Megan McNally learned her role running behind Liberty Miller and Sarah Baxter at Simi Valley High.

So now that the sophomore has developed into the Moorpark College women's cross country team's frontrunner, she knows why it's so important for her to perform Saturday morning at the California Community College Athletic Association championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.

"You could always count on them being up there," said McNally of Miller and Baxter. "That's kind of what I feel like I have to do, always be there for my team."

McNally has been an ever-present for the Raiders this fall, repeatedly battling with Glendale's Grace Graham-Zamudio and Santa Barbara's Cecilia Instebo in the biggest races.

McNally, freshman Karla Vernola and sophomore Clarissa Wentworth have Moorpark, which finished second at WSCs and third at SoCals, in position to improve on last year's sixth-place state finish.

"We don't want to put too much pressure on ourselves," Vernola said, "but, at the same time, we know what needs to be done."

Orange Coast is the big favorite, but Moorpark will be competing with Glendale, DeAnza, Cerritos and others for a top-5 finish.

"It's always more fun to be the underdog," Vernola said.

"We just want to go in there and give it the best effort we can," McNally added. "Hopefully, it's second."

Ventura, which finished 12th at SoCals behind Danica Galvan's 26th-place finish, and Oxnard, which finished 20th behind Vannessa Martinez's 44th-place finish, will also be competing in Fresno.

"We all seem like we're ready to take on the challenge," Galvan said. "We're going to go up there and leave everything on the course."

With the regular season behind them and postseason brackets set, the two local soccer participants are spending the week readying themselves for knockout-style competition.

The No. 4 Oxnard College men's soccer team (14-2-4) is expecting an athletic, physical and organized opponent when it hosts No. 13 Orange Coast (11-5-4) in Saturday's regional quarterfinals at 2 p.m.

"They won't be easy to break down," Oxnard coach Ross Greaney said. "We'll have to be patient. We have to just manage the game well."

Until No. 10 Citrus (15-2-3) arrives at the VC Sportsplex on Saturday at 1 p.m., the No. 7 Ventura College women's soccer team (14-5-1) will bracing itself for striker Jasmine Williams, who has a school-record 17 goals and 10 assists for the Owls this fall.

"The playoffs is all about that one game," Ventura coach Steve Hoffman said. "Can we shut down their one star?"

When the fields were announced Tuesday, Oxnard avoided three-time defending state champion Mount San Antonio, who eliminated the Condors the last two seasons. Ventura's path to the Final Four, most likely, could include rematches with No. 2 Canyons, No. 3 Cerritos or No. 6 Cypress, three of the teams to beat the Pirates this season.

The men's basketball teams started strong over the weekend at the We Play Hard tournament in Ventura.

No. 4-ranked Ventura College is 3-0 for the first time since 2003-04 after winning the tournament for the first time by topping Orange Coast, No. 3 Saddleback and No. 10 Antelope Valley.

And the Pirates did so without a key player. Forward Najee Salaam missed the weekend with a foot injury. Several newcomers picked up the slack, including 6-foot-3 guard Ivan Dooley, who averaged 19.3 points; 6-4 wing Jaylin Airington, who averaged 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds; and 6-6 forward Anthony Mormon, who averaged 15.0 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Moorpark (2-1) showed promise by beating Los Angeles Valley and Pasadena City to win the consolation title.

Sophomore forward Sahdi Odu may be the Raiders' lone returner, but the Raiders have some outside shooting with guards Spencer Levy and D.J. Saul, a scorer in former Oxnard High star Matt Ramon and size with 6-8 Jordan Garrett and 6-6 Zach Davis.

Ventura opens the Irvine Valley tournament today at 4 p.m. against 2-0 Canyons. Moorpark hosts East Los Angeles (1-1) Saturday at 5 p.m.

The Moorpark College women's basketball team also looked strong Tuesday, when it opened its season with a 71-51 win over visiting Santa Monica. Twin towers Katie Lenik and Riley Abraham combined for 27 points and 17 rebounds.

Moorpark travels north for the Sierra College Summitt tournament Friday, when will face West Hills in the quarterfinals.

The only local team that has yet to tipoff its season is the Ventura College women's basketball team, which was ranked No. 2 in both the Southern California and state preseason polls behind defending state champion Mount San Antonio.

