Moorpark Bowl Stock Rises With Upset of Glendale : Raiders Strengthen Their Chances of a Bid in Brahma, 21-14

It was once hard to take Moorpark College seriously. The Raiders were perennial also-rans, running around patting each other on the behinds and saying, “We’ll get ‘em next week.”

On Saturday afternoon at Griffin Stadium, next week finally arrived.

Not only did Moorpark’s 21-14 upset of Glendale catapult it into a first-place tie with Glendale in the Western State Conference, it also gave the Raiders new life in their bid for a postseason bowl game.

Moorpark (7-2 overall, 5-1 in conference) is ranked 19th in the state and entered the contest as a heavy underdog to Glendale. The Raiders were not being considered by any local bowl committees, but that may change.

While bids won’t officially be awarded until Tuesday, the Raiders now have a strong chance of being invited to the Brahma Bowl, which will be played at Pierce College on Dec. 7. If they are invited, they would play the winner of the Nov. 23 game between Pierce and Valley, which will decide the champion of the Southern California Conference.

“We would like to issue Pierce a formal challenge,” Moorpark Coach Jim Bittner said. “We felt we should have beat them earlier this season.”

Moorpark lost to the Brahmas, 31-28, on Sept. 28 after leading, 28-24, with less than four minutes remaining in the game.

Moorpark will claim the conference championship if it defeats Santa Monica City College next Saturday in Griffin Stadium. Glendale will play Compton.

The Raiders doused Glendale’s spirits Saturday in a key defensive stand in the final quarter.

Behind, 21-14, with 3:04 left in the game, the Vaqueros had the ball on a fourth-and-three situation at the Moorpark 24-yard line. Glendale Coach Jim Sartoris sent running back Kevin Sterling up the middle on a dive. The Raiders stacked him up at the 22 and regained possession.

The win ties the Moorpark school record for most victories in a season, which was set in 1970, the last time it won a conference title.

“This is the biggest win of my life,” said Bittner, who entered the season with a six-year record of 19-39-1. “I’ve been in a lot of ball games, but this was the most exciting one I’ve ever been a part of.”

It wasn’t quite as thrilling on Glendale’s side of the field.

The Vaqueros (8-1, 5-1) are ranked third in the state and were expecting an invitation to play in the Pony Bowl in Orange County.

“We were all planning to play Saddleback in the Pony Bowl,” Sterling said. “It would have been for the state championship.” Saddleback is rated second in the state.

Sterling, who rushed for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns on 31 carries, thought the Vaqueros should have passed on the critical fourth-and-three play.

“They were looking dive all the way,” he said. “All we had to do was fake the dive and throw a short pass and we would have won the game.”

While that play was critical, the turning point in the game came three minutes earlier, when the Raiders were still trailing, 14-13.

Moorpark’s drive had stalled at its 39 line and the Raiders were forced to punt, but Glendale linebacker Andrew Provence was called for running into the kicker. Moorpark had a first down at the Vaquero 45.

Six plays later, Raider running back Eddie Palmer scored on a one-yard sweep around the right side to give Moorpark its first lead, 19-14. Quarterback Ken Lutz scored on a keeper for the two-point conversion.

Moorpark, which has the state’s No. 2 offense averaging 414 yards per game, floundered on offense in the first half. The Raiders gained 147 yards but threatened to score only once.

Trailing, 7-0, early in the second quarter, Moorpark was faced with a fourth-and-goal at the Glendale three. Bittner elected to go for the touchdown, rather than a short field goal, but running back Jim Bittner Jr. was stopped at the two.

The Raiders tied the game on their second play of the second half, when Lutz hit sophomore receiver Dan Russell with a 22-yard scoring pass. The play was set up by a Darin McLeish interception--his second of three on the day--of a Rob Huffman pass deep in Glendale territory.

Lutz and Russell, who played together at Royal High in Simi Valley, connected again with 10:05 left in the game.

The 30-yard scoring play brought Moorpark to within a point, 14-13, but Kevin Greene’s extra point attempt was blocked by Vaquero defensive back Kevin Henderson.

Lutz completed 11 of 23 passes for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns. Russell caught four of those passes.

Russell, an all-state selection last season, tried to remain low-key after the win.

“Oh, God,” he said. “You’ve gotta love this! Just look at that scoreboard, baby. Wow!”