With the most difficult football season in school history finally in the rearview mirror, the Moorpark College football team nears a fork in the road.

Coming off the first 0-10 season in school history, the Raiders can elect to remain in Southern California Football Association's top tier, the National Division, over the next two seasons or choose to step down into the lower tier, the American Division.

Schools have until Nov. 30 to make their appeal to the SCFA's competition committee, according to commissioner Jim Sartoris. Moorpark coach Jim Bittner said he would meet with athletic director Howard Davis next week to discuss the future of the program.

Asked his opinion, Bittner gave arguments for both sides before saying, "If I have the final word, we're going to stay (in the top tier) and fight."

"Recruiting is going to be a tough, tough thing (after going 0-10)," said Bittner. "But I sort of like staying where we are because at least I know the opponents.

"We have to make a quick decision."

The lower tier may seem perfect for a program on a school-record 11-game losing streak, but Moorpark, behind record-breaking quarterback Ian Shultis, was competitive to the bitter end of a winless season, tied 20-20 in the fourth quarter of losses at Pasadena City and Glendale and taking possession twice in the final four minutes of Saturday's Citrus Cup loss to Ventura with a chance to beat rival Ventura.

Plus, the talented freshmen who weathered the 2009 season would give the Raiders a fighting chance to win in 2010 as hungry, battle-hardened sophomores.

"Personally, I feel like we can compete against the teams that we played this year," said Shultis, the Thousand Oaks High product who broke nearly every Moorpark passing mark as a freshman. "I know our record shows that we didn't have the best season, but... I want to play the best teams out there and I want to stay in this league."

The SCFA competition committee reviews the schools' appeals and makes a reconferencing recommendation to Sartoris, who will make a final decision early next year.

"We just have to see who applies to move either up and down," said Sartoris. "Besides records, the competition committee is going to look at a lot of things, like the history of the program, the number of people on rosters, the number of full-time coaches

"There's a lot of inequities between our colleges and the main goal is to create competitive balance."

With that in mind, the coaches association disbanded the traditional conferences to create the two-tiered SCFA, modeled on the three-tiered structure in Northern California, before the 2008 season. This is its first round of reconferencing.

Moorpark has won 12 Western State Conference titles, made 17 postseason appearances and is just two years removed from perhaps the best two-year period in school history, when the Raiders won 19 games and made consecutive appearances in the Southern California regional playoffs.

"They have a great tradition there," said Sartoris.

Moorpark already decided to suspend its tradition-laden wresting program in August. If Moorpark did step down into the American Division, it would look like a match for the Pacific Division, which features local rivals Los Angeles Pierce and Valley. Pierce went on to win the division this fall after beating Moorpark for the first time in 25 years, 37-20, Sept. 5.

The nine losses have been a variety pack, from the early runaways to the late fourth-quarter breakdowns and tough breaks.

The Moorpark College football team is now down to its final swing, with cross-county rival Ventura looming as the willing executioner.

A win over the Pirates in the 42nd Citrus Cup game at Griffin Stadium tonight at 6 is the only escape the 0-9 Raiders have from their first winless season.

Moorpark has lost 10 straight games and 14 of its last 15 dating back to Sept. 2008.

"We've never gone into this game feeling like we couldn't win it," said Moorpark quarterback Ian Shultis. "We're just focused right now on winning this next game."

Shultis can break Farhaad Azimi's 10-year-old school mark for passing yards in a season with 343 yards. He's thrown for more than 300 yards in four of his six starts, including the past three, and has speedster Justin Bradley back from injury to go alongside Chris Gant, who leads the state with 13 touchdown receptions.

"I have great respect for their two wide receivers and their quarterback is very good at getting rid of the ball fast," said Ventura coach Jon Mack.

Suffering from a series of injuries to its powerful defense, including cornerback Travaun Nixon, linebacker Brenden Daley and defensive lineman Derrick Clune, Ventura (6-3) missed its chance for its first berth in the eight-team Southern California regional playoffs with consecutive losses to first-place Bakersfield and second-place Hancock.

"You never want to accept defeat and never want to feel good about losing but I was very proud with the effort of our football team showed last week and the character we showed it," said Mack. "I'm very proud of this team and what we've accomplished this year and the direction that the program is heading."