The Pirates get started Friday at 3 p.m. in the Vaquero Shootout at Glendale College. The opening matchup against Fullerton is a rematch of the 2010 state championship game.

The season has yet to start, but the Pirates already have a special honor this fall.

VC sophomores Hanna Burge and Eda Graham were both named to the 2011-12 Academic All-State first team last month. The Newbury Park and Ventura High graduates are two of the three members of the five-player team who earned perfect 4.0 GPAs last season.

Burge and Graham were honored from a pool that included 37 nominees who achieved at least a 3.2 GPA.

This isn't the first time a football coach has arrived at Ventura College and, inside three seasons, has the Pirates playing for the Southern California title.

Terry Morris arrived in 1996 with a disciplined, military upbringing and defensive background culled from his playing days at Texas-El Paso.

VC went from 1-9 in 1997 to 9-2 in 1998. In his third season as head coach, in 1999, the Pirates won nine games again and faced Hancock in the Southern California championship game at Nordhoff High.

"I think of how hard Travis Rogers always ran for us," Morris said. "I think of (fullback) Russell Farrar out in front. I think of how we had such a great, local offensive line that probably was undersized in a few positions that played their hearts out.

"It's about character. We were a take-your-lunch-pail to work team."

Thirteen years later, under third-year head coach Steve Mooshagian, the first 10-0 team in school history hosts a Southern California semifinals Saturday night.

The similarities are obvious to Morris.

"They bought in," Morris said. "That's one of the biggest things that we've got going on this year. The youngsters have bought into the package and the coaches that we have here. That's where I see similarities. The same character is out there."

Morris is the second-winningest head coach in school history, going 50-42 in nine seasons before being removed as head coach after the 2005 season.

He had settled into his second act at VC as the chair of the physical education department when Mooshagian drafted him back into the team after his first season.

"I'm very thankful for coach Mooshagian to look me up and ask me to come back and be a part of this staff," Morris said. "A lot of coaches won't do that when there's ex-coaches on the campus, but coach is trying to put the best product on the field. ... I'm having the time of my life again."

Mooshagian gives high marks to his second-year secondary coach.

"I'm a coach's kid," Mooshagian said. "I understand what it's like to be a head coach and have to go back and be an assistant. ... It's not an easy thing to do. You have to respect that. He's gotten back into it and he's done a great job since he's been back. His role has increased."

Morris has coached a secondary that is third in SoCal with 19 interceptions. Cornerbacks Drek Reid and Jordan Howard are both in the top 6 in the region in pass breakups. Safeties Lakeith Murray, Scotty Wong, Matt Arve and Melvin Tavares have all made game-winning plays to extend the winning streak. Reserves like Jalen Oats and Brandon Lockwood make the secondary the team's deepest position.

"It's one of the strongest positions on our team," Mooshagian said. "Terry's been a great teacher for our secondary guys. He's been through it, so he has a calming effect on the defense ... not just on the secondary, but the defense as a whole."

The defense that is in the top 5 in SoCal in points allowed (21.1), Top 10 in total defense (367.1 yards per game) and has allowed all but one opponent under their season scoring average is the product of an interesting coaching dynamic.

"It's a perfect blend of youth and experience," Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian said. "I will express myself when I need to, but I leave those guys alone. ... You've got to let them coach."

First-year coordinator Tyson Butler manages veteran position coaches Ted Lawrence (defensive line), Gary Anglin (linebackers) and Morris (secondary), who combine for more than a half-century of VC experience.

"It works for us," Morris said. "Coach Butler brings such an amped-up attitude. He tweaks things right and left that makes things even better. He brings a new view to it. ... He's going to become a great coordinator."

Anticipating a sold out Sportsplex Saturday night, Ventura College and Bakersfield presold upwards of 1,000 tickets this week for the SCFA Beach Bowl sponsored by Joe Kapp Real Estate.

The two schools finished 1-2 in home attendance last year. Bakersfield will be bringing a rooter bus and its band. Taking that into account, Ventura is encouraging fans to arrive early. It will open the gates at 4 p.m., an hour earlier than usual and about an hour after the expected end of the women's soccer playoff game against Citrus.

"Super Saturday," Ventura women's soccer coach Steve Hoffman said. "Football in the afternoon. Football in the evening, What more do you want?"

