Four Saturdays ago, a last second, 17-yard field goal fluttered wide by inches and the Moorpark College football team hit rock bottom with a sucker punch of a 13th straight loss.

Head coach Jim Bittner trudged to the middle of the field at Griffin Stadium and told Los Angeles Pierce head coach Efrain Martinez that he felt his team was snake bitten.

Martinez prophetically told Bittner not to worry, saying "You're going to win some games."

Moorpark has found its antidote, responding with its first three-game winning streak since 2007.

And Ventura County's winningest football coach, college or prep, is suddenly savoring every Saturday.

"Any win is treasured," said Bittner Tuesday. "You learn to treasure them when things like last year happen."

The veteran coach has gone from wondering if he'd ever celebrate another win to the cusp of a milestone. Saturday's win was the 199th of Bittner's tenure.

In 32 years under Bittner, the Raiders are 199-128-2 with 11 conference titles, 17 bowl appearances and, in recent years, two trips to the Southern California regional playoffs.

Bittner will attempt to join San Francisco's George Rush and Cerritos' Frank Mazzotta
among the state's active coaches who have hit the milestone Oct. 16, when the Raiders visit Antelope Valley.

"I haven't really given it much thought," said Bittner. "Whether it's 200 or 199 or 150, I don't really care. I just care about the next win. That's what I'm interested in."

"This team, I still don't know ho good they can be. If we make a few improvements as we go, I think we'll be able to compete for a championship. That's what I'm concerned about."