Mike Stuart wouldn’t look away.Celebrating alongside his players on the field in a jubilant postgame mosh, the Moorpark College football coach’s gaze stayed fixed on the Citrus Cup trophy cradled in his arms — a trophy that had evaded him and his program for 17 years. Moorpark rebounded from an early 13-0 deficit to win the 58th Citrus Cup game in an overtime thriller, defeating rival Ventura College 28-27 on Friday, Sept. 19, at the Ventura College Sportsplex. It was the first OT game in the series’ history. “Usually, we go into the fourth quarter and it’s already decided,” Stuart said. “Tonight, it just felt different.”In the game’s final moments, Moorpark defensive back Elijah Becerril pulled down an interception on a Ventura 2-point try
in overtime that would have won the game for the Pirates. “I saw the quarterback flip his shoulders and I knew I had to get that,” Becerril said. “That’s mine.”
ELIJAH BECERRIL WINS IT FOR MOORPARK!
— VCStar CollegeSports (@vcscolleges) September 20, 2026
The interception seals the 28-27 victory over Ventura, Moorpark’s first in 17 years. pic.twitter.com/qmlGFfYzDZ
In the same stadium and on the same turf they played under Friday night lights, three former St. Bonaventure High defenders had game-changing interceptions in the rivalry classic. Ventura linebacker Jared Barlow picked off a pass from Moorpark quarterback Sirawn Evans and returned it 21 yards for the first score of the game. Safety Jeremiah Barrios had a pick-six in the third quarter that put the Pirates up 21-14, to go along with 11 total tackles, two tackles for a loss and one pass breakup.
Becerril anchored the Raiders defense with 10 total tackles, one sack for a seven-yard loss, one tackle for a seven-yard loss, two pass breakups and an interception.
The St. Bonaventure boys are balling for Ventura!
— VCStar CollegeSports (@vcscolleges) September 20, 2026
Linebacker Jared Barlow secures the interception and returns it for the score! Ventura strikes first blood, up 7-0 here with just over five minutes to play in the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/5cNtMHwHtr
"It was big for us, big for that Bonnie program,” Becerril said with a grin. “It was great, especially being the only one at Moorpark, coming away with the victory.”Ryan Schlunt Bodien, a star at Simi Valley High last year, had nine total tackles, one sack for an 8-yard loss and four tackles for a loss of 20 total yards for Moorpark (1-3, 1-0), which won the SCFA Northern Conference opener for both teams.The Ventura secondary played lights out, picking off four passes in the loss. In addition to a pick-sixes from Barrios and Barlow, sophomore cornerback Marcellus Brigham had two interceptions. “I have never, ever, had a game where it was 4-0 in the turnovers and (we lost),” Ventura College head coach Steve Mooshagian said after the defeat. “I have never experienced it.”Evans finished 24-for-42 passing for 307 yards, three TDs and four interceptions and a rushing TD. None of the sophomore quarterback’s plays were bigger than the go-ahead score in the first OT period, an 11-yard scoring strike to backup running back Anthony Garcia. Garcia came in after starter Demanie Bell, the former Westlake High star, was knocked out of the game with an injury.“They dropped eight and the running back just snuck out,” Stuart said. “This was his opportunity, with two guys down, he came in and made a great play for us.”
Evans finds running back Anthony Garcia for the score!
— VCStar CollegeSports (@vcscolleges) September 20, 2026
Moorpark leads Ventura 28–21 in OT. pic.twitter.com/RUnkZE6MBL
Ventura (2-2, 0-1) answered with a dazzling, 22-yard TD catch-and-run from freshman receiver Jude Walker, but the Pirates’ decision to go for two and the win proved costly. Becerril’s interception sent Moorpark players spilling onto the field to celebrate their first victory over Ventura in nearly two decades.
"I made the decision to go for two versus kicking it, and I made the decision to go for it on fourth down and 2, instead of kicking it again,” Mooshagian said. “I lost both of those choices.”Moorpark trailed 21-14 until late in the fourth quarter when Evans hit receiver Tristan Johnson over the middle for an explosive 64-yard TD that tied the game at 21-21. “That was the play we have been saving in our back pocket,” Stuart said. Receivers Ja’Tyrian Moore (eight catches, 85 yards, TD) and Johnson (four catches, 106 yards, TD) were key to the Raiders attack.Stuart credited offensive coordinator Tim Lomicka, a former Agoura High JV assistant, for the Raiders’ offensive gameplan. Lomicka was promoted to the coordinator role last week. “It was a gut feeling,” Stuart said. “The guy went out there and had cold, ice veins.”Ventura marched down to the Moorpark 6-yard line on the ensuing drive before attempting a field goal that went low. An illegal substitution by Moorpark moved Ventura half the distance to the goal line, but the ensuing scoring attempt by the Pirates was stuffed. As celebrations died down on the field, Evans said the Raiders were proud to be the team that snapped the losing streak — and the one that won it for Coach Stuart. “Coach has been putting work in. Long days, long nights at practice. Seventeen years in the making,” Evans said. “We started off rocky in the beginning of the game, I threw four picks, but hey, that’s how you rally back as a team. They never lost confidence in me. It just feels amazing to be the team to do it.”
Moorpark hosts Mt. San Antonio College, while Ventura visits Santa Barbara City College on Sept. 26.Dominic Massimino covers football for The Star. He can be reached at dominic.massimino@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcsdominic on Twitter and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Moorpark beats Ventura in OT for first Citrus Cup win in 17 years
