Second half surge lifts Pirates to 9-0

The Pirate football team used a second half surge to defeat Long Beach 45-24 Saturday afternoon, moving to 9-0 on the season heading into the regular season finale. Tayvion McCoy recorded four receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown and averaged 32 yards on three punt returns, setting up two more Pirate touchdown drives to lead the way for Ventura. Braesen Leon was an economical 16-21 for 235 yards and three touchdowns to lead the offense while Charlie Neos and Marcellus Brigham each recorded seven tackles for the defense that did not allow a Viking score in the second half for Ventura.

Playing in the final game at LBCC's historic Memorial Stadium, Ventura started the game chasing the Vikings following a lost fumble on the third play from scrimmage. Long Beach took a 7-0 lead in the opening minute of play after recovering the fumble on the VC 4-yard line.

On the ensuing drive for the Pirates, Love Adabeyo's 28-yard run set up a 28-yard touchdown pass from Leon to Silas Kemp and the game was knotted at 7-7 barely three minutes into play.

LBCC answered with a conventional 73 yard drive to paydirt following the next kickoff, scoring a touchdown on a 4th-and-6 play from the Ventura 31 to maintain the upper hand.

Leon and the Pirate offense again had an answer, driving 73 yards in nine plays. Tayvion McCoy brought in a 21-yard scoring strike from Leon to punctuate the drive and Bodie Ing's kick again tied the score at 14.

The Ventura defense forced a three-and-out from the Vikings on the next possession, and McCoy returned the Long Beach punt 37 yards to set up Leon and company with a short field. Three plays later, the Pirate signal caller raced four yards into the end zone as VC regained control 21-14 before the end of the opening period.

Long Beach again had a quick answer and the Pirates followed with a 43-yard field goal by Ing, before LBCC ended the first half with a 28-yard field goal to head to intermission with a 24-24 tie game.

Ventura, the co-No. 1-ranked team in the state, took control of the game in the second half. After holding the Vikings on a 4th-and-1 at at the VC 16, the Pirates drove 83 yards in seven plays to take the lead for good. Salter's 8-yard run to paydirt completed the drive as the Pirates led 31-24 midway through the third quarter.

McCoy returned the next Long Beach punt 32 yards to start a 13-play, 60-yard Ventura drive for another score. Salter again finished the job with a 3-yard dive past the goal line with 6:48 remaining in the game. 

Brigham pulled in an interception on the next play from scrimmage to set up VC's final score, a 13-yard pass from Leon to JD Rollins. to set the final 45-24 margin.

Adabeyo ran for 58 yards on eight carries and Salter rushed the ball 14 times for 51 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Ryan Gillum had four catches for 61 yards and Kemp had three receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown joining McCoy among the receiving leaders. 

With the victory, the Pirates clinch at least a share of the Northern Conference championship for the fifth time in the past six seasons and for the 10th time in the 15-year tenure of head coach Steve Mooshagian. 

However, the biggest game of the season looms as the Pirates (9-0, 6-0) will put their state No. 1 ranking on the line on Saturday Nov. 8, hosting No. 4-ranked Mt. San Antonio (8-1, 5-1) in the regular season finale at the Sportsplex. The winner will receive the top-seed from the conference in the upcoming Southern California Football Association playoffs.