Football News
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Four Pirates Earn 1st Team All-SCFA, Duran Offensive PoY
December 19, 2024Ventura College quarterback Daniel Duran was a unanimous first team All-Southern California Football Association pick for the 2024 season and was named the SCFA Northern Conference Player of the Year in recent voting by the conference coaches. Wide receiver Jordan Farrar was also a unanimous first-teamer and running back Quran Gossett earned a first team nod as an All-Purpose player. Safety Zane Carter was VC's lone first team All-SCFA pick on defense. -
Pirate Football Prevails Late in Scooter's BBQ Beach Bowl
November 27, 2024In a season finale that had almost everything, the Ventura College football team captured the Scooter's BBQ Beach Bowl title with a last-minute touchdown, 39-33 over Long Beach Wednesday at the VC Sportsplex. Game MVP Quran Gossett surpassed 1,000 yards for the season by rushing for 175 yards, including the game-winning 12-yard scamper with 35 seconds remaining in the game. VC Player of the Game Ty Ely led the defensive effort with four tackles, a sack and 1.5 tackles for a loss.
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Pirate Football to Host Scooter's BBQ Beach Bowl
November 21, 2024The Pirate football team has one game remaining in the 2024 season. After their ninth straight season of at least seven wins, Ventura (7-3) will host Long Beach (6-4) on Wednesday Nov. 27 in the Scooter's BBQ Beach Bowl. Kickoff at the VC Sportsplex is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
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Pirates Come From Behind to Defeat Cougars
November 16, 2024The Pirate football team was down. After a two-game losing streak, VC trailed visiting Canyons 21-7 in the second quarter before the fire returned. Ventura scored 21 of the game's final 24 points, including a 62-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Duran to Tyler Woodworth with 2:25 left to play as the Pirates defeated the Cougars 28-24 in the regular season finale at the Sportsplex.
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Pirates Falter Late in OT Loss at El Camino
November 09, 2024The Pirate football team had Northern Conference-leading El Camino right where they wanted them, until they didn't. A pair of late VC turnovers helped lead to a 28-0 Warrior run in the second half as Ventura, who rallied to force overtime, could not turn back the tide in their 45-38 setback Saturday. Daniel Duran passed for 365 yards and gour touchdowns, and Quran Gossett ran for another 105 yards to lead the Pirates (6-3, 4-2). Jayon Farrar totaled 95 yards receiving and 109 kick return yards for Ventura.
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VC Football Falls at Bakersfield
November 02, 2024It turned out to be one of those nights for the Pirates. Despite 224 passing yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Daniel Duran and 110 rushing yards from running back Qu'ron Gossett, the VC football team could not contain Bakersfield on the road in their 45-27 setback against the Renegades. BC outscored Ventura 24-3 after a Pirate touchdown early in the third quarter, sending VC to its first conference loss of the year.
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Late Rally Lifts Ventura Past AVC
October 26, 2024The Pirates faced the classic trap game Saturday, hosting Antelope Valley a week after an emotional rivalry win over Moorpark. The game was not pretty, but the VC football team rallied late to defeat the Marauders 42-28. Daniel Duran passed for 20 yards and four touchdowns, two to Tyler Woodworth, and Quran Gossett rushed for 153 yards and a score to lead Ventura (6-1, 4-0) to the victory. Ty Ely and Spencer McKelligon lead the defensive effort with five tackles apiece.
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Pirates Make it 16 in a Row Over Moorpark, 37-12
October 19, 2024The Ventura College football team used a strong defensive effort and timely scoring in the second half to pull away from Moorpark 37-12 Saturday in the 56th edition of the Citrus Cup rivalry at the VC Sportsplex. The Pirate defense allowed just one drive of over seven plays against the Raiders, and created five turnovers, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. Jake Murphy ran 23 times for 155 yards and a touchdown to lead VC (5-1, 3-0) while Ty Ely visited the end zone twice on the ground.
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VC Football Pulls Away from Vaqueros
October 05, 2024The Pirate football team pulled away for a 34-10 victory over Santa barbara Saturday night. Quarterback Daniel Duran passed for 312 yards and three scores while running back Quran Gossett totaled 91 yards on the ground. Silas Kemp had four catches for 107 yards and a touchdown and Jayon Farrar had a pair of touchdowns in his three catches on the night. Brayden Beck had a 42-yard pick-six late to put the game away for state No. 9-ranked VC (4-1, 2-0).
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VC Opens Northern Conference Play with Victory
September 28, 2024In another chapter in the interesting series between Ventura and Allan Hancock in community college football, the Pirates defeated the Bulldogs 42-33 Saturday at the VC Sportsplex. VC was outgained in yardage by Hancock, 426-361, and the Bulldogs held a 13-plus minute advantage in time of possession, yet Ventura prevailed on the scoreboard in the contest between last year's defending Northern Conference co-champions.
