Moorpark Puts Up Fight, but Loses, 31-21

To its credit, Moorpark College did some things that had not been done this season to Glendale, the nation’s top-ranked junior college football team.

The Raiders scored two touchdowns and passed for more than 200 yards--two firsts against the state’s top-ranked defense.

But Moorpark, like the seven teams before it, fell victim Saturday to Glendale, 31-21, in a Western State Conference dogfight before 4,000 at Glendale High. The win virtually assures a conference championship for Glendale, which leads Moorpark by one game with two remaining.

Glendale’s defense, which had given up an average of only 175 total yards, went into the contest intent on stopping Moorpark’s running game. It was successful, holding the Raiders (4-3, 3-1 in conference) and running backs Robert Davis, Jim Bittner Jr. and Dana Griffin to 57 yards rushing.

“We came in here knowing we had to stop their strength, and their strength is their running game,” said Glendale Coach Jim Sartoris, after his Vaqueros, ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today, improved their record to 8-0, 5-0 in conference.

Sartoris added: “With a team that runs so much, you don’t know how well they can pass the ball. It turns out that they can throw the ball pretty damned well.”

Sophomore Steve Haddad, who transferred to Moorpark from Pierce, played his first full game, completing 16 of 31 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Haddad is one of three quarterbacks who regularly play for the Raiders. Receiver James Reaves caught eight passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Though he said he was pleased with Haddad’s performance, Moorpark Coach Jim Bittner was miffed over the quarterback’s interception late in the game when the Raiders were gaining momentum.

With Glendale leading, 28-13, Moorpark was driving midway through the fourth quarter. On a second-and-12 from the Vaquero 21, Haddad was intercepted by Chris Hale, who returned 71 yards to the Moorpark seven. Four plays later, former Burbank High standout Sal Velasco kicked a 25-yard field goal to complete Glendale’s scoring.

“I’m very proud that the team stayed in it,” Bittner said. “In fact, up until the interception, I thought we were going to win it.”

After the first quarter, not many others thought Moorpark had a chance.

On the first play of the game, Jim Bittner Jr., the coach’s son, fumbled to Glendale at the Raider 21. Glendale’s Gene Harlin ran in from six yards for a touchdown five plays later.

Late in the first quarter Vaquero quarterback Robb Huffman scored from the three, and Glendale led, 13-0.

On Moorpark’s first possession of the second quarter, the Raiders drove 50 yards in nine plays and Dan Eastman delivered a 38-yard field goal for the Raiders’ first points.

Moorpark lost a fumble on its next possession. Adding to Moorpark’s early frustration was a Glendale punt that bounced off the shoulder of Raider Brian Brawner and was recovered by the Vaqueros. One play later, Huffman hit tight end Dormin Jones to give Glendale a 21-3 lead.

It looked as if Moorpark was ready to stage a comeback when it took the ball 68 yards on its first possession in the second half. Haddad capped the drive with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Darren Romano. Before the close of the third quarter, Eastman connected on a 42-yard field goal to bring Moorpark within 21-13.

But Glendale, which had beaten its last three opponents by a combined score of 132-0, kept chugging. On the first play of the fourth quarter, fullback Dave Crockom ran four yards for a touchdown and a 28-13 Glendale lead.

On Moorpark’s possession after the kickoff, Hale made the interception.

“We had the freak bounce . . . and the interception,” Bittner said. “But overall I’m pretty pleased. I’m pleased with the defense and I’m pleased with our offense that we came back and got back into the game. The interception kind of put it out of reach.”

Said Sartoris: “They are by far the toughest team we have played this season. They played us awful good.”

Moorpark closed the gap in the fourth quarter when Haddad again found Romano in the end zone. They connected on a six-yard touchdown pass.

It was the first meeting between the teams since last season, when Moorpark held off a late Glendale rally to beat the Vaqueros, 21-14, to clinch a share of the conference championship and a trip to the Brahma Bowl.