text: They broke records and broke open games. They became two of the most effective offensive players in their schools' history. Then they moved on.
  It will not be easy for the Ventura College and Moorpark College football teams to replace Antavius Sims and Chris Gant, respectively, this fall. It's no wonder that both schools seem to be reinventing the position within their systems this month.
  Sims set school records for single-season (2,960 yards) and career total offense (4,866), and also finished his two-year career second all-time in scoring (25 touchdowns), passing (3,273), touchdown passes (24) and rushing touchdowns (25).
  Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian has turned to a pair of quarterbacks to replace the Washington recruit, former Fresno State quarterback Ebahn Feathers and former University of Charleston quarterback Matt Koman, but neither will be asked to carry the type of load Sims bore for the Pirates over the past two seasons. "I'm going to use them both," said Mooshagian. "Both are good kids. I just want them to be products of the system. I'm not going to ask them to do all the things that Tay did. If they play within the system, they'll be fine."
  Feathers, a dual threat from Washington Union High, completed 2-of-3 passing for 7 yards and a touchdown and ran 11 times for 57 yards and a touchdown for the Bulldogs in 2009. Playing under Mooshagian at Feather River College in 2009, Koman completed 33-of-67 passing for 540 yards and four touchdowns in four games before suffering an ankle injury. "I want them to be able to manage a game, not try to win it themselves, and utilize the talent around them," said Mooshagian, who will continue to call the plays and coach the quarterbacks this fall, despite ceding the offensive coordinator label to assistant Jason Bendinelli. Despite lining up on the periphery before each play, Gant was every bit the impact player for the Raiders that Sims was for the Pirates. The Hawaii recruit set school records for receptions in a game (17), season (81) and career (145), as well as career receiving yardage (1,945). "Chris was an unusual guy," said Moorpark coach Jim Bittner. "He was a guy that could catch the ball whether he was doubled or tripled covered. "He came back after that losing season (in 2009) and he made a commitment to his teammates. You have to give the guy credit. He did a great job for us and they did
  everything they could to stop him, but he pretty much had his way with everybody."
  Having also lost Dominick Markham, who excelled in the last month of the season, the Moorpark receiving corps will be a completely new group this fall. "Our wide receivers are a bunch of no names right now," said Bittner. "We don't have a guy that we can say 'This is our guy.' "
  It remains to be seen if there's a player on the roster who can be that lead target, although preseason standouts include Moorpark High graduate Cheldon West and Taft High product Donnel Robinson. The new group received Gant's stamp of approval during spring practice. "When he was out here in the spring, Chris said 'I wish I was coming back. You have
  better receivers than when I was here,' " said Bittner. "I said, 'What they hell are you looking at?' "
  Antavius Sims, CC football, Chris Gant, Jim Bittner, MC, MC football, records, Steve Mooshagian, VC, VC football
  As a sophomore, Ventura quarterback Antavius Sims finished second in Southern California in total offense (2,960 yards), fourth in scoring (15 touchdowns) and fifth in rushing (1,014 yards). He set school records for single-season and career total offense (4,866 yards).
  He also finished his two-year career second all-time in career scoring (25 TDs), passing (3,273 yards), TD passes (24), rushing TDs (25) and finished fourth in rushing (1,593 yards). Tags:
  Antavius Sims, CC football, records, statistics, VC, VC football
  With no more football to play, the Ventura College football team can turn to recruiting. Head coach Steve Mooshagian estimated that as many as 12 of the 17 sophomores should earn scholarships, including the big three of Sims, linebacker Brenden Daley and defensive end Jon Lattimore. "Half of my day is answering the phone calls," said Mooshagian. "Not just for Tay, but there's a whole bunch of others."
  Mooshagian said Sims, Daley and Lattimore have attracted about a dozen schools apiece. The list is too long to publish, but Washington, Ole Miss and Rutgers are three of the bigger schools interested in Sims, whose destination will hinge on whether he wants to continue to play quarterback or another position. "Some people are recruiting him as a quarterback, some as an athlete," said Mooshagian. "We'll see what he decides to do."
  Iowa State, Baylor and Hawaii are three of the schools recruiting Lattimore, who finished third in SoCal with eight sacks.
  Daley is being pursued by Washington, Utah, Hawaii and Cincinnati, among others. The Moorpark High product plans to travel south Saturday to see the Utes play San Diego State. Other in-demand Pirates include running back Mike Davis, center Ramon Diaz, punter Kyle Dugandzic and kicker David Brown, who are all eligible to transfer after next month.
