Moorpark Gets Best of Glendale : Football: Penalty keeps drive alive and Raiders capitalize with game-winning touchdown in 21-14 victory.

It has been this way for years, so why change now?

In another classic between rivals Moorpark College and Glendale, the Raiders claimed bragging rights for a year and pushed ahead in the North Division of the Western State Conference with a 21-14 victory Saturday at Glendale High.

The victory gave two-time defending champion Moorpark a 2-0 record in division play and dropped the Vaqueros to 1-1.

“It’s got to be easier than this,” said Jim Bittner, Moorpark coach. “It’s like some guy getting into a 1938 Ford and saying he’s going cross-country and making it. After all the breakdowns and all the things that happened, we still made it.”

Since the teams first met in 1968, Glendale has won 16 of 26 games. Nine of the games have been decided by a touchdown or less.

Moorpark (5-2, 5-1 in the WSC) broke a 14-14 tie late in the game after a crucial penalty against Glendale (4-3, 3-3).

With Moorpark facing fourth and three from the Glendale 30-yard line, Gary Clemons was stopped short of the first down on a sweep and the Raiders were called for holding on the play.

But the officials assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against a Glendale player for using foul language. After both penalties were paced off, Moorpark had a first down at the Glendale 25. Three plays later, Fred Polito ran 23 yards to the Glendale one and Clemons capped the drive with a one-yard run over left tackle with 6 minutes 43 seconds left.

Glendale Coach John Cicuto questioned the call afterward.

“They hold our guy and our kid says to the official, ‘Hey, he has been holding all day,’ and uses an expletive and the official throws a flag,” Cicuto said. “The language wasn’t directed at (the official). When officials make calls that decide games, it’s not right.”

Glendale quarterback Tony Delgado passed for 212 yards, but completed only 23 of 51. One of his passes was intercepted by linebacker Jeffery Maxey, who returned it 92 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter.

On second down from the Moorpark 11, Delgado tried to hit Tim Hilton in the right flat but Maxey stepped in front and ran unmolested down the sideline.

“I kept telling the coaches the end was not blocking me on that play so he told me to drop back and take away the slant and look for the pass,” said Maxey, who also gave Delgado his first sack of the season. “I was (rushing Delgado) every time on that play (before the interception).”

The touchdown gave Moorpark a 14-6 lead that stood until Hector Valencia, who had 52 yards in nine carries, scored for Glendale on a 48-yard run with 8:42 remaining in the third quarter. Delgado connected with Kieron Estrada on the two-point conversion to tie the score, 14-14.

The Raiders, who had only 187 yards, took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter when Isaiah Mustafa caught a 17-yard pass from Damian Delfino.

It was the sixth touchdown for Mustafa, who finished with nine catches for 67 yards. Delfino was 11 of 20 for 81 yards and had two passes intercepted.

Glendale cut the deficit to 7-6 at halftime on two field goals by Michael Sierra.

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