Bradley’s 4 Touchdowns Lift Moorpark

Conventional wisdom dictates that a team trailing late in the game needs to throw to gain chunks of yardage.

Conventional wisdom doesn’t take into account Moorpark College running back Freddie Bradley.

Moorpark trailed host Santa Monica by a point Saturday night and had the ball on its 35 with 2 minutes 57 seconds remaining when Bradley took control of the Western State Conference game.

Bradley ran up the middle for nine yards, then broke free on the right side for 48 yards to put Moorpark on the Santa Monica eight. Three plays later, he scored on a four-yard touchdown run to give Moorpark a 44-38 win.

Demetrius Wynn intercepted a Jeff Barrett pass to ensure the victory.

“Once we got on the field with enough time, we knew we could score or at least get in field-goal range,” Bradley said.

Bradley finished with 175 yards in 27 carries and scored four touchdowns, including a 93-yard kickoff return.

“Freddie is in a class by himself,” said Will Thurston, Moorpark’s offensive coordinator.

Bradley’s performance matched that of Barrett, a former Burroughs High standout who threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for two touchdowns.

The performances of Bradley and Barrett were not the extent of the offensive exploits, though.

For the third consecutive game, Moorpark quarterback Del Marine’s first completion of the game was a touchdown pass to his brother Pete.

Del hit Pete with a 44-yard touchdown pass to open second-half scoring and give Moorpark (3-0, 2-0 in conference play) a 30-18 lead. Andrew Petroski added the conversion kick.

Santa Monica (2-1, 1-1) battled back with two Barrett touchdown passes in a three-minute span.

Del hit Pete again, this time with a 41-yard touchdown pass, to put Moorpark back ahead, 37-32, with 6 1/2 minutes left.

Barrett struck again, on a two-yard quarterback sneak with 2:59 remaining. The conversion run failed and Santa Monica led, 38-37, setting the stage for Bradley’s heroics.

Moorpark’s Jamal Anderson complemented Bradley with 106 yards in 16 carries.

As it has in every game this season, Moorpark allowed a score on its first defensive series. Barrett hit tight end Jeff Williamson with a short pass on Santa Monica’s first play from scrimmage, and Williamson broke away from a tackle for a 73-yard touchdown.