Long Beach Football Rumbles Past Moorpark in 43-29 Victory

The No. 7/15 Long Beach City College football team continued its season schedule on Saturday evening by traveling to Moorpark, CA to face off against the Moorpark City College Raiders under the lights. After the game was gridlocked at 22-all after the first half, the Vikings picked up the pace and outscored the Raiders 21-7 in the final two quarter en route to a 43-29 victory.

Moorpark took control of the contest early by scoring twice in the first six minutes of the ball game, putting the Vikings in a deep 0-15 hole to start of the game. 

However, freshman quarterback Jake Maier (La Habra, CA) put a halt his team's scoring drought in the second quarter by leading a nine play, 70-yard drive that was capped off with a 42-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Jacob Welsh (Huntington Beach, CA) to trim the deficit to 7-15.

After another Raider touchdown that gave them a 7-22 advantage, Long Beach dug deep and rattled off four-consecutive scores that stretched into the fourth quarter.

Maier and Welch linked up once again in the second quarter, this time for a 53-yard touchdown snag, to bring the Vikings within eight points of the Raiders. It was not long after that Maier picked apart the Rader's secondary once again by finding freshman wide receiver Jabari Minix (Compton, CA) for a 62-yard touchdown pass. Maier promptly followed with a successful two-point conversion to freshman wide receiver Marcus Moore (Los Angeles, CA) to tie the game at 22-all after the opening half.

Long Bach continued to ram the pedal to the floor on offense and step up their defensive play by adding to their lead in the third quarter, while keeping Moorpark scoreless. Sophomore running back Jason Floyd (Compton, CA) waltzed into the end zone for the first score of the third quarter on a 12-yard scurry, giving the Vikings their first lead of the contest at 29-22.

The Vikings tacked on two more scores in the fourth quarter, compliments of sophomore running back Tyree Harris (Pasadena, CA) pounding the ball past the goal line a pair of times en route to the victory. 

Long Beach dominated both sides of the ball after settling into the contest. Maier was responsible for slicing up the Moorpark defense for 385 yards through the air with three touchdowns. 

Welsh was a ball magnet by hauling in a team-high eight catches for 176 yards and a pair touchdowns. Minix was responsible for one score after recording two grabs for 86 yards. 

Harris led the ground attack with 10 carries and 98 yards while finding the end zone twice in the fourth quarter. Floyd made his mark by rushing for 84 yards off nine carries. 

The defensive unit was a large part of the Viking's success in the second half. Sophomore Josh Allen (Long Beach, CA) led the team with seven stops, while freshman defensive back Guy Alford (Inglewood, CA) recorded five tackles and a sack for a loss of two yards.

Freshman defensive lineman Abedayo Soremekun (Long Beach, CA) and sophomore defensive lineman Marcus Reynolds (Long Beach, CA) gave the Raiders quarterback a headache in the backfield by each recording two sacks as well. 

Freshman kicker Sergio Garcia (Long Beach, CA) was on-point in the kicking game by banging home five extra points with ease.

The Vikings (2-1) return home to Veteran Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 24 to take on Canyons at 6 p.m.