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Duran Passes Ventura Past Cerritos
September 21, 2024VC quarterback Daniel Duran passed for 368 yards and four touchdowns and Silas Kemp grabbed five receptions for 151 yards to lead the Pirates to a 39-31 victory at Cerritos Saturday night. The Pirates scored 22 points in the third quarter to turn a 19-14 deficit into the road triumph. Quran Gossett rushed for 65 yards and Jake Murphy had 32 hard fought yards and a touchdown while Ryan Pimentel was a perfect 3-3 on PAT's and 2-2 on field goals. Zane Carter had eight tackles to lead the defense while Brayden Beck and Ty Ely each had seven stops.
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No. 6 VC Pushes No. 4 Mt. SAC in Road Tilt
September 14, 2024The Pirate football team, ranked No. 6 in the state, pushed No. 4 Mt. San Antonio for all 60 minutes before falling in a 22-14 road decision against the Mounties. Pirate quarterback Daniel Duran passed for 316 yards and a touchdown, completing passes to nine different receivers. and he ran for another score in the Top-10 heavyweight match-up. Shahid Wilson led the defense for Ventura (1-1) with 10 tackles, eight solo, including two stops for a loss in the game.
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Pirates Off to Strong Start With Win
September 07, 2024Looking more like mid-season as opposed to opening night, the Ventura College football team got off to a strong start Saturday with a 49-34 victory over Saddleback at the Sportsplex. Quarterback Daniel Duran passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns while running backs Quran Gossett and Jake Murphy totaled 119 and 105 yards rushing, respectively led the way while Zane Carter totaled seven tackles and had the highlight play of the night with an 80-yard pick-six for the state No. 7-ranked Pirates.
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VC Athletics 13th in California in NATYCAA Cup
August 12, 2024The Ventura College Athletic Department claimed its 14th Top-13 finish in 19 years, placing 13th in California in the 2023-24 all-sports National Association of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) Cup standings. Pirate Athletics totaled 106 points overall, besting its 105.5 points earned in 2022-23 that placed 12th. Ventura was also 17th for the second straight year in the Daktronics Cup Standings with two-years schools from California, Oregon and Washington.
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VC Lists 70 transfers to 4-Year Schools
August 01, 2024The Ventura College Athletic Department is proud to announce the transfer of 71 student athletes to four-year schools following their time with the Pirates. 48 of those transfers plan to continue their sport with 34 earning athletic scholarships. The VC class of 2024 will transfer to 48 different schools in 19 different states across the country. Additionally, 17 of the Pirate alumni have earned academic scholarships at their new schools.
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Pirate Football Transfers 21 from 2023 SCFA Finalists
July 22, 2024Ventura College football coach Steve Mooshagian has announced 21 transfers from the 2023 SCFA Finalist Pirate football team, four of whom were mid-year transfers. Among the transfers and signees, 12 are moving on to NCAA Division I and four to NCAA Division II. With the addition of these transfers, Mooshagian and his coaching staff have now helped 303 student athletes move on to the four-year level in his 13 years leading the Pirates.
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Mooshagian to be Inducted to CCCFCA Hall of Fame
March 06, 2024Ventura College head football coach Steve Mooshagian is set to be inducted into the California Community College Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame at a banquet on Saturday March 9 in Visalia. Through 13 seasons at the helm of the Pirates, Mooshagian is the winningest coach in program history with an overall record of 101-40 with nine Southern California Football Association Northern Conference titles and the 2018 SCFA title. Mooshagian has been a part of California community college football since he played at Cerritos College in 1977.
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VC Alumnus Watson Has Big Fumble Recovery in Super Bowl
February 12, 2024A former Ventura College alumnus had a huge play during Super Bowl LVIII Sunday. Jaylen Watson '18, a former VC All-American defensive back who now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, came up with one of the biggest plays in the Super Bowl, recovering a San Francisco 49ers fumble that led to a go-ahead score for Kansas City late in the third quarter.
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Lemus, Gillespie Named All-American for 2023 Season
December 18, 2023VC football offensive tackle Jakob Lemus and defensive end James Gillespie both were named first team All-American by the California Community College Football Coaches Association for their play during the 2023 season. Lemus, a first team All-Northern Conference selection and Gillespie, the Northern Conference Defensive Player of the Year also headlined the Region III All-California first team selections by the CCCFCA.
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Gillespie, James and Lemus Lead VC's All-SCFA Selections
December 11, 2023VC defensive tackle James Gillespie, along with running back Lamonte James and offensive lineman Jakob Lemus were all unanimous selections to the Southern California Football Association first team All-Northern Conference teams in a vote by conference coaches. Tight end Cody Hoffman and running back Jaylen Thompson also earned first team honors on offense while safety Zane Carter was named first team all-conference on defense.
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Ventura Falls in Southern California Final
December 02, 2023Another stellar season came to a familiar end for the Pirates football team as Ventura dropped a 45-26 decision to Riverside in the Southern California Football Association championship game Saturday at the VC Sportsplex. Quarterback Chris Irvin passed for 327 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Eli Aragon, who totaled 116 yards on 14 catches in the game. Meanwhile, the Pirates' running game was held in check by the Tigers, who ended VC's season for the third straight year and the for the fourth time since 2014.
