CCCAA Football Roundup: Moorpark scores late to win thriller of L.A. Pierce, 36-34

CCCAA Scoreboard

MOORPARK, Calif - Tanner Darling hit Vincent Corso on a 12-yard touchdown pass with just 1 minute, 16 seconds remaining on the clock on Saturday as Moorpark answered L.A. Pierce's late score with one of its own as the Raiders beat the Brahmas, 36-34, in an exciting season-opening matchup that was never separated by more than a touchdown.

Edyon Batta rushed for 137 yards, averaged 9.1 yards a carry, and scored three times for Moorpark, including on a 64-yard scamper late in the third quarter. The Raiders rushed for 341 yards overall, supporting Darling who completed 11 of 17 passes for 143 yards and a score.

Jonathan Saavedra threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns for L.A. Pierce, helping to highlight his night with a 53-yard TD stroke to Joseph Branch that knotted the game for the last time, 27-27, with 1:45 to go in the third quarter. Blaze Allredge had 11 tackles and a fumble recovery for the Brahmas while Daniel Collins had 10 stops. Lawrence Coleman added a 35-yard pick-six early in the first quarter that put L.A. Pierce in front, 13-6.

Hayden Galvin's seven tackles helped to lead the Raiders' defense with Ryan Schmerbeck, who had had seven total tackles. Galvin added a 17-yard interceptin return.

Batta's first touchdown, this one from three yards, tied the game 13-13 with just 16 seconds left in the first half while his 4-yard score put the Raiders up, 20-13 early in the third quarter. The teams traded touchdowns - the Brahmas on Wesly Touze's 4-yard TD rush and Moorpark on Batta's long 64-yarder - before L.A. Pierce tied the game 27-27 when Saavedra found Branch for their 53-yard TD connection.

Trailing 30-27 in the fourth quarter after Riley Garrett's 27-yard field goal gave the Raiders the lead, the Brahmas bounced back to take a 34-30 lead after Marquise Mickens capped a 10-play, 60-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with just 5:05 on the clock.

A fumble turned the ball back over to L.A. Pierce on the first play of the ensuing series but Moorpark held and forced a punt that gave it the ball back with 3:57 to go. But Anthony McClain sparked the rally with a 38-yard gaiin on the first play that took the ball down to the Brahma's 21-yard line. A holding call pushed the ball back to the 20-yard line three plays later.

Facing a 3rd-and-11 at the L.A. Pierce 12-yard line, Moorpark then got the winning score when Darling found Corso for the 12-yard TD. Justin Mitts intercepted Saavedra on the Brahma's last drive.

Moorpark travels to El Camino (0-1) while L.A. Pierce hosts L.A. Southwest (0-1).