JUNIOR COLLEGE GAME DAY / A Look at Today’s Key Matchups

JUNIOR COLLEGE

* HANCOCK (9-1) vs. VENTURA (9-1)

At Nordhoff High, 7 p.m.

The Western State Conference Bowl this time is the springboard to the state championship game. Ventura is top-ranked in Southern California in the junior college power rating system with 30.1 points, ahead of No. 2 Hancock by one point. The winner tonight advances to the state title game against a Northern California team on Saturday at Ratcliffe Stadium in Fresno. Ventura and Hancock were WSC Northern Division co-champions, but Ventura defeated the Bulldogs, 44-26, on Sept. 25. It is the second consecutive bowl appearance for Ventura after struggling for several seasons. The Pirates defeated West L.A., 23-14, in the WSC Bowl last season. Ventura features Travis Rogers, who was fourth in the state with 1,551 yards rushing, and Hancock has Doug Pazdan, the state’s top quarterback with a 174.0 rating. Pazdan passed for 2,304 yards and 26 touchdowns.

* CANYONS (7-3) vs. CHAFFEY (7-3)

At Chaffey College, 1 p.m.

The Southern California Community College Bowl is the second consecutive bowl appearance for each team. That’s an impressive accomplishment for Canyons, which brought back football last season after a 17-year hiatus. The Cougars were fourth in the WSC Northern Division and Chaffey placed third in the Foothill Conference. The offenses are evenly matched, with Canyons averaging 416.1 yards, Chaffey 415.1. Chris Kobe has 1,730 yards passing and 19 touchdowns for the Cougars. His Chaffey counterpart, Zach McWaters, has 1,551 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. Neither was a starter when the season began. Chaffey has a marked advantage on defense, allowing 253.3 yards per game, ninth-best in the state. Canyons is giving up 362.4 yards per game and has been vulnerable against the pass.

* SOUTHWEST (6-4) vs. MOORPARK (6-4)

At Moorpark College, 1 p.m.

No teams playing in Southern California bowl games have poorer records than Southwest and Moorpark. And this is called the WSC Classic? Moorpark is making its 12th consecutive bowl appearance . . . barely. The Raiders were left out initially, but a reshuffling of bowl participants later opened the door. Moorpark defeated the Cougars, 21-20, at Southwest on Oct. 23. The Raiders rallied behind a running attack spearheaded by Emmanuel Evans, who had 109 yards and one touchdown, and Bryant Phipps, who finished with 105 yards and one score. Moorpark is averaging 453.4 yards, among the best in the state, but is allowing 403.6 yards per game, among the worst. Farhaad Azimi of Moorpark has 2,280 yards passing and 23 touchdowns. Treveon Fulton has 961 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns for Southwest.