Moorpark Goes to 1st Bowl If It Defeats Santa Monica

One win.

That’s all that separates the Moorpark College football team from an opportunity to play in its first postseason game.

Moorpark Athletic Director Paul Dunham said he was contacted Tuesday by Brahma Bowl officials, who asked if the Raiders would accept a bid to play in the Dec. 7 game at Pierce College.

“I said, ‘Certainly we’re interested,’ ” Dunham said. “But we’ve got one more game to get past.”

An announcement probably will not be made until Monday, but Brahma Bowl administrator Leonard Streva said a victory by Moorpark on Saturday against Santa Monica College would assure the Raiders (7-2) of the at-large berth.

The Raiders’ opponent would be the winner of the Nov. 23 game between Pierce (6-2) and Valley (7-1), which will determine the champion of the Southern California Conference.

At this time last week, Moorpark was not being considered for any bowls. That was before its stunning 21-14 victory over Glendale, which was ranked eighth in the nation. The Raiders, 5-1 in the Western State Conference, now are in first place and close to clinching their first conference title since 1970.

“Them knocking off Glendale shot them straight to the top of the bowl list,” Streva said. Moorpark also moved up from 19th to 16th in this week’s JC Athletic Bureau state rankings.

But Moorpark is not the only team being considered by the Brahma Bowl. Glendale also has been contacted, Streva said, in case Moorpark loses to Santa Monica.

“If they do, and Glendale beats Compton, Moorpark would finish third and we couldn’t invite them even if we wanted to,” Streva said.

Only first- and second-place teams are permitted to compete in bowls, Streva said. Moorpark would finish in second place, tied with Santa Monica, but the Raiders would be considered the third-place team because of the loss to Santa Monica.

If that happens, Glendale would be a candidate to play in the Brahma Bowl. So would Fullerton and Santa Monica.

“If Moorpark would just knock off Santa Monica, everything would be so much easier for us,” Streva said.

The other bowl team should be easier to choose. It will be the winner of the Valley-Pierce game--unless Valley wins. In that event, Pierce still might go.

If Valley (3-0 in the SCC and ranked No. 11 in the state) wins its final two games, the Monarchs are in.