Mack's general assessment of the injury situation was "it's better."

"Instead of five guys watching practice who weren't going to be able to play, we have five guys watching practice we hope are able to play," said Mack. "But nothing is the same as live reps. Two weeks of inactivity is going to be difficult to overcome."

If the injured players aren't able to go, Ventura can fall back to freshman defensive linemen Tyler Williams and Taylor Ramsey, both of who played well in relief against Hancock.

While Mack has been worried about injuries, Moorpark coach Jim Bittner has been kept up at night by visions of Ventura quarterback Antavius Sims.

"That quarterback of theirs is a real pain," said Bittner. "He's a bigger threat when he pulls it down and runs with it than when he throws it, and he can throw it pretty good.

"We're worried about him."

Bittner has been surprised at the resiliency of his team, which was tied 20-20 in the fourth quarter in each of the past two games at Pasadena City and Glendale, only to stretch the losing streak on bad breaks.

Pasadena won 27-20 on an offensive fumble it recovered in the end zone while the Glendale game turned on a deflected interception.

"I think what happens with our guys, they've been in this thing and they give it a shot and something bad happens and we sort of fall apart," said Bittner. "Bad things happen in football games. You just have to play."

Yet the 54 remaining Raiders have come to practice each week to work towards that first win.

"You'd think they'd be despondent, but they're working hard," said Bittner. "They're doing everything we asked them to do. I just have to give them a different speech each week."
This week's planned inspiration?

"You can do something special here," said Bittner. "You can upset a pretty good football team and an archrival."

While deflecting history.

The Moorpark College football team's seven-game losing streak will be tough to snap today against No. 8 Hancock (6-1) at Griffin Stadium.

Moorpark (0-6) features the most porous run defense in Southern California. It allowed 404 rushing yards in a 52-14 loss at Bakersfield last week, which allowed the Renegades to pass Hancock as the region's top rushing team.

"They're just going to come right at us," said head coach Jim Bittner. "I'm hoping they'll throw a pass.

"What's been happening to us is tackling. We meet people at the point of attack, but the ballcarriers run through them. It's a matter of wrapping up. That's been our major problem."

Moorpark has lost 11 of 12 games since Sept. 27, 2008. Its lone win came in double overtime, 51-44, against Glendale on Nov. 8.

The Raiders are down to 64 players and only seven offensive linemen.

But there is hope that Moorpark will welcome back two of its best players, running back/linebacker Jerrell Holland and receiver Justin Bradley, in the upcoming weeks.

"Jarrell, he may be able to play later in the season, same with Justin," said Bittner. "(Bradley) does look 100 percent, so he might be able to go this game.

"With those two guys in the lineup, we're a much better football team. You're just afraid to play them too early, in fear of losing them (for the season). I'm trying to fight that temptation."

Moorpark has actually been very effective throwing the ball. Quarterback Ian Shultis has had a very productive freshman campaign, connecting with Chris Gant for eight touchdowns. Shultis found tight end Chris Hussey for several key first downs when the game was still in doubt at Bakersfield.

"Actually, we've had some good days of practice this week," said Bittner. "We're going to have a little bit of luck one of this days.

"I'm trying to find the positive in this season."

Just when it looked like the Moorpark College football team was turning around its season, things have taken another tough turn.

First, Moorpark fell to 0-5 for the first time in school history with a 31-17 loss to visiting Canyons, despite pushing the Cougars 10-10 in the fourth quarter Saturday night at Griffin Stadium.

Then, the Raiders lost one of their best players, running back and linebacker Jerrell Holland, who injured a knee while running over a defender in the fourth quarter.

"Holland gave us a little more of a big back type of a running back," said coach Jim Bittner. "I think we lost him for the season. Things have been going from bad to worst."

A two-year starter at linebacker, Holland, the younger brother of Oregon receiver Jamere Holland, began running the ball for the first time since his days at Taft High.

"The guy is an amazing athlete," said Bittner.

The Moorpark College football team will make its second straight trip to Orange County Saturday for an afternoon game at Santa Ana College.

The Raiders hope this trip is less painful than Saturday's 70-14 loss at No. 4 Fullerton, which saw the Hornets break their 42-year-old record for points in a game.

Fullerton's 70 points were the most by a Moorpark opponent since a 73-40 to West Los Angeles in Sept. 1984.

