Chaffey Takes What Moorpark Is Giving to Get a 19-13 Victory

Moorpark College Coach Jim Bittner brought out the shoehorn Saturday night and tried to find someone to fill the big cleats of departed stars Todd Preston and Gil Carrillo.

Bittner is still looking for adequate replacements after watching all three of his quarterbacks throw interceptions in a 19-13 nonconference loss to Chaffey at Moorpark.

Neither Damian Delfino nor Josh Buck nor Jeremie Watkins seemed to be the answer to Preston, All-Western State Conference North Division quarterback last season.

Delfino, the starter, completed four of five for 37 yards with an interception that Reggie Cornish took 57 yards for a touchdown.

Buck completed four of 13 for 59 yards and his fumble was returned for a touchdown. Watkins was three of nine for 31 yards.

Raider running back Corey Bowen wasn’t exactly the second coming of Carrillo, the two-time All-WSC North Division offensive player of the year. Bowen finished with 59 yards in 18 carries.

Yet, Moorpark nearly pulled out a victory, despite making five turnovers and allowing four sacks.

Watkins scored on a one-yard bootleg and Steve Sabbe added the extra point to make it 19-13 early in the fourth period.

Moorpark got one last chance by blocking Josh Boies’ punt. Linebacker Robert Webb scooped up the ball and rumbled 28 yards to the Chaffey 13 with 15 seconds remaining. A pass-interference penalty moved the ball to the two, and Buck tried to scramble into the end zone on the next play but fell a yard short as time ran out.

Chaffey used three big plays--two of them by the Panther defense--to take a 19-6 halftime lead.

Cornish picked off a Delfino pass and went 57 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, and Thaddeus Variance took a short pass from Zach Brennan and raced 63 for a score later in the quarter to give Chaffey a 13-0 lead.

Moorpark cut into the deficit when Delfino connected with Isaiah Mustafa for a 13-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. The conversion snap foiled the extra point attempt.

Chaffey’s defense scored again when Buck was sacked and fumbled. Walter Williams took the ball and ran 38 yards for a touchdown.