Under usual circumstances, a bye week for the final week of the regular season would just mean the Ventura College football season ending seven days early.

But this has been no ordinary season for the Pirates, who have finished 10-0 for the first time in school history, won the SCFA Northern Conference and clinched a berth in next weekend's Southern California semifinals.

"It's a three-game season right now," Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian said this week. "You're in the tournament. There's only six teams that get to do this throughout the state of California and we're one of them."

Mooshagian's team practiced Tuesday and Wednesday, spent Thursday in the gym and took the weekend off, ahead of Sunday's playoff pairings announcement.

"We should know who we're going to play at some point on Sunday," said the third-year Ventura head coach.

The SoCal playoff field will consist of the National Division's three conference champions, plus a wildcard team, and be seeded by the final regional poll.

No. 2 Ventura (10-0) has clinched the Northern Conference.

No. 1 Mount San Antonio (9-0) and No. 3 Riverside City (8-1) -- both 5-0 in conference play -- will determine the Central Conference champion Saturday at 6 p.m. with their showdown in Walnut, which will be broadcast by http://www.SoCalCollegeSports.com.

The Southern Conference is a mess. No. 6 Santa Ana (7-2), No. 7 Saddleback (5-4) and No. 9 Fullerton (5-4) are tied atop the standings at 4-1. Santa Ana, which owns the tiebreaker, can clinch the berth by beating Fullerton Saturday. Should Fullerton triumph, Saddleback can clinch the berth by beating Golden West. Fullerton will advance with a win and a Saddleback loss.

While much of the Pirates' coaching staff is schedule to scout the Mt. SAC-Riverside showdown Saturday, Mooshagian is planning on taking in Santa Ana-Fullerton in person.

"It'll be interesting to see how it plays out," Mooshagian said. "There are about six scenarios in play... We can't control it. I just hope there's no shenanigans involved."

The Mt. SAC-Riverside loser seems to have the inside track on the wild card berth, which is goes to the highest ranked non-champion in the final regional poll. But No. 4 Bakersfield (7-2) and No. 5 Citrus (7-2) could force their way into the discussion by beating Pasadena City (1-8) and No. 8 Los Angeles Harbor (5-4) Saturday.

An 8-2 Riverside and an 8-2 Bakersfield could make for a heck of a wild-card debate Sunday morning, considering, in that scenario, both teams would have lost to the same two teams -- Ventura and Mt. SAC.

Mooshagian is more concerned with what the bracket would look like if Mt. SAC loses to Riverside for the second straight year. Ventura would, most likely, ascend to the top seed, but might not get the benefit of facing the bottom seed.

SCFA bylaws say the seeding committee "may" reseed the field to avoid matching up two conference opponents. In that scenario, five-time defending SoCal champion Mt. SAC would visit VC next week, rather than a potential four-loss team.

"That's my only concern," Mooshagian said. "If we happen to be fortunate to make it through undefeated, then we should play the fourth seed. It shouldn't have to be manipulated so that Mt. Sac and Riverside don't play again."

As it enjoys its bye week, Ventura College football team's biggest issue may be the condition of its offense.

Just 275 yards from the school single-season passing record, quarterback Ebahn Feathers (bruised ribs) was knocked out of the season finale against Pasadena City and did not practice this week.

"We're waiting to see on Ebahn," Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian said. "We're taking it slow with him."

Which means backups Chase Smith and Brad Odeman, who have combined for 64 pass attempts this fall, are preparing to take postseason snaps.

"Obviously, you can't take away what Ebahn has done this season for us... with his huddle presence and leadership skills," Mooshagian said. "But we've got a nice situation in that we've got three quarterbacks that have all played in games."

Starting running back Victor Caro Jr., who was leading the team in touchdowns when he suffered a knee injury in the win at Canyons Oct. 13, hasn't seen the field since and isn't expected to return.

"Don't believe so," said Caro, who is scheduled for surgery Dec. 4.

With potential three quarterbacks, five running backs and eight receivers, Ventura will continue to play offense by committee.

"That's been one of the things that's been really good," Mooshagian said. "We've had a lot of all-purpose guys that have done a lot of things for us."

With a bye week followed by a trip to two-time defending SoCal finalist Cerritos, November was never going to be easy for the Moorpark College football team.

