The decision was even more frustrating for the Raiders because they were essentially 40 yards from field-goal range and a win, considering Derek Kirk has been nothing short of automatic as a freshman.

"It was set up perfectly," Moorpark quarterback Ben Conlin said. "I trust Derek anywhere on the field and the wind was at our back, too."

The St. Bonaventure High product leads the state in field goal kicking, with nine makes in nine attempts, including kicks of 46, 47 and 48 yards.

The kicking game is one place where 1-3 Moorpark has an advantage over unbeaten Ventura College in Saturday night 's 45th Citrus Cup game.

Ventura kickers Carlos Luna and Kevin Kircher combined to miss five field goals in Saturday's wild quadruple-overtime win over Bakersfield, including three potential game-winners.

"They've been good... They're not bad kickers," Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian said. "They just had a bad game... It was just one those games when nobody could make a kick."

Two of the five misses were blocked. Kircher, the designated kicker from distance, saw his low 48-yarder on the final snap of regulation batted down at the line. Luna's 20-yarder on the final snap of the third overtime was tipped at the line.

"The guy came through," Mooshagian said. "That was on the protection... He just got his hand on it and changed the trajectory of the kick."

Mooshagian said the two would continue to compete in practice this week.

"They'll be fine, Mooshagian said. "They've been pretty good most of the year."

Conversely, it was not a good night to be a kicker.

Both teams botched a pair of extra points. Ventura's Jalen Craver returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Ventura's Drek Reid returned a blocked PAT for a two-point conversion, which was a big play considering it extended the VC lead from three to five with 4:33 left.

Ventura's Carlos Luna did convert a 21-yard field goal.

Both teams struggled in the kicking game Saturday, each missing a pair of field goals inside 40 yards.

Ventura kicker David Brown missed a pair of 36-yard attempts from the right hash, bringing back memories of the failed game-winning attempt from 33 yards against Chaffey Sept. 25.

But despite giving punter Kyle Dugandzic a chance to kick a late extra point, Mooshagian said he will stick with Brown.

"It's not just the kicker, it's the whole group," said Mooshagian. "Snap, hold and protection."

"David Brown will be back kicking for us. He's made some good field goals for us. The further back, the better he is."

Moorpark also struggled as Jesus Tafoya missed from 33 yards on the final play of the first half and Shultis missed from 38 yards late in the third quarter.

Moorpark College football coach Jim Bittner has been saying his team just needed to get over "the hump" and win a ballgame.

That moment came with 3:29 remaining Saturday night when quarterback Zach Shultis arrived in a focused offensive huddle:

"We felt confidence from the week before, when we drove the ball down to the 1-yard line (on the last drive)," said Shultis. "When we got the ball back, everyone looked at each other in the huddle. You could just tell eveyoone was ready to go. Everyone looked extremely focused.

"I just said, 'Here we go. This is what's we've prepared for. This is what we're ready for.' "

"Everyone just went out and got it done."

Shultis completed a pair of third-down passes to star receiver Chris Gant, picking up 11 yards on third and 8 and 11 yards on third and 2. The sophomore also drew a personal foul on the second catch, pushing the ball half the distance to the goal, to the Hancock 9-yard line.

"They played a corner right on him and safety over the top," said Shultis of Gant, who leads the state in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdowns. "He's just a phenominal athlete and a great route runner. It makes the job of a quarterback a lot eazier when you've got a receiver who you can trust on every play."

Three plays later, Shultis-the-quarterback turned Shultis-the-kicker as the Thousand Oaks High product faced down a game-winning 21-yard field goal. .

"It is kind of weird," said Shultis. "I had never even attempted a game-winning field goal before."

Longsnapper Kurtis Rawls and holder Jerry Henry offered words of inspiration.

"I just trusted them," said Shultis. "The offensive line blocked great and made my job a lot easier."

There can't be a more agonizing way to lose an unlucky 13th straight football game.

Having battled back from 31-14 and 38-21 down in the third quarter, the Moorpark College football team was on the cusp of winning its first game in nearly two years Saturday night, until its potential game-winning, 17-yard field goal sailed inches wide as time expired.

And that wasn't the toughest part of the 38-36 loss.

Two plays before the fateful boot, Raiders running back Matt Gentle scored a touchdown on second-and-goal that was marked short of the goal line by officials.

"I saw the hole and dove up in there," said Gentle. "I guess the whole pileup confused the refs a little bit, but I was in there."

Sleep has been replaced this week by an endless loop as the sophomore replays the series of downs over and over in his head.

"I feel like the missed field goal was my fault," said Gentle. "I should have got in without a doubt."

Moorpark head coach Jim Bittner refused to criticize officials, but confirmed that the game film revealed Gentle clearly got into the end zone.

"There were a lot of things that happened in the game that shouldn't have," said Bittner. "It was truly a good game. We really deserved to win the game, but we didn't. That's one of the lessons you learn in sports."

Yet the Raiders feel the result isn't a loss, but a team that's come together.

"The chemistry is way different than last year," said receiver Chris Gant. "We don't have little groups. We're starting to come together as a family."

"The biggest thing to come out of this is they really jelled as a team," added Bittner. "They played well, especially the second half of the game."