Pirate Football Tops SCFA Academic Awards

For the second year in a row, and for the third time in the past four years, the Pirate football team has topped the Southern California Football Association's Scholar-Athlete team. VC has placed 18 players on the honor roll, led by offensive lineman Gavin Dement with a 3.82 Grade Point Average and defensive back Steven Nolasco at 3.53. Both of these honorees have also been nominated for Academic All-State. The Pirates achieved a 3.07 GPA as a team in the fall and posted an 8-3 record, capturing the Northern Conference for a fourth straight year.

Other Pirates earning mention on the SCFA All-Academic Team include: Bryce Barnes, Savion Simms, Jake Constantine, Alvin Pacheco, Julian Escobar-Rubio, Darrion Ballard, Blake Walker, Keondre Menefee, Colin Austin, Naquis Caldwell, Kenny Turnier, Marcus Chambers, Ricky Town, Sam Flowers, Tony Daggett, and Tavares Hardy.

Students are selected to the SCFA Scholar Athlete team by the following criteria:  

1. Participation as an active member of a SCFA football team, with two seasons of participation at the collegiate level, or until forced out of competition by season-ending injury.
2. Successful completion of a minimum 36 units-27 of which must be in academic (non-PE or sport activity) courses.
3. Achievement of a minimum 3.0 (B) overall grade point average.

In 2017, the Pirates won their fourth consecutive Southern California Football Association Northern Conference crown and extended their conference winning streak to 15 games over the past three seasons. Overall they finished 8-3 under eighth-year head coach Steve Mooshagian and qualified for the SCFA Final Four playoffs. VC also made their seventh straight post-season/bowl appearance. To date, they have had 10 players commit to four-year schools, bringing coach Mooshagian's total to 171 student athletes who have moved on from the Pirate football program in the past eight years.