The Ventura Pirates blew out the Moorpark Raiders at Griffin Stadium in the first football game of both their seasons, the 53rd annual Citrus Cup.
The Pirates have dominated the rival game for the past 13 years, but this Sept. 4 win was paramount for Ventura College, as Ventura Head Coach Steve Mooshagian reached his 100th career win.
“I think this was my 16th year as head coach, so it took a few years to get to 100,” said Mooshagian. “These guys have been together, and they’re a very close team because of that. COVID has made them all closer because they had to go through it all together.”
The Raiders seemed to have come onto the field with passion and energy but were met early by the Pirates’ aggressive front seven. The Raiders’ first snap was blown up by a powerful interior blitz that led to a sack. That sack would be a preview of the game as the Pirates’ front seven were unstoppable all night. They kept constant pressure on the Raiders’ offensive line, especially in the second half.
The Pirates pushed hard, securing 28 first downs and 519 yards of total offense. Four Ventura players scored a total of seven rushing touchdowns. Ventura’s Terell Vaughn seemed to have an impressive night as he completed five receptions, securing 102 yards and his team’s only passing touchdown. In total, Ventura scored a whopping 62 points.
Moorpark Head Coach Mike Stuart touched on the Raiders’ drop in morale going into the second half of the game, down 39 points.
“Win or lose, that’s a good football team right there,” said Stuart. “But, the fight at the end, where do we get better? We just need to run through the motions more.”
The Raiders were held to only seven first downs and could muster only a mere 195 yards of total offense. Third and fourth-down inefficiencies often halted the Raiders’ attackers from making long and successful drives down the field.
Despite the defeat, Moorpark’s team found success in a few plays. Wide receiver Kein Artero caught a 47-yard pass in the first half that seemed to bring life to the crowd and returned four kicks over the course of the game, totaling 103 yards.
“I’m just glad that they were our first game because they humbled us and showed us how much more we need to work,” said Artero.
Raiders’ Kicker/Punter Scooter Carranza also made use of his ample field time, kicking 7 punts that totaled 187 yards. Looking forward, Mooshagian spoke about his predictions for the Raiders’ season in the American Pacific Conference.
“I think the score won’t be indicative of Moorpark’s season,” stated Mooshagian. “I think they’ve got a chance in that league they are playing in this year. I think they’ve got a chance to be successful.”
The Raiders’ next game has been postponed to Sept. 18 at Santa Ana College. The Pirates will play their second game on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 7 P.M. against San Diego Mesa College.
*Staff Writer William Osborne contributed to this report