"Their coach actually apologized to me," said Bittner. "I said, 'Hey, it's not your fault. You have to play the game.' "

Bittner continues to be optimistic despite the 0-3 start.

"I know that we can play," said Bittner. "We play for a while and then we stop playing.

"We're not being pushed around physically. We're just making small mistakes."

Moorpark College defensive back Evan Yabu, whose injury in the opening game last year really shook up the Raiders secondary, was moved to the offensive backfield this week.

"We moved Yabu to running back," said Moorpark coach Jim Bittner. "He gives us a little more speed and we need that right now. The running back position is hurting. We're really looking for help there."

Yabu's move was just one of several positional switches this week as 0-2 Moorpark looks for a winning combination.

"We just haven't found the players yet," said Bittner. "We're in that process."

With 197 wins as head coach of Moorpark College, Jim Bittner is Ventura County's winningest football coach at any level.

He has seen plenty of football. He's been coaching at Moorpark since 1973 and coached for years at Oxnard High prior to moving east.

But this season may be the biggest test of his coaching career. His young Raiders have dropped their first two games and now face a six-game stretch in which they play six of the Top 16 teams in Southern California.

"It's a gauntlet," said Bittner. "If you really want to get killed, these teams will be more than happy to deliver. You better step up and fight for your life."

Moorpark opens the stretch Saturday afternoon against No. 4 Fullerton, which features the top-ranked defense in the region.

"It's a challenge, the biggest challenge I've had I think since I've been coaching," said Bittner, who is in line to coach in his sixth decade next fall. "If I can wake this team up, they're going to be pretty good. But they have to got to start believing it its talents.

"There's not been much difference between us and the rest of the teams. We've just been not playing with the type of energy that we have to play with."

Moorpark College football coach Jim Bittner and the rest of the Raiders' coaching staff has been hard at work correcting the mistakes made in Saturday's season-opening 37-20 loss to Los Angeles Pierce, which included five turnovers, sloppy run defense and a scoreless second half.

"I went over... how you win a football game," said Bittner. "You don't turn the ball over, you don't make mental mistakes and you give maximum effort.

"We only got one of those things Saturday, the effort."

Bittner said the game made better watching from the couch than from the sidelines.

"It was a lot better," said Bittner. "We just had a couple real bad decisions made by quarterbacks, one malfunctioning offensive lineman... They are things that can be fixed.

"We think we can get all that cleaned up."

Bittner called Saturday's visit by West Los Angeles a "must win."

"We cannot afford to create a losing streak," said Bittner.

Especially since West L.A. is followed on the schedule by five of the Top 11 teams in this week's Southern California coaches poll.

Tailback Dan Mosier, slowed by injury for nearly a month, returned to form, running for 127 yards and two touchdowns, but the Moorpark College football team still dropped its third straight game, 40-22, to Hancock College Saturday night at Righetti High in Santa Maria.

Moorpark (3-4) led 22-19 at halftime behind Mosier scoring runs of 8 and 10 yards, plus a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Donald Senegal to Nathan Largen.

But the Raiders were outscored 21-0 in the second half to drop to 0-3 in the Northern Conference.

"We were up by a couple points at the half," said Moorpark coach Jim Bittner Sunday. "The fog came in and they just blasted us.

"They just out-physicaled us. They wanted it a little bit more than we did."

Diondre Bryant ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns and Thomas Sua and quarterback Eric Anderkavich also ran for scores as the Bulldogs (5-3) improved to 2-2 in conference play.

Hancock rolled up 345 yards rushing on 54 carries, good for 6.4 yards per carry.

"They just ran the ball right down our throat," said Bittner. "They went double tight (end). It was the second week in a row we saw that.

"We have to be able to stop the run."

In its previous game, Moorpark allowed 366 yards rushing in a 30-0 loss to Bakersfield.
Moorpark quarterback Donald Senegal completed 17 of 31 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.

"Mosier did a good job and we also had a better job from our quarterback also," said Bittner.

"We had some dropped balls that were touchdowns. He was putting the ball on the money."

Moments after the Moorpark College football team's loss at Canyons Saturday night, head coach Jim Bittner was already worried about the next opponent.