After starting the season with 65 players, the 2-7 Raiders will travel south for the season finale Saturday with a hearty group of less than 40.

"In all honestly, I think the guys that are with the program have a lot of enthusiasm," coach Will Thurston said. "Everyone is rested up and ready."

Moorpark needs a win to avoid the fourth season in school history with less than three wins.

"Everybody is disappointed that we're at this point of the year, obviously," Thurston said. "Each and every one of us had a hope that we'd have a real positive season. The record obviously doesn't indicate it."

The Raiders have had two weeks to mull over the 21-20 loss to Canyons Oct. 27, when it failed to convert a game-tying extra point in the final seconds.

Thurston called the moment "uncharacteristic," considering special teams has been such a strength for the Raiders this fall.

Ventura County has dominated Western State Conference soccer this fall.

A combined 19-0-5 in conference play, the Oxnard College men and Ventura College women both clinched WSC titles in the past six days.

The Oxnard men (13-2-4, 11-0-4), ranked No. 3 in Southern California and No. 7 in the state, clinched a share of its third WSC title in six years with a 4-1 win at Hancock Tuesday night.

One year after an undefeated WSC campaign wasn't enough to edge Santa Barbara City, sophomores like goalkeeper Osvaldo Vallodolid, fullback Estanilo Arevalo and midfield Victor Magana knew that every win was precious this season.

"We have a bunch of sophomores who have learned from painful experiences in previous years," Oxnard coach Ross Greaney said. "Everybody learned from the finish to last year and knew that going undefeated wasn't enough."

"I think enough of our players knew the importance of every point, to make sure it didn't slip through our fingers again."

Put in position by its 4-1 win over Santa Barbara City, the Ventura women (13-5-1, 8-0-1) finished the job Friday with a 5-0 bruising of Cuesta.

After losing five of six matches early against some of the best teams in the nation, including No. 1 Santiago Canyon, No. 3 Canyons and No. 4 Cerritos, the Pirates, ranked No. 9 in Southern California and No. 13 in the state, rebounded with a 12-game unbeaten streak.

"When you play the type of competition we played, it's certainly pretty tough," Ventura coach Steve Hoffman said. "We didn't really hide from anybody and that's why we're playing so well."

Both are ranked No. 15 in the national coaches polls.

Oxnard's free-flowing attack has been led by striker Travis Bowen (14 goals) and attacker Max Madrigal (six goals, 10 assists).

"There is definitely a respect and a respect in the way that teams will play us, putting players behind the ball and defend just for a tie," Greaney said. "It's good preparation for playoffs."

After it wraps the regular season up Friday against visiting Oxnard, Ventura should be a much more dangerous postseason opponent later this month than its seed would hint.

"You get everybody healthy and you can go on a run," Hoffman said. "We're ready to rock and roll. I don't know whether we'll be at home or on the road, but we'll be ready."

Oxnard needs a tie against cross-county rival Moorpark Friday to clinch the title outright.

"The result on Tuesday has definitely taken the pressure off of us, knowing that we've have some reward for the season we've had," Greaney said. "But I don't think anybody wants to share the conference title. We know the job is not totally done."

A big part of the resurgence of the Ventura College women's soccer team has been the goalscoring of striker Daisy Cardona.

The Buena High product committed verbally to the University of Oklahoma Monday

"This kid scores goals," Ventura coach Steve Hoffman said of Cardona. "Goalscorers are born. You can't create them."

An honorable mention All-American as a freshman, Cardona has 18 goals and 15 assists as a sophomore, scoring in all nine WSC games.

"That's incredible," Hoffman said.

Since falling in four sets at Santa Barbara City Oct. 17, the Moorpark College women's volleyball team has worked for its second chance.

A five-match winning streak has meant the Raiders (12-7, 7-1) will be playing for a piece of its fifth straight WSC North title Friday night when it welcomes first-place Santa Barbara (14-6, 8-0) to Raider Pavilion.

"At least we've put ourselves in that position," Moorpark coach Steve Burkhart said. "I feel good about the way we've been playing."

Running a non-traditional system that features three middle blockers, Moorpark has slowly improved throughout its schedule.

"It's been a slow evolution," Burkhart said. "This is a team you wish you had for another month."

Middles Gabriella Luciani, Taylor Susim and Brittany Sharpe also have to share outside and opposite hitter responsibilities.

