The Moorpark Raiders 2014 football season has come to an end and the time to look back on the season starts now.

The Raiders ended the season with a disappointing 2-8 record despite all the high hopes entering the season. Even with the losing record, the Raiders never got down on themselves, and still believed in each other with mutual respect on both sides of the ball.

“We played as a team,” said safety Jordan Francis. “We trusted both the offense and defense to do their jobs”.

Although the Raiders didn’t post the kind of record they would have liked, the team still averaged 30.7 points per game; including averaging 441.3 yards per game with 162.6 yards coming from the ground game and 278.8 in the air.

The Raiders themselves take full responsibility for their lackluster season as they know they didn’t play up to their full potential.

“We know we have been leaving points on the board,” said Quarterback Zach LaBar. “I can’t speak for the defense but on the offensive side we just have to take advantage of whats given to us and execute in order to do what we know we are capable of.”

LaBar led the way in the passing game throughout the season by throwing for 1422 yards and eleven touchdowns with a 62.6% completion percentage. His counterpart Nick Davis threw for 1046 yards and five touchdowns with a 56.6 completion percentage while also rushing for 286 yards on the ground with five touchdowns.

In the rushing game, the Raiders were led by running back Raekeal Beasley who rushed for 637 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Dontavious Grace added a spark to the Moorpark ground game by adding 318 yards and three touchdowns of his own.

Wide receiver Cody Tuttle led the way for the receivers by posting 649 yards and eight touchdowns. Helping him along the way were receivers Jalin Burrell who added 452 yards and three touchdowns and Keiwuan Miller who had 360 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Even with the good season from the wide receivers, the Raiders know they can always get better.

“There’s always room to improve and we’re going to go back on film Monday and find a lot of things that we could do better,” said Tuttle. “That’s what being a good team is all about.”

With anything that involves a team, mutual respect is the key factor in whether or not you succeed and the Raiders have mutual respect on both sides of the ball.

“Our defense played their hearts out,” said Tuttle. “They did a great job.”

While the season may be over, the Raiders passion and heart can never be questioned; they never gave up and gave it their all. The results may not have been exactly what anyone hoped for or wanted but they fought until the end. That is what Raider football is all about; never giving up and trusting in one another.

“We just need to keep working,” said Safety Jordan Francis. “We just have to trust each other because trust equals family.”

Trust equals family is such a simple phrase yet it means so much. Raider football is a family and families stick together.