Valley May Bowl Over Moorpark’s Postseason

Although the Valley College football team cannot accept an invitation to a bowl game until it completes the season Saturday against Santa Monica, Coach Jim Fenwick said Tuesday that the Monarchs could be headed for the Strawberry Bowl in Norwalk or the Graffiti Bowl in Modesto.

Only one other team from the Valley region, Moorpark, was included in a pool of 37 schools that can participate in one of the statewide bowl games on Dec. 2. The Raiders (7-3) are in line to play host to the Western State Conference Bowl but that depends on the Valley-Santa Monica outcome.

To sort things out:

Valley (9-0) wants to play in the Strawberry Bowl but the Monarchs probably must defeat the Corsairs (7-1-1) at Santa Monica in a game that will decide the WSC South Division championship. Both teams are 5-0 in divisional play.

A victory would almost certainly give Valley, top-ranked in the state and in one national poll, an invitation to the Strawberry Bowl to face Long Beach (10-0), ranked second in the state and third in the nation. The Vikings finished the regular season and already agreed to play in the game.

It also would give Santa Monica, which defeated Moorpark last week, second place outright in the division and the opportunity to play host to the WSC Bowl, probably against Hancock. That would exclude Moorpark from postseason competition.

If Santa Monica, ranked ninth in the state, upsets Valley, the Monarchs might meet Modesto (9-0) in the Graffiti Bowl. Modesto, which plays host to the game, is ranked third in the state.

But even with a loss to Santa Monica, the Monarchs could still be pitted against Long Beach because the Vikings are committed to the Strawberry Bowl and Modesto apparently wants to stay home. Only San Bernardino Valley (9-0), one of four undefeated teams in the state, seems to have a chance of spoiling the Valley-Long Beach matchup.

Ron Smedley, San Bernardino coach, said he would be interested in facing Long Beach in the Strawberry Bowl. The Indians will finish the Foothill Conference season at Desert on Saturday.

Whatever the case, the Monarchs will make their third consecutive bowl appearance. Moorpark is hoping to play in one for the eighth consecutive year.