"They all have a lot of different responsibilities," Burkhart said. "I thought this was the best we could do and that's what it took. It was kind of a learning thing for me, too."

Susim is second in the WSC with block assists (49). Outside hitter Amber Glaab leads the team in hitting (.223) and kills (183).

Matching up two conference foes in the first round of a 10-team postseason tournament may undermine conference play.

But Mark Schmidt didn't mind that the seeding committee pitted his Ventura College men's water polo team against WSC foe Los Angeles Valley in the first round of the Southern California regional playoffs today.

"It's familiar, it's nothing new," the Ventura coach said. "But, for my guys at least, it's not a bad matchup."

Ventura lost to the WSC champions twice, 11-10 on Sept. 15 and 10-9 in WSC play Oct. 17.

"We've got motivation to play Valley again," Schmidt said. "We lost to them twice by one goal each and both times we were pretty disappointed."

The winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup, hosted by Fullerton College at 3:45 p.m., gets top-seeded Golden West (23-0) Friday.

Western State Conference
Thru Tuesday, Nov. 6

MEN'S SOCCER
Conference Overall
Team W-L-T Pts. W-L-T
Oxnard 11-0-4 37 13-2-4
LA Mission 11-3-1 34 12-5-3
Santa Barbara 8-4-4 28 10-6-4
Santa Monica 5-6-4 19 9-6-4
Hancock 5-7-3 18 6-9-4
Glendale 4-8-3 15 4-13-4
Canyons 3-8-4 13 4-10-5
Citrus 3-9-3 12 4-11-4
Moorpark 2-7-6 12 2-8-9

WOMEN'S SOCCER
North Conference Overall
Team W-L-T Pts. W-L-T
Ventura 8-0-1 25 13-5-1
Santa Barbara 6-1-2 20 10-3-4
Moorpark 5-4-0 15 8-9-1
Oxnard 3-5-1 10 6-8-4
Hancock 3-6-0 9 5-10-2
Cuesta 0-9-0 0 2-12-1

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Northern Conference Overall
Team W-L GF GA W-L Pct.
Santa Barbara 8-0 24 2 14-6 .700
Moorpark 7-1 22 3 12-7 .632
LA Mission 4-5 12 17 9-8 .529
Ventura 3-5 11 17 4-15 .211
Cuesta 2-5 9 15 4-15 .211
Hancock 0-8 0 24 2-15 .118

MEN'S WATER POLO
Conference Overall
Team W-L W-L Pct.
LA Valley 4-0 12-9 .571
Cuesta 3-1 24-10 .706
Ventura 2-2 15-8 .652
Santa Monica 1-3 10-17 .370
Citrus 0-4 8-16 .333

WOMEN'S WATER POLO
Conference Overall
Team W-L W-L Pct.
LA Pierce 5-0 10-4 .714
Ventura 4-1 13-9 .591
LA Valley 3-2 17-8 .680
Cuesta 2-3 16-15 .516
Citrus 1-4 15-14 .517
Santa Monica 0-5 8-16 .333

CCCFCA Southern California poll
College Rec. Previous
1. Mt. San Antonio (9-0) 1
2. Ventura (10-0) 2
3. Riverside (8-1) 3
4. Bakersfield (7-2) 4
5. Citrus (7-2) 5
6. Santa Ana (7-2) 6
7. Saddleback (5-4) 10
8. L.A. Harbor (5-4) 9
9. Fullerton (5-4) 11
10. Hancock (5-4) 7
11. Southwestern (8-1) 12
12. Grossmont (5-4) 8
13. Mt. San Jacinto (8-1) 14
14. Canyons (4-5) 19
15. Santa Monica (8-1) 15
16. Cerritos (4-5) 13
17. Antelope Valley (7-2) 17
18. L.A. Pierce (7-2) 16
19. Palomar (3-6) 18
20. East Los Angeles (6-3) NR
Others: Golden West (3-6), El Camino (3-7), Orange Coast (3-7), San Bernardino (5-4).