Old foe Bakersfield had started 1-4 and Bittner didn't want to face the Renegades this weekend with a 1-5 record.

"Bakersfield is going to beat the hell of out somebody and I don't want it to be us," said Bittner, laughing.

Which means Bittner must have been "relieved" to hear that Bakersfield beat Hancock, 34-17, Saturday.

In facing 5-0 College of the Canyons Saturday night, the Moorpark College football team just may be up against the top running back and wide receiver in the state.

The Cougars feature RB Fred Winborn and WR Hayo Carpenter.

we've been in a lot of big games over the years.

Vc football hour
Jim bitnter, moorpark college

Canyons' offense

"They are both fantastic players," said Moorpark coach Jim Bittner. "They run through tacklers and they run by tacklers.

"They have a lot of weapons."

The dynamic duo are first and third in Southern California in all-purpose yardage per game. Carpenter (34 rec., 613 yards, 8 TDs) is averaging 188.4 yards per game, while Winborn (50 att., 465 yards, 4 TDs) is averaging 171.7 yards per game.

(Of course, Moorpark's Dan Mosier sits between the two Cougars at 173.7 ypg.)

"They're definitely very talented athletes," said Canyons coach Garrett Tujague of his duo. "But one of the things that we try to do here is get our kids to understand what it is we're trying to do... When you watch us, you'll see Hayo or Fred talking to the younger players."

However, Winborn has sat out two of the Cougars' past three games. Tujague said that he will definitely be in the lineup Saturday.

"It's not necessarily an injury issue," said Tujague. "We just want to make sure he's ready. He got a little banged up after Fullerton (two weeks ago)... He's fine.

"It's just the question, 'Do I take a risk in not letting him heal completely.' "

The title test comes early for the Moorpark College football team Saturday.

Despite being idle over the weekend, Moorpark (3-1) rose four spots to No. 21 in JC Gridwire's national Top 25 entering its showdown at No. 2 College of the Canyons (5-0) Saturday in the Raiders' SCFA Northern Conference opener in Santa Clarita.

"I don't know where they're ranked, but they're the best team we've seen," said Moorpark coach Jim Bittner.

A state and national championship contender this year, Canyons has been far and away the team of the decade among former Western State Conference programs, winning division championships for six straight years from 2000 to 2005.

Yet the Raiders have given Canyons some trouble during that span. Canyons' 44-game WSC winning streak from 2000 to 2006 fit snugly between two trips to Moorpark.

Ray Carmel's 95-yard kickoff return with four minutes left earned Moorpark a 31-26 win over the Cougars on Oct. 28, 2000.

Less than seven years later, Cameron Merrill threw for 358 yards and four touchdowns, including an 80-yard strike to Tony Washington and an 82-yard strike to Conrad Meadows, as Moorpark snapped the Cougars' WSC streak 35-28.

"One thing, we've never been intimidated by them," said Bittner. "We've always played them.

"We have an opportunity. Our only advantage is they've annihilated everybody."

Canyons leads the state in scoring, averaging 50.4 points per game.

Bittner said his players were in high spirits despite dominating Fullerton statistically. The game ended with Moorpark on the Fullerton 4-yard line.

"Kids are kids, they bounce back," said Bittner. "They're ready to go. I haven't told them how good Santa Ana is, but they're looking at tape, so they've pretty much figured it out.

The football season is giving Moorpark College coach Jim Bittner and his staff the cold shoulder.

The Raiders have suffered no less than eight serious shoulder injuries in three games.
Saturday's heartbreaking 16-13 loss to Fullerton was compounded by injuries to running back Danny Mosier, middle linebacker Miller Aupiu, defensive back Alex Tennyson and others.

"I've never seen anything like this," said Bittner. "It just may be a freak season or something. When you have eight shoulder injuries in three games, you start to wonder."

Moorpark (2-1) will probably be missing two of its starting linebackers when Santa Ana (3-0), ranked No. 25 in this week's JC Gridwire national poll, visits Griffin Stadium Saturday.

Tight end Aulama Lemalu and defensive end Ryan Whitman are two Raiders working at linebacker for the first this time this week.

Mosier, who gained 43 yards in a half after entering last week leading Southern California in rushing, is questionable Saturday.

Only Santa Ana, which featuring defensive end B.J. Bell, stands between Moorpark and a much-needed bye week.

