MOORPARK COLLEGE NOTES: MOORPARK ON WRONG END OF BUZZER-BEATER; LOSS TO HANCOCK MAKES STRETCH RUN MUCH TOUGHER.

Byline: Jim Inghram Daily News Staff Writer

Lived at the buzzer, died at the buzzer.

The Moorpark College men's basketball team knows the highs and now the lows of games decided at the buzzer. The Raiders' Sparky Larkin hit a 3-pointer on Jan. 31 as the buzzer sounded to lead Moorpark past Cuesta 85-82.

On Saturday, Hancock's Derek Williams did the same to the Raiders, giving the Bulldogs a 73-72 victory. It dropped the men's team a half-game behind Cuesta for the North Division title.

The team played Cuesta on Wednesday night. A victory by the Raiders would put them into the California State Community College playoffs as the designated champions. Wednesday's game was the final WSC game of the season. Saturday's matchup with Los Angeles City College is a nonconference game.

The last time the Raiders won a men's basketball championship? All the way back in 1983 when the Raiders captured the Mountain Valley Conference title. That year the Raiders finished 21-9 overall and lost in the second round of the regionals. Frank Jackson was the team's most valuable player and Ambros Slaughter the team captain.

Getting ready: Last year the women's basketball team posted playoff victories against Antelope Valley, L.A. Harbor and Mt. San Antonio to reach the state final eight tournament.

Is the team setting up for another run this year?

With two victories last week, the team improved to 19-9 overall and 6-2 in the North Division of the WSC and will close the season this week with home games against the two teams they trail, Cuesta and Ventura.

A couple of victories this week would provide a surge heading into the Southern California Regionals, which begin on Feb. 28.

Cuesta is a team that the Raiders match up well with. Ventura, however, is one of the state's better teams and will be quite a challenge.

``We play better at home,'' coach Sherry Ruter said. ``I expect it to be a good game. Last time they whacked us pretty good (111-78). Our guards got in some foul trouble and we had to go deep into our bench.''

Melissa Shoden leads the team with averages of 13.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Janim Halsey averages 11.7 points a game.

``We're getting close (to being at peak form),'' Ruter said. ``We need to play well in these last two games and get ready for the playoffs.''

Baseball: The weather continues to wreak havoc with the baseball team's early season schedule. So much so that a game scheduled for Tuesday against Fullerton College was moved up a day to Monday.

In that game, starting pitcher Sean Hansen went five innings and allowed just one earned run and Jake Kor pitched three innings of relief, allowing just one hit. The Hornets, however, managed two earned runs courtesy of a Raiders error and earned the 3-1 victory.

Bobby Sunderland went eight innings and limited Moorpark to four hits and a run. David McLean pitched the ninth to earn the save for Fullerton.

Shortstop Brian Fatur doubled and scored the Raiders' only run in the third. Andy Kronberger singled in Fatur. Rick Stockton and Robert Gonzales had the Raiders' other two hits.

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PHOTO Anthony Barton of Moorpark's baseball team puts down a bunt in a recent game against Pierce. The Raiders lost to Fullerton on Monday.

Terri Thuente/Daily News

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