CCCFCA State poll
College Rec. Previous
1. City College San Francisco (9-0) 1
2. Mt. San Antonio (9-0) 2
3. Ventura (10-0) 3
4. Riverside (8-1) 4
5. Butte (8-1) 5
6. American River (7-2) 6
7. Bakersfield (7-2) 7
8. Fresno (7-2) 8
9. DeAnza (7-2) 10
10. Citrus (7-2) 11
11. Santa Ana (7-2) 13
12. Siskiyous (9-1) 14
13. San Joaquin Delta (6-3) 9
14. Southwestern (8-1) 17
15. San Mateo (5-4) 12
16. Saddleback (5-4) 20
17. Mt. San Jacinto (8-1) 18
18. Hancock (5-4) 15
19. L.A. Harbor (5-4) 19
20. Fullerton (5-4) 25
21. Sierra (5-4) NR
22. Santa Monica (8-1) 24
23. Grossmont (5-4) 16
24. Diablo Valley (5-4) NR
25. LA Pierce (7-2) 21
Others: Chabot (5-4), Modesto (4-5), Canyons (4-5), Antelope Valley (7-2), Contra Costa (6-3), Cerritos (4-5), Sacramento (5-4), Hartnell (6-3), Sequoias (4-5).

Southern California Football Association
Northern Conference Overall
Team W-L W-L PF PA
Ventura 6-0 10-0 330 211
Bakersfield 4-1 7-2 288 164
Cerritos 2-3 4-5 273 200
Hancock 2-3 5-4 316 311
Canyons 3-2 4-5 282 339
Moorpark 1-4 2-7 194 292
Pasadena City 0-5 1-8 167 330

Last week's results
Bakersfield 56, Hancock 27
Canyons 38, Cerritos 36
Ventura 27, Pasadena City 14

This week's schedule
Moorpark at Cerritos, 7 p.m.
Hancock at Canyons, 4 p.m.
Pasadena City at Bakersfield, 4 p.m.

What figures to be a very competitive weekend begins at 9 a.m. this morning when the Western State Conference water polo championships opens at City of Ventura aquatics center.

"It's a pretty level playing field," said Ventura men's coach Mark Schmidt.

"It's going to come down to a couple goals here and there," Ventura women's coach Larry Baratte said. "It's going to be competitive and that's the way it should be."

After unbeaten WSC campaigns, the Los Angeles Valley men (12-9) and Los Angeles Pierce women (10-4) are the top seeds

The Ventura College men (15-8) are the No. 3 seed and faces No. 2 Cuesta (24-10) in the 12:45 p.m. semifinal.

"It's a little bit unusual to play them in the first round," Schmidt said. "I don't know if I've done that in a long time. But we typically know we have to play Valley and Cuesta, if we want to win a championship."

The Ventura men have won 11 of 12 matches since Oct. 10, the only loss coming 10-9 to Valley on Oct. 17.

"We're confident," Schmidt said. "We've been playing well. This is how you want to be playing going into the tournament... We feel like we have a chance."

The four-time defending champion Ventura College women (13-9) are the No. 2 seed and hosts either No. 3 Los Angeles Valley (17-8) or No. 6 Santa Monica (8-16) in the 3:15 p.m. semifinal.

"We're healthy, so I think we're ready to go," Baratte said. "We've had the bug bites, concussions and illnesses... We've had our share of distractions."

But the Pirates, who have enjoyed excellent seasons from sophomores like Olivia Barry and Emily Pinsky, have experience winning a title from the No. 2 seed. They achieved the feat a year ago.

"It's about them," Baratte said, "winning it for themselves and winning it for each other."

The championship matches will be held at Rio Mesa High Saturday at 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.

Conditions for Saturday's Southern California cross country championships should be much more conducive to running than the last time the teams gathered at Fairfield Park in Costa Mesa.

The temperatures, which are expected to be in the high 60s Saturday, approached triple digits during the SoCal Preview meet Sept. 15.

"Twenty people ended up going to the hospital," Moorpark coach Traycie Kephart said. "This should be much better."

All three local women's teams, Moorpark, Ventura and Oxnard, qualified for SoCals by finishing in the Top 6 at the WSC Championships. All three are aiming to qualify for the state championships, which is Nov. 17 in Fresno.

Moorpark, behind sophomore Megan McNally's third-place finish, was third at the preview event, behind favorite Orange Coast and defending state champion Glendale.

"I think everybody's healthy," Kephart said. "They seem ready... They're very positive and upbeat."

Ventura's Danika Galvan, who finished 22nd at the preview, has recovered from a kidney infection that kept her from running for two weeks last month.

