Santa Monica Cannot Bear Up to Moorpark

The Santa Monica College football team has done its best to emulate the Chicago Bears.

The Corsairs have nearly identical uniforms as Mike Ditka’s bunch, they have a quarterback who knows how to make the big play, and they even have their own version of the “Fridge” in 390-pound defensive tackle Fred Clark.

Too bad they don’t have the Bears’ defense.

Moorpark College (5-3, 4-1 in conference) drove through the Corsairs for 504 total yards en route to a 56-23 Western State Conference victory Saturday night at Santa Monica College.

Santa Monica, last in the WSC in defense, is 4-4, 1-4 in conference.

Moorpark fullback Jim Bittner accounted for 229 rushing yards himself, scoring on runs of 10, 2 and 29 yards.

Backup tailback Dana Griffin rushed for 72 yards on six carries, scoring on runs of 31 yards and one yard.

The Raiders led 21-8 at halftime. Bittner rolled up 131 yards and one touchdown in the first half alone. Moorpark finished with 293 yards in the half. Moorpark quarterback Steve Haddad threw for 117 yards and two touchdowns, completing 5 of 10 passes with two interceptions.

Santa Monica’s only first-half touchdown came on Randy Johnson’s 74-yard interception return of a Haddad pass. The Corsairs faked a kick on the conversion, and backup quarterback Mike Sanders ran for two points.

Haddad, a transfer from Pierce College, completed 6 of 12 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

Flanker James Reaves caught both touchdown passes, measuring eight and 26 yards. Reaves caught five passes for 83 yards.

Santa Monica quarterback Kevin Bray passed for 191 yards and one touchdown, but was intercepted four times.

Moorpark’s Willie Gutierrez had four of the Raiders’ six interceptions in the game.