"We're sort of piecing it together this week," said Bittner. "It's going to take some inspiration to get through this one."

Moorpark College football coach Jim Bittner met Fullerton College football coach Tim Byrnes on the Griffin Stadium turf before their game Saturday night and had this exchange:

"So far, so good for you guys, huh?" said Byrnes, referring to the Raiders' wild 51-48 win last week against West Los Angeles.

"Yeah, you thought it was gonna be easy for you guys tonight, didn't you?" responded Bittner, jokiingly.

Trailing for more than three quarters, the Moorpark College football team had to dig deep for its dramatic 51-48 win over West Los Angeles College Saturday afternoon in Culver City.

Which pleased head coach Jim Bittner.

"We know they're not going to quit," said Bittner. "That's a good sign. We can build on that."

Quarterback Donald Senegal, making his first college start, was perhaps more impressed with his teammates.

"We're always faced with adversity," said Senegal, "and we always get through it. This is the best team I've ever played on in my life. These guys, they're as tough as nails. ...
"This is going to carry us through the whole season. We're going to do some big things."

Click on the jump for the full box, which includes 223 yards rushing for Dan Mosier, 324 yards passing for Senegal, and more than 500 yards of total offense for West LA quarterback Rosenvall.

-- Star teammate David Lassen was in Culver City to watch the game, keep statistics and interview the players and coaches.

Sophomore Donald Senegal, whose two touchdown passes helped the Moorpark College football team open its season with a 28-17 win over Los Angeles Pierce last weekend, will start at quarterback Saturday at West Los Angeles College, according to coach Jim Bittner.

Redshirt freshman Tyler Roberson started the season opener and completed 4 of 10 passes. Senegal completed 6 of 8 passes.

"It's two things," said Bittner. "Tyler struggled last week and Donald performed much better. Donald has a little more mobility with this type of pressure defense.

"Tyler is still in our plans. But for this particular game, they could make it real hard on Tyler."

West L.A. runs a 1985 Chicago Bears-style 46 defense which puts as many as nine players in the tackle box. Senegal, who still fancies himself as a wide receiver, may be able to buy a little more time with his mobility.

Redshirt freshman Tyler Roberson started the Raiders' 28-17 win over Los Angeles Pierce Saturday night in Woodland Hills, but it was reserve Donald Senegal who finished it.

Senegal threw two touchdown passes less than a minute apart straddling the third and fourth quarters to provide the game-winning margin.

Moorpark coach Jim Bittner hinted Sunday that Senegal might start Saturday against West Los Angeles:

"Offensively, we struggled. Donald Senegal came in in the second half and played pretty well... Donald might have won himself a spot, although I'm not going to give up on (Roberson).

"They're different quarterbacks. (Roberson) is a stand-up thrower while Donald is a shifty guy."

(Moorpark's full box score is after the jump.)

The Moorpark College football team looked like the inexperienced team it is during Saturday night's 28-17 win at Los Angeles Pierce.

The Raiders used two touchdown runs by Danny Mosier and two touchdown passes by reserve quarterback Donald Senegal, one to tight end Aulama Lemalu and one to freshman Simeon McCrae, to get past the Brahmas.

Lemalu is a 6-foot, 250-pound tight end from Camarillo High. McCrae is the younger brother of sophomore running back Kyley McCrae. They are from Salem, Ore.

With more than 60 freshmen, the Raiders were counting on wins against two lower tier teams to open the season. But Saturday's opponent, West L.A., upset Northern Division rival Glendale, 20-13, last weekend.

"I was counting on West LA not being so tough and then they knock off Glendale," said Moorpark coach Jim Bittner. "I wanted a chance to improve a little bit until we get into the middle of the schedule... We're going to have to get better fast."

Bittner didn't like what he saw Sunday, when he watched West L.A. tape:

"It wasn't any fluke. That's the best West L.A. team I've seen in a long time."

The Moorpark College football team's season-opening 28-17 win at Los Angeles Pierce Saturday was dulled by an injury to one of its brightest freshmen.

Evan Yabu, a freshman from Thousand Oaks High, separated his shoulder after starting Saturday's game at cornerback.

"That was the only negative on the game," said Moorpark coach Jim Bittner, who didn't know when or if Yabu would return this season.