Exemplary Effort Both Ways Helps Ventura Stay Perfect

Timely defense and big gains by running back Travis Rogers carried Ventura College to a 33-29 victory over Glendale in a Western State Conference Northern Division opener Saturday night at Ventura High.

Rogers, a freshman and the state’s rushing leader, ran for 246 yards and two touchdowns--including a 41-yard run with 10 minutes to play that capped the scoring in a game in which the lead changed hands six times.

Yet, it it was the Pirates’ defense, which entered ranked No. 1 in the WSC, that made enough key plays to keep Ventura undefeated after five games.

Ventura turned two fumble recoveries into 14 third-quarter points after trailing, 14-12, at halftime.

In the fourth quarter, Ventura’s Torrance Heggie deflected a Glendale punt out of the end zone to pull the Pirates to within 39-27. With six minutes to play, Ventura’s Bobby Bass blocked Ed Melgar’s 33-yard field-goal attempt.

Finally, safety Marcus Hill bearhugged Glendale’s Steve Hass at the Pirates’ six-yard line as time expired after Hass caught a Hail Mary pass from quarterback Mike Frost.

Frost threw four touchdown passes, completing 13 of 25 for 246 yards.

Glendale (1-4), with the WSC’s No. 1-ranked offense, rolled up 421 yards--including 165 rushing yards by sophomore Darrell Durham.

“Man, we can’t have these kind of finishes,” Hill said. “I wouldn’t say our defense saved us. Our offense stepped up tonight and saved us.”

Rogers’ 27-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter gave Ventura a 19-14 lead. The score came two plays after Ventura’s Luis Espino forced Frost to fumble and recovered at the Glendale 20.

Brian Shubin gave Ventura a 25-14 lead with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Reco Caudle late in the quarter. The score came four plays after Danny Queseda recovered a Durham fumble at the Glendale 37.

“I wouldn’t say it was our defense or our offense,” Ventura Coach Terry Morris said. “We didn’t play well. But I think we are finally a team that can make some mistakes and still win.”

Frost gave Glendale a 7-3 lead in the first quarter with a one-yard pass to a leaping Paul Smith.

Ventura took a 9-7 lead when its next drive stalled at the Vaqueros’ 16 and Paul Czerniak lined up for a 34-yard field-goal attempt. Holder Tico Freeman fielded a bouncing snap and ran around right end for a touchdown.

Glendale reclaimed the lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Frost to Chad Heydorff with 30 seconds left in the half.

Ventura closed to 14-12 on a 30-yard field goal by Czerniak as the half expired. The play was set up by a 32-yard completion from Shubin to Domenic Delillio.