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Pirates Run Past Fullerton into SCFA Final
November 25, 2023After a slow start, the Ventura College football team outscored previously undefeated Fullerton 27-14 over the final three quarters Saturday afternoon as the No. 3-seeded Pirates defeated No. 2 Fullerton 27-24 to advance to the Southern California Football Association championship game. Lamonte James had 255 yards from scrimmage, including 195 yards rushing with a pair of touchdowns, and Zane Carter ran an interception back for a touchdown in addition to a strong performance as VC's punter to lead the way.
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Pirate Football Back in SCFA Playoffs
November 16, 2023For the third straight season, and the six th time in seven seasons, the Ventura College football team have qualified for the Southern California Football Association Final Four Playoffs. VC (7-3), the No. 3-seed as the champions of the Northern Conference, will travel to No. 2 Fullerton (10-0), winner of the Southern Conference for a noon kickoff on Saturday Nov. 25. In the other semifinal, No. 1 Mt. San Antonio (10-0) hosts No. 4 Riverside (9-1) at 6:00 pm.
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Pirate Football Falls in Trap Game at Canyons
November 11, 2023Having already clinched a share of the Northern Conference title and secured a Southern California Football Association playoff berth, the Ventura College football team had a trap game at College of the Canyons Saturday. The Pirates fell into the trap, falling in a 21-19 decision to the Cougars, who were playing to secure a post-season bowl berth. VC's dynamic running back duo of Jaylen Thompson and Lamonte James combined for 240 yards rushing and all three touchdowns in the setback.
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VC Claims Conference Crown With Comeback
November 04, 2023With the Northern Conference title on the line, the Pirate football team came from behind to defeat El Camino 21-20 Saturday night at the VC Sportsplex. Ventura quarterback Chris Irvin completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Woodworth with 1:14 remaining in the game, and Ryan Pimentel provided the extra point for the winning margin against the Warriors. The win coupled with Canyons' loss at Bakersfield secured the conference crown and a playoff berth for VC with one game remaining in the regular season.
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James, Thompson Lead Pirates Past Renegades
October 28, 2023Pirate football's backfield duo of Lamonte James and Jaylen Thompson combined for 267 rushing yards and two touchdowns along with another 64 yards receiving, and quarterback Chris Irvin passed for one score and ran for two more as Ventura defeated Bakersfield 38-20 Saturday night at the VC Sportsplex. James ran for 167 yards and Thompson added another 103 as Ventura (6-2, 5-0) continued its unbeaten mark in Northern Conference play. Zan Carter had 11 tackles defensively to lead the Pirate defense.
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VC Runs Past Antelope Valley to Top of Northern Conference
October 21, 2023The Ventura College football team scored four rushing touchdowns while amassing 223 yards on the ground Saturday to defeat Antelope Valley 35-16 in Lancaster. Jaylen Thompson ran for 108 yards and a score while Lamonte James recorded 65 rushing yards on 13 carries in the Pirate victory. The VC win, along with a loss by Canyons, left Ventura (5-2, 4-0), ranked No. 10/11 in the state, alone atop the Northern Conference standings with three games remaining.
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Pirates Retain Citrus Cup in Spirited Battle at Moorpark
October 12, 2023In a spirited contest that was more competitive than in recent years, the Pirate football team retained the Citrus Cup for the 15th straight season with a 52-35 win over Moorpark at Griffin Stadium Thursday night. VC scored 14 points in the first five minutes of the game and never trailed in their 34th win in the 55-game history of the Ventura County rivalry. Lamonte James and Jaylen Thompson each racked up over 100 yards rushing and Chris Irvin passed for 285 yards to lead Ventura (4-2, 3-0).
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The Big Game is a Big Win for Pirates
September 30, 2023The 52nd edition of the Big Game turned out to be a big win for the state No. 18-ranked Pirate football team Saturday night. VC rang up 56 points on overmatched Santa Barbara for a 56-25 triumph to retain the traveling trophy for the eighth consecutive game and the 17th time in the last 18 meetings in the series that dates back to 1963. Spencer McKelligon led a strong defensive effort with 10 tackles, four solo, and quarterback Chris Irvin had his second straight 300-yard passing game for Ventura (3-2, 2-0).
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Pirates Outlast Bulldogs For Northern Conference Win
September 23, 2023Historically, it's almost never an easy game for the Pirate football team against Allan Hancock and Saturday was no different as Ventura outlasted the Bulldogs to claim a 32-28 win on the Northern Conference opener Saturday in Santa Maria. Chris Irvin had a solid day at quarterback with 307 passing yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner to Eli Aragon with 4:26 remaining in the game. Lamonte James rushed for 120 yards and Aragon caught nine passes for 137 yards and two scores.
