Football Tackled at San Diego Mesa

The Pirate football team dropped a regular season game for the first time in nearly three years Saturday, falling at San Diego Mesa 35-20. Ventura (1-1) outgained the Olympians 378 yards to 345, and earned 24 first downs to Mesa's 19, but three costly interceptions, including a pick-six right after halftime helped sink the Pirates' ship for the first time in the regular season since Nov. 2, 2019.

It was a defensive and field position game in the early going as neither team could get untracked on offense.  Through the first four drives, the teams totaled 66 yards and four first downs and each punted twice.  Let in the first quarter, however, Mesa was able to break free, driving 64 yards in 11 plays for the first touchdown of the game.  With the successful extra point, the Olympians led 7-0 with 26 seconds remaining in the opening stanza.

On the next possession, Ventura had an answer as quarterback Braden Siri led the Pirates right back down the field for a score.  They key play in the 9-play, 65 yard drive was a 39 yard pass and run from Siri to Ja'ron Glenn to move the ball to the Olympians' 14-yard line. Five plays later Siri hit Dawson Adams-Grenier across the middle of the end zone from three yards out for a touchdown. The PAT was unsuccessful, however, and VC trailed 7-6 with 11:48 left in the half.

The Ventura defense came up wit a big play on the next drive, forcing a recovering a Mesa fumble around midfield, but the Pirates gave the ball back three plays later on an interception.

The Olympians cashed in the turnover, marching 56 yards in four plays to paydirt and a 14-6 lead.

The Pirates started the next possession on their own 39-yard line, and two plays in, Siri hit Tim Grear for a 35-yard pass completion to move to the Mesa 16. After rushes by Ezekiel Savage II and JQ Brown, Ventura had a first-and-goal at the 6-yard line, but could get no further, settling for a 22-yard field goal from LJ Harm for a 14-9 deficit.

The teams traded punts again on the next two drives before Mesa hit the big play, a 29-yard touchdown pass, in the final minute of the half for a 21-9 score at intermission.

Ventura received the second half kickoff, and Jesse Valenzuela began the drive with a solid 18-yard gain.  On the next play, however, VC Savage was intercepted and the Olympians returned it to the house, opening up a 28-9 margin.

The Pirates answered with a 10-play, 50-yard drive, but they could not find the end zone, and scored three on a 26-yard Harm field goal.

The Olympians then proceeded to drive down the field, but fumbled deep in Pirate territory. VC recovered inside the red zone, giving them new life.

Two plays later, however, Mesa grabbed their third interception of the game, this time on a pass tipped at the line of scrimmage.  VC's defense held fast, forcing a 36-yard field goal attempt that hooked wide, breathing more life in to the Pirates.

Ventura started the next drive with 4:56 remaining in the third quarter at their own 20.  They marched down the field, and scored a touchdown twice, each called back by a penalty, before the drive stalled at the Mesa 5-yard line. VC could not convert on fourth-and-goal and the ball went over on downs to the Olympians early in the final period.

With the Olympians in possession deep in their own end, the Pirates were looking for a quick defensive stop to keep them in the game.  The Ventura "D" provided that and more, forcing a Mesa fumble and recovering on the 1-yard line. Savage converted the opportunity with a quarterback sneak on the next play, and then hit Tyler Enderle for the two-point conversion and VC was with one score, 28-20, early in the final period.

Mesa was having nothing to do with a Pirate comeback, however, as they started the ensuing possession with a 55-yard pass completion. They marched 75 yards in four plays, finishing in the end zone for a 35-20 lead.

In the remaining time, the Pirates were able to drive into Olympian territory twice, but could not complete a drive, falling by the final score of 35-20.

Ventura's quarterback shuffle continued in the game with Siri going 7-13 for 125 yards and a touchdown and an interception while Savage was 11-25 passing for 122 yards and two interceptions, but he also rushed the ball 11 times for 36 yards and a score.

Grear was tops of the eight Pirates with a pass reception with five catches for 89 yards and Glenn had two catches for 57 yards. Brown led the ground attack with 46 yards on 11 carries.

The Pirates will return home on Saturday Sept. 17 to face El Camino at the Sportsplex. It will also be Youth Sports Night with all children 14-years old and under receiving free admission with one adult when they wear their youth sports jersey or youth sports camp shirt.  Kickoff with the Warriors is slated for 6:00 pm.