"I think we're healthy," Ventura coach Tony Veney said. "We're pretty well rested... I just need one more solid race."

Oxnard, which finished 20th at the preview, needs to finish at least two places better to qualify for Fresno.

"We have to do some headhunting," Oxnard coach Geno Sharp said.

Oxnard's Andy Chavarin is the lone local male qualifier for the event.

Jon Roberts didn't expect miracles in his first season as Ventura College women's volleyball coach.

"It's been a very difficult year," Roberts said. "It is what I expected. But that expectation, versus actually experiencing it, those are two different things."

The Pirates may be 4-15, but they did win their third WSC North match Wednesday, when it swept Hancock to move into a tie for third place.

Ventura also won back-to-back matches last month, including a five-set comeback against Cuesta.

"It was great to see us play at that level," Roberts said. "It was great to see us hang in there against a very competitive Cuesta team. We had a great comeback. It was just a great win.

Ventura has been led by outside hitter Abigail Gallego, a freshman from Pacifica

"She's one we're trying to develop," Roberts said. "She's a very good passer, which one of the harder skills you teach."

Libero Justina Santos, who has filled the setters role, and hard-working outside hitter Inga McManus have also been important players.

"You always like to see that type of intensity and she brings that all the time," Roberts said.

The Ventura College football team (9-0) has gone on its school-record winning streak without the benefit of a bye week, which arrives after Saturday's season finale against Pasadena City.

That means the Pirates will have two full weeks between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs.

"The biggest thing for us over the course of the next two weeks is to make sure we don't beat ourselves up in practice," coach Steve Mooshagian said. "Since the Cerritos game, I have reduced hitting in practice and added more teaching drills. I think that's going to be a real positive.

"We've got a few guys beat up from the bumps of a grueling schedule, but I think we have a chance to be healthier than most."

Ventura linebacker P.J. Gremaud has earned SCFA Northern Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time in three weeks.

The sophomore from St. Bonaventure High had 15 tackles, including 10 unassisted, a half sack and also threw the key block on DeMaryae Williams' fourth-and-goal touchdown run for the game-winning points in the 31-24 win at Hancock.

Moorpark College earned the Special Teams Player of the Week award for the fourth time this season as Jeremy Lester joined kicker Derek Kirk and punter Alex Nelson.
The freshman from Simi Valley High blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown in Moorpark's 21-20 loss to Canyons.

Western State Conference
Thru Wednesday Oct. 31

MEN'S SOCCER
Conference Overall
Team W-L-T Pts. W-L-T
Oxnard 10-0-3 33 12-2-3
LA Mission 9-3-1 28 10-5-3
Santa Barbara 7-4-3 24 9-6-3
Santa Monica 4-6-3 15 8-10-3
Hancock 4-6-3 15 5-8-4
Glendale 4-8-2 14 4-13-3
Canyons 3-7-4 13 4-9-5
Citrus 3-7-3 12 4-9-4
Moorpark 2-5-6 12 2-6-9

WOMEN'S SOCCER
North Conference Overall
Team W-L-T Pts. W-L-T
Ventura 7-0-1 22 12-5-1
Santa Barbara 4-1-2 14 8-3-4
Moorpark 4-3-0 12 7-7-1
Hancock 3-5-0 9 5-9-2
Oxnard 2-4-1 7 5-7-4
Cuesta 0-7-0 0 2-10-1

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Northern Conference Overall
Team W-L GF GA W-L Pct.
Santa Barbara 8-0 24 2 14-6 .700
Moorpark 6-1 19 3 11-7 .611
LA Mission 3-5 9 15 7-8 .467
Ventura 3-5 11 17 4-15 .211
Cuesta 2-4 9 12 4-14 .222
Hancock 0-7 0 24 2-14 .125

MEN'S WATER POLO
Conference Overall
Team W-L W-L Pct.
LA Valley 4-0 12-9 .571
Cuesta 3-1 24-10 .706
Ventura 2-2 15-8 .652
Santa Monica 1-3 10-17 .370
Citrus 0-4 8-16 .333

WOMEN'S WATER POLO
Conference Overall
Team W-L W-L Pct.
LA Pierce 5-0 10-4 .714
Ventura 4-1 13-9 .591
LA Valley 3-2 17-8 .680
Cuesta 2-3 16-15 .516
Citrus 1-4 15-14 .517
Santa Monica 0-5 8-16 .333

