CANYONS, MOORPARK CLASH LIKELY TO DETERMINE CHAMP.

Byline: SEAN CEGLINSKY Staff Writer

VALENCIA -- Meaningful junior college football games are typically reserved for the end of the season, around December when teams are competing for a title.

However, there is plenty at stake today when College of the Canyons faces Moorpark in a 7 p.m. Western State Conference showdown -- the winner of which figures to be in the driver's seat for the conference title.

``This is a big game, there's no question about it,'' Moorpark coach Jim Bittner said.

The Raiders (3-0, 1-0) enter with perhaps more momentum than their counterparts, having defeated Valley, 59-37, last week in their conference opener, a victory that catapulted them in the polls. The state coaches' poll ranks Moorpark No.4 in Southern California, and J.C. Grid-Wire ranks it No.11.

``Moorpark is playing well. This is a big challenge for us at this stage of the year,'' Canyons coach Chuck Lyon said. ``You never know what to expect in junior college football, so we'll see how things go.''

Canyons (1-2, 1-0), No.16 in the coaches' poll, rebounded from a pair of losses to open the season with a 54-0 victory over Ventura.

In years past, the Cougars would have been a prohibitive favorite in an encounter such as this, especially considering they have won five consecutive conference titles. Skepticism surrounds the program after the slow start, though, and a win would certainly quiet some of the chatter.

``Canyons has beaten up on everyone the last couple of years. They've been the dominant team,'' Bittner said. ``This is our chance to see how good we are. It's going to be a tough game for four quarters.''

The teams are evenly matched, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, where Moorpark is averaging 354 total yards of offense per game to Canyons' 350. Defensively, Canyons appears to have the advantage, limiting opponents to nearly 50 yards less per game.

``Oh, yeah, this is a big one. The winner of this game is going to have the upper hand in that conference,'' said Hank Ives, editor of J.C. Grid-Wire.

The key could ultimately end up being the Cougars' starting quarterback, Andrew Miramontes, a freshman. The Birmingham of Lake Balboa graduate struggled earlier this season but appeared more comfortable in Week2, guiding the Cougars to 586 total yards, just eight fewer than the single-game program record set in 1998.

``We don't need him to be spectacular, just efficient,'' Lyon said. ``He's coming off his best game of the year, and that's the type of effort we're looking for. If he can continue to be efficient ... we'll be just fine the rest of the way.''