For the second time in three seasons, the Pirate football team has claimed the Southern California Football Association Northern Conference championship and a spot in the SCFA Playoffs. Ventura (6-3, 5-0) soundly defeated Allan Hancock College 48-20 Saturday at the VC Sportsplex to clinch the title with one game remaining in the regular season.
Ventura wasted little time in lettingthe Bulldogs know who was boss on this night, scoring on a 72-yard pass and run from Marc Evans to Chris Marshall on the second play from scrimmage. Jake Lanski's kick made it 7-0 for VC 42 seconds into the game.
Jalen Oats blocked a Hancock field goal attempt, and intercepted a pass on the next two Hancock possessions, and Lanski hit a 27-yard field goal late in the opening period as Ventura opened up a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
On the Bulldogs' next possession, Tanner Geiger blocked a field goal attempt, and Isaiah Jackson scooped up the ball, rambling 74 yards to paydirt. Lanski's kick opened up a 17-point Pirate advantage with 11:11 remaining in the first half.
AHC got on the board soon thereafetr, scoring on a 66-yard touchdown run, but the Pirates answered with an 11-play 75-yard drive punctuated by Aaron Stanton's one-yard run to the end zone. Ventura led 24-7 with 5:51 on the clock.
After punts by both teams, Hancock took a drive down the field, kicking a 36-yard field goal in the final minute of the half, but VC answered once again. Evans completed four passes, including a seven-yard scoring strike to Juan Soto, driving 69 yards in 34 seconds to post a 31-10 halftime lead.
Ventura recorded the only score of the third quarter, a 56 yard run by Paul Harris at the 9:05 mark, and Lanski's kick made it 38-10 headed into the final stanza.
After AHC scored a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter, Harris answered again, taking back the ensuing kickoff 37 yards, then scoring on the first play of the drive on a 59-yard scamper through the heart of the Bulldog defense. Lanski's 37-yard field goal at the 8:39 mark sealed the win and a late Hancock touchdown made the final score 48-20.
Harris led the VC ground attack with nine carries for 176 yards and a pair of scores while workhorse Stanton had 19 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown. The Pirates garnered 312 yards rushing in the game.
Quarterback Evans passed for 206 yards and two touchdowns, as nine different receivers caught passes for Ventura.
The Pirates will attempt to run the conference schedule for the second time in three seasons at Bakersfield on Saturday Nov. 15 with a 4:00 pm kickoff. They will then await their playoff seeding and bowl date for Saturday Nov. 22.
Head Coach Steve Mooshagian, who was hit with a post-game cold water bath by his team, addresses the Pirates following their Northern Conference title-clinching 48-20 victory over Allan Hancock College Saturday night. During Mooshagian,s five-year tenure at VC, the Pirates have now claimed two conference titles and four bowl game appearances.