CCCFCA Southern California poll
College Rec. Previous
1. Mt. San Antonio (8-0) 1
2. Ventura (9-0) 2
3. Riverside (7-1) 3
4. Bakersfield (6-2) 4
5. Citrus (6-2) 5
6. Santa Ana (6-2) 7
7. Hancock (5-3) 8
8. Grossmont (5-3) 6
9. L.A. Harbor (5-4) 10
10. Saddleback (4-4) 12
11. Fullerton (4-4) 13
12. Southwestern (7-1) 14
13. Cerritos (4-4) 9
14. Mt. San Jacinto (7-1) 11
15. Santa Monica (7-1) 18
16. L.A. Pierce (7-1) 19
17. Antelope Valley (6-2) 16
18. Palomar (3-5) 15
19. Canyons (3-5) NR
20. San Bernardino (5-3) NR
Others: Orange Coast (3-6), El Camino (2-7).

CCCFCA State poll
College Rec. Previous
1. City College San Francisco (8-0) 1
2. Mt. San Antonio (8-0) 2
3. Ventura (9-0) 3
4. Riverside (7-1) 4
5. Butte (7-1) 6
6. American River (6-2) 7
7. Bakersfield (6-2) 9
8. Fresno (6-2) 12
9. San Joaquin Delta (6-2) 5
10. DeAnza (6-2) 11
11. Citrus (6-2) 13
12. San Mateo (5-3) 11
13. Santa Ana (6-2) 17
14. Siskiyous (8-1) 16
15. Hancock (5-3) 14
16. Grossmont (5-3) 10
17. Southwestern (7-1) 22
18. Mt. San Jacinto (7-1) 15
19. L.A. Harbor (5-4) 20
20. Saddleback (4-4) 25
21. LA Pierce (7-1) NR
22. Cerritos (4-4) 19
23. Modesto (4-4) 18
24. Santa Monica (7-1) NR
25. Fullerton (4-4) NR
Others: Sierra (4-4), Diablo Valley (4-4), Palomar (4-4), Sacramento (5-3), Chabot (4-4), Sequoias (4-4), Contra Costa (5-3), San Bernardino Valley (5-3), Hartnell (5-3).

JC Grid-wire/JCFootball.com national poll
College Rec. Previous
1. Iowa Western (9-0) 2
2. Butler, Kan. (9-0) 3
3. Ventura (9-0) 5
4. C.C. San Francisco (8-0) 5
5. Mt. San Antonio (8-0) 6
6. East Mississippi (8-1) 1
7. Riverside (7-1) 7
8. Miss. Gulf Coast (8-1) 11
9. N.W. Miss (7-1) 13
10. NE Oklahoma A&M (8-1) 14
11. Butte (7-1) 15
12. Snow, Utah (8-1) 17
13. Kilgore, Tex. (8-1) 19
14. Arizona Western (6-1) 8
15. Navarro, Tex. (7-2) 10
16. Bakersfield (6-2) 16
17. Fresno (6-2) 20
18. DeAnza (6-2) 21
19. Hutchinson, Kan. (7-2) 9
20. San Joaquin Delta (6-2) 12
21. Nassau (9-0) 23
22. College of San Mateo (5-3), 18
23. ASA, N.Y. (8-0) 22
24. Citrus (6-2) 25
25. American River (6-2) NR
Others: Glendale (Az.), Copiah-Lincoln, Santa Ana, Siskiyous, Southwestern, Mt. San Jacinto.

Southern California Football Association

Northern Conference Overall
Team W-L W-L PF PA
Ventura 5-0 9-0 303 197
Bakersfield 3-1 6-2 232 137
Cerritos 2-2 4-4 237 162
Hancock 2-2 5-3 279 255
Canyons 2-2 3-5 246 303
Moorpark 1-4 2-7 194 292
Pasadena City 0-4 1-7 153 303

Last week's results
Ventura 31, Hancock 24
Canyons 21, Moorpark 20
Bakersfield 21, Cerritos 14

This week's schedule
Pasadena at Ventura, 6 p.m.
Bakersfield at Hancock, 4 p.m.
Canyons at Cerritos, 7 p.m.