Valley College’s football team lives and dies...

Valley College’s football team lives and dies by the pass. The Monarchs have the Western State Conference’s second-best passing offense and its worst passing defense. Valley throws for an average of 210.8 yards per game, but gives up 190.7. “We have some good people (in the secondary),” Coach Jim Fenwick said. “We’re just giving up too many big plays. . . .”

Joe Mauldin of Valley and Eric Kiesau of Glendale are the only quarterbacks in the WSC to have passed for more than 1,000 yards. Mauldin is the leader with 1,067 yards, 25 more than Kiesau. However, Kiesau has accounted for his yardage in 99 passes, compared to 150 for Mauldin. . . .

Howard Blackwell of Valley has opened a substantial lead on Ira Moreland of Harbor for the WSC rushing title. Both runners have 118 carries, but Blackwell has gained 893 yards (7.6 yards per carry) and Moreland has 765 (6.5 average). Blackwell holds the edge in touchdowns, 14-3. . . .

Ryan Kieling, a reserve for half the season, has become Moorpark’s top receiver. Kieling has 16 receptions (for 226 yards), which ties him for fifth among WSC receivers. He has been the Raiders’ main passing target since flanker Tim Blakeley (13 catches, 261 yards) suffered a rib injury three weeks ago. . . .

Free safety Gerald Ponder of Cal State Northridge increased his team-leading interception total to three with another against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last week. He also accounted for the other Mustang turnover with a fumble recovery after a bone-jarring hit by linebacker Angel Chavez. . . .

Chavez increased his team-leading sack total to five in the fourth quarter for a 11-yard loss that ended a nine-play San Luis Obispo drive. . . . Outside linebacker Bryon Ward ended the Mustangs’ next possession with his first sack of the season for a nine-yard loss. . . .

In successive weeks, Northridge drives have ended at the opposition’s one-yard line. Jim Warren fumbled against Santa Clara and Jamal Farmer did the same against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. . . .

Cal Lutheran quarterback Adam Hacker, a sophomore, is on pace to finish the season as the Kingsmen’s No. 4 all-time passer. He should move to No. 2 behind Tom Bonds next season. In six games this year, Hacker has completed 98 of 158 passes for 1,233 yards and five touchdowns and has 2,317 career yards. Bonds has 7,773. . . .

The Cal Lutheran defense has forced 20 turnovers in six games while the offense has turned the ball over only nine times. The Kingsmen lead the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in turnover margin with +1.8 per game.

Soccer: Northridge junior midfielder Armando Valdivia moved into a tie for fourth on the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Pacific Division scoring list with two goals last week. Valdivia has 22 points (nine goals, four assists), which ties him with teammate Danny Daniels and New Mexico’s Richard Farrer. Valdivia has 54 career points, two shy of Scott Piri (1988-91), who ranks 10th on the all-time Northridge list. . . .

The Cal Lutheran women’s soccer team has won 22 consecutive SCIAC games, and in this season’s 10 SCIAC games, the Regals have scored 66 goals and allowed only four. . . . The Division III Regals beat their only Division I opponent, the University of San Diego, but are 0-3 against Division II teams.

Women’s volleyball: Christina Gumpert of Glendale leads the WSC in kills with 134 and is second in kill percentage at 36.9 though the Vaqueros are next-to-last in the 10-team conference. She also is tied for third with 14 solo blocks. . . . Sandy Ford of Ventura leads the WSC in kill percentage at 39.6. She is fifth in kills with 93. . . . Ventura’s Erin Donaldson is fourth in percentage (34.6) and kills (96).

Statistics through Tuesday