On Saturday, the Raiders football team took on conference opponent, the Cerritos College Falcons. The Raiders won in a nail-biting double overtime game by a final score of 41-35.

Despite Raider quarterback Kado Brown turning the ball over four times in the first half, he was magnificent with running the ball in the second half.

Head Coach Mike Stuart was very happy not just with Brown, but the entire Raider team for a big team win.

“It started at 9 this morning with the team breakfast,” said Stuart. “It was a great team bonding experience, everyone was on time. I had a great feeling even with the distraction before the game.”

That distraction was an almost one hour delay due to mechanical difficulties on the Cerritos team bus causing them to not have their gear ready in time. Finally, at 1 minute 30 seconds, the game got underway in a back and forth contest between the 2-5 Raiders and 7-1 Falcons.

In the first quarter, Cerritos struck first and early, coming off of an early Moorpark interception from their quarterback Kado Brown. The touchdown was an 18-yard strike from Falcon quarterback Jimmy Walker to receiver Dashaun Gordon giving the Falcons a 7-0 lead.

With 4 minutes 40 seconds left in the first quarter, Falcons running back Kishawn Holmes scored a touchdown on fourth down putting them up 14-0.

Moorpark got on the board for their first score in the second quarter with 9 minutes 53 seconds left when running back Isaiah Johnson scored from the eight-yard-line. After the score Moorpark cut the lead in half, 14-7.

Even down at halftime, Stuart reminded his team that they were still in the game.

“A lot of guys probably thought we’d be out of this in the second half,” said Stuart. “We didn’t make any adjustments as far as defense or offense. We stuck to our guns as far as what we put in the game, and we finished.”

On Moorpark’s opening possession of the second half, they were able to march down the field and into the end-zone. Brown kept the ball himself and ran it in to tie the game up at 14.

With 5 minutes 58 seconds left in the third, Cerritos answered right back with a 22-yard touchdown run from their running back Holmes making the score 21-14 in favor of the Falcons.

Moorpark answered right back with 3 minutes 06 seconds left in the quarter when Johnson ran in an electrifying 28-yard touchdown run tying the game back up at 21.

The crazy action that ensued in the fourth quarter began late with only 18 seconds remaining in the game when Moorpark’s Brown ran in the ball from 14-yards-out to give what would have been the game winning touchdown.

However, after a series of penalties and great clock management from Cerritos, they were able to march it down the field and score a game tying touchdown making it 28 even, sending it into overtime.

In the first OT, Moorpark’s Brown was able to run in the ball to put his team up 35-28 after the first possession.

On the Falcon’s first OT possession, they were able to answer back tying it up with a 24-yard pass from quarterback Walker to wide receiver Elijah Rogers.

On Cerritos’ first possession in the second OT, Walker’s attempted pass was intercepted by Moorpark setting them up for a game winning drive

Moorpark won the game on their first play in the second overtime. Brown kept the ball and ran strait into the end-zone and winning it for the Raiders by a score of 41-35.

Brown, who was the star in last weeks Raider victory and in today’s big win, was quick to say that it was a team win and not just about him winning the game.

“As you saw, we started off slow, and I started off slow by throwing three picks in the first quarter,” said Brown. “My teammates: the defense especially, the O-line, receivers, nobody gave up on me and I got my head on right. I think it was a good family win.”

Despite the big win for the Raiders, there was still one thing that killed them; penalties. Moorpark had a total of 17 penalties for 162-yards.

Stuart was not happy with these penalties, but besides running the normal gasser punishment for each penalty committed by his team, he had other solutions to the problem.

“What else we could do is probably just a better job of coaching these guys,” said Stuart. “It’s a little bit on the players, but we also gotta do a better job of getting the personnel on the field and getting the communication. We’ll meet, we’ll talk as a staff tomorrow and correct that stuff.”

Brown also felt that he needed to work on a lot during the coming week before the next game.

“In practice, I gotta be precise with my footwork and getting my feet down,” said Brown. “I don’t wanna have any scars.”

Moorpark’s final two games are not just against two tough conference opponents, but two top 25 teams in the state.

The first of those opponent’s will be on the road next weekend as they travel to Santa Clarita to take on College of the Canyons at 1 p.m.

The Raiders final game of the season will be at home against Allan Hancock College on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.

The Raiders still are bowl eligible after this win, but they will have to finish 5-5 in order to accomplish that task. A task Stuart believes is still very possible to achieve.

“I think this league is wide open. It’s whoever shows up and wants to play,” said Stuart.