Local college football: Valenzuela breaks loose for Ventura College, CLU wins SCIAC opener
Jesse Valenzuela ran for a 75-yard touchdown run and set up another score with a 68-yard punt return as the Ventura College football team built a 24-point lead on its way to a 42-37 win over Sadddleback College on Saturday night at the VC Sportsplex.
The electric sophomore from Camarillo High piled up 269 yards of all-purpose yardage on 18 touches, including 120 yards rushing on nine carries, 79 yards on five punt returns and 66 yards on two kickoff returns.
Ezekiel Savage II threw three touchdowns and Nate Frederick (Agoura High) threw another as the Pirates, ranked No. 6 in Southern California, improved to 4-1 in nonconference play.
Last week: Four return TDs give Moorpark College home win
More:Ventura College routs El Camino; CLU earns first win
Valenzuela’s 75-yard run pulled VC even 15-15 with 1:32 left in the first half and kicked off a 14-minute span in which the Pirates scored 35 of 38 points to build a 42-18 lead.
Savage threw a 58-yard TD pass to Chris Reaves, a 33-yard TD pass to Kevin Tate and, after Valenzuela’s punt return, a 16-yard TD pass to Tim Grear.
Quentin Harris returned an interception 31 yards for a defensive score. Safety CJ Hodgdon had a game-high 14 tackles for VC.
Saddleback scored three times in the final 7:17 to pull within five points with 15 seconds to play, but the Pirates recovered the final onside kick to end the game.
CLU dominates SCIAC opener
The Cal Lutheran University football held host Whitter College to just 62 yards of total offense as it opened SCIAC play with a 45-0 win Saturday night
Matt Flynn and Jalani Blade had interceptions and Hector Gonzalez, Daylen Wilson, Jacob Murillo (Oxnard High), Jacob Butler and Maxwell Nazarko had sacks as CLU (3-2, 1-0) won its third straight game.
Seven different Kingsmen scored found the end zone in the rout.
Nick Lasher completed 9 of 15 passes for 113 yards and TD passes to Darius Knight and Jajuan Thomas as CLU built a 24-0 halftime lead.
Isaiah Martin, Dante Coxsom and Canaan Chandler ran for touchdowns and Hector Gonzalez came off the bench to throw a TD pass to Desmond Thompson in the fourth quarter.
CLU hosts the University of Redlands this Saturday night in the annual Smudge Pot game.
Moorpark falls on road
The Moorpark College football team were shut out in the second half of a 24-7 loss at Pasadena City College on Friday night at Robinson Stadium.
The Raiders (2-3) mustered 171 yards of total offense, including just 7 yards rushing.
Macloud Crowton’s 23-yard TD pass to Alexander Capka-Jones (Oak Park High) pulled Moorpark within 10-7 with 1:16 left in the first half
Safety Daniel Pierce (Pacifica High) had 14 tackles and cornerback CJ Jackson (Westlake High) had an interception to lead the Moorpark defense.
Moorpark enters a bye week ahead of opening SCFA Pacific Conference play at Santa Monica College on Oct. 13.
Joe Curley covers high school, collegiate and professional football for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage of local college sports, follow @vcscolleges on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Local college football: Valenzuela breaks loose in VC football win
