MOORPARK FOOTBALL: RAIDERS MUST REBUILD AFTER FRUSTATING FINISH.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

For the Moorpark College football team, it was a season of moderate success, with bookends of great disappointment.

The Raiders reached their 12th consecutive bowl game under coach Jim Bittner, but also lost five games for the first time since 1984.

They had a four-game winning streak that placed them at the top of the conference for most of the season. But they started and finished the year with 0-2 runs and concluded by losing a 21-point fourth-quarter lead to L.A. Southwest in the Western State Classic bowl game Saturday.

Quarterback Farhaad Azimi set every single-season passing record, but injuries decimated the offensive line and the defense struggled, first with inexperience and then with an inability to stop the pass.

``I think that when we look back, we will be pretty satisfied, all things

considered,'' Azimi said. ``But right now it's pretty tough.''

Unfortunately for the Raiders, the lasting image will likely be the sight of dozens of L.A. Southwest players and coaches running around and celebrating an amazing comeback after scoring 22 points in the fourth quarter and avenging a one-point loss earlier in the season.

Bittner, usually nonplussed when discussing team affairs, couldn't hide his frustration with game officials who seemed to miss three crucial calls in the fourth quarter.

The players stood on the sideline in shock, and offensive lineman Jess Ortiz placed his helmet on the turf and knelt next to it, likely contemplating a sophomore season in which he was almost forced to quit because of severe pain in both knees.

The Raiders had battled back from an 0-2 start, and would have won their third consecutive conference championship with a victory over Allan Hancock in the regular-season finale. A loss to Hancock left the Raiders in bowl limbo, and they did not receive a bid until a day after the pairings were announced.

So now the Raiders are left to look to the future and life without a significant part of this year's offense. Azimi will transfer to a four-year school, as will top receiver Shayne Sobel and top tailback Emmanuel Evans. Backup tailback Bryant Phipps and linemen Ortiz, Jose Caywood, Jeff Festerling and Carlos Acosta will also depart.

Who is left? Garrett Valencia will take over at quarterback unless he is unseated by an incoming freshman next fall. The tailback spot will have to be filled by a freshman, and Bryan Parker returns at fullback. Charles Bungert will anchor the offensive line, which will have four new starters.

On defense, this year's struggles at least allowed the young unit to play together for one season. Linebacker Jud Southwell, the leader of the defense, is gone, but watch for DeAndre McCarter, a freshman who was hurt for most of the season and also played defensive end, to make an impact.

On the line, Talalelei Ioapo improved greatly as the season progressed and should be a big part of the defense next season. The defensive backfield will have to be largely rebuilt with the loss of Bobby Blankenship and Joseph Kos, but Jason Pleasant returns after a strong freshman year.

And of course, look for Bittner on the sidelines for his 22nd year as head coach, in search of a 13th consecutive bowl appearance.

Moorpark College Report Card

QUARTERBACKS: A-

Sophomore Farhaad Azimi set school single-season records for attempts (262), completions (140), yardage (2,280) and touchdowns (23) and should continue to play on Saturdays for the next two years. Azimi had to play behind a banged-up offensive line for the majority of the season and was at his best throwing on the run and creating plays by himself. Azimi's numbers dropped in the second half because of the offensive line but also because of the emergence of Moorpark's running game.

RUNNING BACKS: B+

The grade should probably read ``incomplete.'' The Raiders can only dream of what would have happened with tailback Emmanuel Evans healthy for the entire season. Ankle and knee injuries sidelined Evans for parts of six games this season, but the sophomore still gained 781 yards on 76 carries, and gained 276 yards in the bowl game. Bryant Phipps led the patchwork rushing unit in Evans' absence, and the lack of a running game hurt the Raiders in their first two losses. Bryan Parker was recruited from defense to play fullback and did a solid job in the second half of the season.

RECEIVERS: B

Shayne Sobel, a J.C. Grid Wire All-America honorable-mention selection, made numerous circus catches and had 18 of the team's 24 receiving touchdowns. His big-play ability kept the Raiders in several games. Beyond Sobel, the receivers were solid, but not spectacular. Freshmen Nick Lewis and Aaron Fredette will make a solid combination next year, but the unit struggled with dropped passes in key situations.

OFFENSIVE LINE: C

At one point in the season, the line could have qualified for disaster relief. In the first game against L.A. Southwest, three linemen went down in one half, and starting center Carlos Acosta was forced to also play tackle and guard. When the players finally got healthy late in the season, the line consistently opened up holes for the Raiders' running game and gave Azimi sufficient time. Acosta's play at center helped stabilize the line.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B+

Teams struggled to run on the Raiders, which was both a blessing and a curse. Chaffey's Dameon Hunter was the only running back to truly hurt the Raiders this season, which forced teams to pick on Moorpark's more-porous pass defense. The unit's play improved as the season went on and played its best game of the season in the fifth week against Santa Barbara, when the Raiders forced a safety and four sacks.

LINEBACKERS: B

Sophomore Jud Southwel was the leader of the defense and headed a steady unit that tackled well until the bowl game. L.A. Southwest quarterback John Hildreth repeatedly burned the Raiders with his ability to scramble out of pressure and either run or pass for a first down. The unit struggled all season against elusive quarterbacks such as Hildreth, but for the most part prevented big, game-breaking runs by the conference's talented tailbacks.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: C+

Bobby Blankenship and Jason Pleasant gave the Raiders a strong duo at cornerback, but the unit was largely inconsistent. The Raiders did a good job of preventing the big play but gave up too much underneath and in key situations. Hancock converted five fourth-down pass attempts in the fourth quarter to hold off Moorpark, and unnecessary penalties also hurt the unit.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C

This unit improved tremendously when Adam Holiday took over kicking duties from Ryan Brunsell. Holiday did not show the ability to make long field goals, but the Raiders were pleased with his more-consistent efforts on extra points and kickoffs. Ray Carmel provided some spectacular moments as a kick returner, and the coverage units mostly prevented the big plays. At punter, Lewis struggled at times but had zero kicks blocked.

COACHING: B

Head coach Jim Bittner kept the team from imploding after an 0-2 start, pulled out a surprising victory over Ventura and had the team one win away from a conference championship despite numerous injuries throughout the season. The Raiders had considerable talent on offense, but never quite solved their defensive problems and tended to play to the level of their competition. Silly penalties plagued the team throughout the year on both sides of the ball.

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Box: Moorpark College Report Card (see text)