'Gades come up empty at Ventura, 13-0
| Saturday, Oct 22 2011 10:30 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Oct 22 2011 10:31 PM
VENTURA -- It's pretty simple for Bakersfield College to earn a possible bowl berth this season:
The Renegades must win the rest of their games. Anything less and BC won't extend its season.
BC was shut down offensively in a 13-0 loss to Ventura in a National Northern Conference game at foggy Ventura Sportsplex.
The Pirates (4-3 overall, 1-1 NNC) scored 10 first-quarter points and never looked back in an emotional victory. BC is 3-4 and 0-2.
The Pirates have rallied around head coach Steve Mooshagian all week after his mother was killed last Sunday in an automobile accident.
"A lot has been said all week," Mooshagian said. "They helped pick me up. I knew I had to set an example -- you must overcome adversity in life. Playing the game of football is not life and death. This was a good teaching moment for us."
Mooshagian and BC coach Jeff Chudy have been friends since the 1980s when they were roommates when Chudy attended Fresno State.
But friendship aside, it was a frustrating night for the Renegades.
Ventura's highly-touted defense limited the Renegades to 25 net rushing yards in 27 carries. BC quarterback Brian Duboski threw for 193 yards but was sacked five times and threw four interceptions. BC also lost two fumbles.
"You make your own breaks and we put ourselves in a deep hole," Chudy said. "They're a scrappy group that is well coached and made the plays.
"Are they the best defensive team we've played? No. But when you have three turnovers in the first half you can't get any momentum going."
Only teams with winning records can qualify for bowl games, so BC must win its final three games to keep that goal alive.
"To get to 6-4, you've got to get to 4-4 first," Chudy said.
That won't be easy. BC travels to El Camino next Saturday. El Camino came into play Saturday 7-0 and ranked No. 3 in Southern California.
BC's loss was its third straight. The Renegades hadn't lost three in a row since games 2-3-4 in 1987. It was the first shutout loss for BC since Cerritos beat the Renegades 35-0 to open the 2002 season.
Ventura's only touchdown was a 1-yard run by Dezerick Reed with 5:46 left in the first quarter. That was set up by Lakeith Murray's interception and 45-yard return to the BC 20.
Carlos Luna added field goals of 22 and 33 yards for the Pirates. The 22-yard kick was on the game's first possession. The 33-yarder was set up by Ventura converting a first-down run out of punt formation that kept the drive alive.
BC had three scoring opportunities. Wide open wide receiver Darius Tubbs dropped a pass thrown right to him that would have given the Renegades a first down at the Ventura 25 late in the first half.
With 9:48 left in the game, BC's Mercy Maston blocked a punt. A BC teammate caught the ball at the Ventura 20 but fumbled when hit hard by two Pirate defenders and Ventura's Mike Campbell recovered. And with less than five minutes remaining, wide receiver Mike Dunn caught a pass and ran to the Ventura 22 but the play was nullified by offensive holding.
BC freshman running back Jalen Sykes came into the game with four straight games of more than 100 rushing yards. He was limited to 24 yards on 14 carries
The Renegades had only one rushing first down, and that didn't come until the first minute of the fourth quarter.
Ventura, known more as a passing team, ran for 167 yards and had 53 rushing attempts as the Pirates controlled the clock.
"We always want to stop the run, convert turnovers and be solid in the kicking game," Mooshagian said. "Bakersfield did a good job keeping the ball away from our return men."
