Pirates Retain Citrus Cup at Moorpark

The Pirate football team retained the Citrus Cup for the 17th straight game Saturday wit a 52-38 win at Moorpark. Back-up quarterback Braesen Leon passed or 388 yards and four touchdowns and went on a 40-yard scamper for another score to lead the effort offensively while Marcellus Brigham had nine solo tackles and Mason Coso had a 45-yard interception return to paydirt for the Pirate defense.

After starting quarterback Devin Tate was injured on the first play of the game, Leon came in and did not skip a beat, leading the Pirates on a pair of scoring drives to bookend the first quarter. His touchdown passes of 28 yards to Elijah Davis and 56 yards to Tayvion McCoy, respectively, gave VC a 14-0 lead after 15 minutes of play.

The Pirate onslaught continued early in the second period when Coso picked off a pass and scampered 45 yards to paydirt for another score. Bodie Ing's third straight PAT kick put Ventura ahead 21-0 with 12:07 remaining in the first half.

The Raiders finally got on the board on the ensuing drive to make it 21-7 and a Jaxon Arrington interception led to a 40-yard scoring run by Leon for a 28-7 margin.

Moorpark answered with another touchdown before Ing made a 23-yard field goal set up by a 55-yard pass from Leon to Ryan Gillum just before the half. The Pirates led 31-14 at intermission.

Angeles Faataape intercepted a Moorpark pass on the Raiders first possession of the second half, leading to another touchdown strike from Leon, this one 22 yards to McCoy. The Lead stretched to 24 points, 38-14, with 11:06 on the clock in the third period.

Moorpark put together three unanswered touchdowns, two with unsuccessful PAT's to close to within 38-33 with 12:26 left to play. 

Leon's 55-yard touchdown pass to Silas Kemp at the 2:56 mark of the final stanza righted the ship and Koen Glover's 43-yard scoring run with Ashley McMichael's PAT put the cup on ice a minute later.

McCoy led the Ventura receivers with 124 yards and two touchdowns on five catches while Kemp totaled 96 yards on six receptions with a score. 

Nick Duffy totaled six tackles on the defensive side of the ball and Easton Baker totaled five stops.

Ventura (4-0, 1-0), No. 5 in this week's state rankings,  continues Northern Conference play on Saturday Sept. 27 with a home date in the Big Game against Santa Barbara. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 pm at the Sportsplex.