A bounce-back home win has the Ventura College football team feeling “Fresh.”
As in LaRevious “Fresh” Woods.
The sophomore running back, a transfer from Lindenwood University, rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries as the No. 8-ranked Pirates handled No. 5 Fullerton College on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Fullerton's Sherbeck Field.
“Fresh Woods,” said Ventura head coach Steve Mooshagian. “He was a man amongst boys.”
VC (1-1) piled up 547 yards of total offense, including 307 on the ground, as it rebounded from a season-opening loss to Palomar.
“I was proud of the players and coaches,” Mooshagian said. “We worked them hard. We had a physical bounce-back week. Because
we were embarrassed. That’s not what we do at VC.”
Woods ran for scores of 6, 1, 59 and Jeremiah Jackson added a fourth score on the ground as the Pirates (1-1) took a 26-10 lead in the third quarter.
“We took control from the very beginning,” Mooshagian said. “I didn’t feel like it was ever in doubt. I felt extremely confident in the way we were playing.”
Braden Graham completed 10 of 12 passes for 123 yards and a TD and Damon Wrighstar completed 10 of 17 passes for 117 yards
“I thought both quarterbacks played well,” Mooshagian said. “They both did what we asked them to do. They made timely plays and didn’t hurt us once, so their decision-making skills were good.”
Former St. Bonaventure High star Jeremiah Barrios, who starts at strong safety, had his first collegiate interception.
“He makes a lot of our checks for us,” Mooshagian said. “He’s really a smart, instinctive football player. I’ve been really impressed with what I’ve seen so far.”
After missing the first week with an injury, tight end Kaden Glover and edge rusher Angeles Faataape made their VC debut.
“It was nice to get them back,” Mooshagian said.
The Pirates, who visit 2-0 Bakersfield on Saturday, Sept. 12, are still waiting on injured receivers Jack Cunningham and Carter Ochoa.
Cerritos College 31, Moorpark College 19
Sirawn Evans threw a 8-yard TD pass to Ja’Tyian Moore as Moorpark College took a 7-0 first-quarter lead, but No. 7 Cerritos scored 31 of the next 37 to take control at Norwalk.
Evans completed 20 of 35 passes for 241 yards, a TD and an interception. Former Grace School star Ethan LaSecla ran for 58 yards on 15 carries and Trevn Kalai Po’opa’a caught four passes for 99 yards.
Freshman linebacker Jaadin Weyandt (Grace) had a team-high 10 tackles, including two tackles for a loss. Ryan Schlundt Bodien (Simi Valley) had two sacks and Connor Schlimgen (Newbury Park) and Deon Hasley (Pacifica) also had sacks.
J.J. Bittner, grandson of former Moorpark College head coach Jim Bittner, came off the bench to throw his first collegiate touchdown pass, a 24-yard strike to Jeremiah White on the game’s final play.
The Raiders (0-2) host Chaffey (2-0) on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Griffin Stadium.
Pacific Lutheran University 37, Cal Lutheran University 30
Cal Lutheran climbed out of a 17-0 hole to tie the game twice in the second half only to fall in its season opener in Tacoma, Washington, on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Dayton Savarea’s 6-yard TD pass from AJ Tuifua, which broke a 30-30 tie with 14:04 left in the fourth quarter, proved to be the decisive score.
CLU drove to the PLU 30 with 5:14 left in the half, but CLU quarterback Joe Farley threw incomplete on fourth-and-8 and PLU was able to run the final five minutes off the clock.
Farley completed 16 of 28 passes for 221 yards, three TDs and two interceptions. Tyler Woodworth (Ventura) caught three passes for 93 yards and two TDs.
Farley hit Woodworth with a 42-yard scoring strike to get CLU on the board with 9:14 left in the first half. Farley’s 36-yard TD pass to Woodworth just after halftime tied the game, 24-24. John Gilbert had a 4-yard TD run pulled the Kingsmen.
Linebacker Logan Bowers had 11 tackles, linebacker Drew Nees and defensive lineman Max Juarez split a sack, and linebacker Blake Hurley and cornerback Charles Cravings had interceptions to lead the defense.
CLU (0-1) is off until it hosts the University of Puget Sound in its home opener on Sept. 19.
Joe Curley covers football for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter/X, Instagram/Threads, Facebook, Bluesky and TikTok.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Woods provides 'Fresh' restart for Ventura College football
