Moorpark Loses Call to Play in SCC’s Bowl

Jim Bittner was expecting a call Thursday from the Southern California Conference bowl selection committee.

He got it.

The message, however, wasn’t what the Moorpark College football coach had in mind.

Bittner was informed by SCC bowl administrator Brent Carter that Golden West had been invited as the at-large team to the Dec. 6 game.

“Naturally, we’re disappointed,” Bittner said. “We would have like to have played someone. But not everyone can go, and we’re flattered that they considered us so highly.”

The Raiders finished the season at 6-3.

“It’s unfortunate because we have been playing very well,” Bittner said. “But we’ll have a team meeting Monday and sort everything out.”

Golden West, which finishes its season Saturday against El Camino, has clinched second place in the South Coast Conference. Golden West has lost its last two games after winning its first seven.

SCC President Jim Raack said the bowl selection committee decided to go with Golden West during a meeting Thursday morning. He said the committee was awaiting formal approval from the state athletic commission for community colleges, but that he anticipated no problems.

Later that afternoon, Golden West assistant Mike Shaughnessy said that no invitation had been received. He added that Golden West would accept as soon as the offer was made.

“Absolutely, we take it,” he said.

The SCC is still without a host for its first bowl game. College of the Desert can wrap up a share of the conference title and the host bid with a victory over Harbor on Saturday.

If Desert loses, however, the situation is less clear.

Valley, which had apparently clinched a tie for the SCC title, will appear before a state board Monday to appeal penalties for using an ineligible player that would force it to forfeit three games. If Desert loses to Harbor and Valley loses its appeal, Harbor would advance as the SCC champion.

But if Desert loses and Valley wins its appeal, Valley would advance as the SCC representative.