims coughed the ball up in the red zone, his second fumble of the night, and the Pirates were never able to recover.
They scored a touchdown with 14 seconds remaining on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Pirate receiver Nick Karam, who appeared to lateral the ball to running back Kris Parham as he was being tackled at the one.
The Pirates tried to pull the improbable comeback, but the Bulldogs recovered the onside kick, and they ran out the clock to put an ending to a night full of “shoulda, coulda, woulda.”
And what did Mack want to help his team end their skid next week against rival Moorpark College?
“We need our 12th man,” he said. “It is a big game versus Moorpark.”
Mack wants to see Pirate fans make the trip down to Moorpark as they take on the Raiders next Saturday at 6 p.m.
