I'm covering the Rio Mesa at Canyon Country-Canyon high school football CIF quarterfinal tonight, so I'm far away from the Condor Center. But that doesn't mean I can't follow the three holiday tournaments taking playing across the county. I'm listening to the Ventura College men's basketball team play Antelope Valley, the No. 1-ranked team in California, at the Condor Classic at Waldcast.net. Ventura leads 35-27 at the half.

Playoff bound

The Moorpark College football team clinched its first berth in the fledgling eight-team Southern California regional playoffs with a home win over L.A. Pierce Saturday night. The pairings will be decided by the final coaches’ poll, scheduled for release this morning. The top eight teams qualify.

Here’s a look at how the Top 10 fared Saturday. I'll update these later as the 7 p.m. scores come in.

1. Saddleback (9-0) Def. No. 2 El Camino, 42-37
2. El Camino (8-1) Lost to No. 1 Saddleback, 42-37
3. Bakersfield (8-1) Played at No. 9 Hancock
4. Grossmont (8-1) Def. San Diego Mesa, 58-0
5. Moorpark (8-1) Def. L.A. Pierce, 43-7
6. Orange Coast (7-2) Played at Golden West
7. Victor Valley (8-1) Def. No. 11 Mt. San Jacinto, 20-14
8. Mt. SAC (7-2) Played at No. 16 Fullerton
9. Hancock (7-2) Played vs. No. 3 Bakersfield
10. Santa Ana (6-3) Def. Cerritos, 47-41 (4OT)

The Moorpark College football team leads Los Angeles Pierce 20-0 at the half at Griffin Stadium tonight, meaning the Raiders are 30 minutes of solid football away from their first berth in the Southern California regional playoffs.

Moorpark entered the final week of the regular season ranked No. 5 in Southern California. It needed to win to stay in the Top 8.

How old is potential Western State Conference football Player of the Year Cameron Merrill?

The 2000 Newbury Park High graduate, who was leading the WSC in passing when he tore a hamstring in a game at Bakersfield last month, was an original member of the Newbury Park Steelers when the Pacific Youth Football League was formed in 1993.

He is the only player from the league's first year still playing football.