AHC FOOTBALL WINS FIFTH STRAIGHT, 42-14 OVER MOORPARK

SANTA MARIA-- Coach Kris Dutra's Allan Hancock College football team took a giant step toward a SoCal Regional Playoff berth with a dominating 42-14 win over Moorpark at rainy Warrior Stadium on Saturday.

Hancock (7-2, 5-1 WSC North) won its fifth-straight game and locked up a second-place finish to top-ranked College of the Canyons with the win. The Bulldogs close out their 2003 regular season next Saturday at Santa Barbara. Moorpark (4-5, 4-2) actually lost two game in the same day, having announced prior to the game that it was forfeiting a 40-0 win over Ventura on Oct. 18 for playing an ineligible player.

The Bulldog offense shredded Moorpark for 504 total yards, including a near-record 444 rusing yards on 64 carries (the AHC mark of 477 was set against West L.A. in 2001). In contrast, the Hancock defense limited the Raiders to just 145 total yards. AHC also finished with a 27-12 advantage in first downs and a near-20-minute (39:33-20:27) time of possession margin.

Freshman tailback Michael Santos carried 14 times for 180 yards, while freshman fullback Russell Spafford added 132 on 12 carries. Sophomore quarterback Chad Nicholson was an efficient 6-for-11 for 60 yards, three of those completions going to freshman wide reciver Ryan Bugg.

The defense set up AHC's first score, backing the Raiders up to their own goal line, where an errant snap on a punting attempt resulted in a safety. On the ensuing free kick, sophomore cornerback and return artist Eddie Scipio thrilled the "Military Recognition Night" crowd with a sensational 83-yard return for a touchdown. Less than three minutes later, Nicholson connected with sophomore tight end Colin Vidal for a seven-yard touchdown and a 16-0 Bulldog lead. On the next possession, Moorpark drove 57 yards to trim AHC's lead to 16-8 on a two-yard TD run by Greg Morris and a two-point conversion with 6:39 remaining in the first quarter.

Hancock answered right back when Santos broke off right tackle and sprinted 74 yards for a touchdown and 23-8 lead. Another bad snap gave the Bulldogs a second safety with 2:48 left in the period and at the 10:56 mark of the second quarter, freshman Brian Schneider connected on a 34-yard field goal to put AHC up 28-8. Morris's 11-yard TD run at the 9:35 mark pulled Moorpark to within 28-14 at the half.

Hancock opened the second half with a seven-play, 62-yard drive that culminated in a two-yard touchdown burst by Lucious Sloan. The Bulldog defense shut out the Raiders in the second half. Linebacker Danny Brown put the finishing touches on AHC's defensive gem by closing out the scoring with a 37-yard interception return at the 10:59 mark of the fourth period.