  Antavius Sims, Brenden Daley, CC football, Jon Lattimore, recruiting, Steve Mooshagian, VC, VC football
  Sims, Miller honored as PotWs
  Ventura College quarterback Antavius Sims and defensive end Daniel Miller were honored as Northern Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week Monday.
  Sims, a sophomore from Americus, Ga., was responsible for six VC touchdowns in Saturday's 48-19 win over Hancock, throwing for four and running for two.
  He ran for a 54-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage and the Pirates never looked back. "It was his read and he darted through the defense and the secondary," said Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian. "It was a nice play by him."
  Miller, a freshman from Thousand Oaks, had 12 tackles, four tackles for losses, two sacks and a forced fumble. Tags:
  Antavius Sims, CC football, Daniel Miller, honors, Player of the Week, SCFA Northern Conference, Steve Mooshagian, VC, VC football
  Sims honored as Player of the Week Ventura College quarterback Antavius Sims was honored as the Northern Conference's offensive Player of the Week Tuesday.
  The sophomore from Sumter High in Americus, Ga. had 280 yards of total offense, completing 13-of-21 passing for 121 yards and running 22 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns, in Saturday's 33-29 win over Pasadena City. Averaging 304.0 yards per game, Sims is No. 5 in the state in total offense.
  Antavius Sims, CC football, honors, Pasadena City, Player of the Week, VC, VC football
  Plenty left in the VC football offices, players say
  The loss of head coach Jon Mack may be a big hit publicly for the Ventura College football team.
  But at least three of its key freshmen said this week that the core of the coaching staff that predated Mack and will postdate his departure next month to Crespi Carmelite High will ensure the Pirates continue to compete for the Northern Conference. "We're going to be a force to be reckoned with," said linebacker Brenden Daley. "The only hit we take is in the recruiting. He did help us out a lot there. But I feel like if everyone stays on board, coach Mack's departure will not be that big of a loss. Although it is a loss." Daley said his linebacker coach, defensive coordinator Gary Anglin, was every bit as important as Mack to his success. "Mack was a recruiting coach," said defensive lineman Tommy Stuart. "He got it done. He got everyone fired up. But I still think everything will be fine at VC if the other coaches stay."
  Stuart singled out his defensive line coach, Ted Lawrence, for the "motivation and knowledge of most four-year college coaches."
  "He just loves the county too much to leave," said Stuart.
  "The coaches basically ran practice" continued Stuart. "Coach Mack was there screaming and yelling, getting people fired up, but the position coaches are all excellent coaches, some of the best coaches in the nation for (community college)."
  Anglin, Lawrence, special teams coordinator Tom Lawrence and offensive coordinator Tim Gutierrez, who all predate Mack with a combined for 63 years of service at Ventura, are all expected to stay.
  "Coach 'G' (isn't) going anywhere," said freshman quarterback Antavius Sims Wednesday, before he faced Oxnard College in men's basketball. "We'll be fine." Gutierrez, who also coached with Mack at St. Bonaventure, said earlier this week that he still "had a lot to think about," before equating the situation this week to "breaking up with your girlfriend over the phone."
  "We're all here and moving on and continuing our recruiting," said Anglin. "We're up for the challenge."
  Mack, who held a press conference in Encino Saturday to be unveiled as Crespi coach, visited VC campus Tuesday to meet briefly with the team and file his resignation.
  That enabled the VC administration to begin the process of opening the search for his successor. "I hope that we'll be able to fill it quickly," said Calote. "It's an important time to have a full-time coach."
  Antavius Sims, Brenden Daley, CC football, community college, football, Gary Anglin, Jon Mack, Robin Calote, Ted Lawrence, VC, VC football
  VC leads 7-0 early
  The Ventura College football team took a 7-0 lead at Pasadena City after one quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Antavius Sims. Sims now has eight touchdown runs on the season. Tags:
  Antavius Sims, CC football, community college, football, live, VC, VC football
  Only four players in the state have more rushing touchdowns than the seven scored by Ventura College quarterback Antavius Sims.
  Antavius Sims, CC football, community college, football, statistics, VC, VC football
  Mack on the choice
  Ventura College comes from behind to have a chance to tie the game with nine seconds to play -- at home no less -- and head coach Jon Mack elects to go for the game-winning two-point conversion. "We're here to win it," said Mack, after linebacker Jack Francis protected Cerritos' 36-35 win by stopping Sims on the conversion attempt.
  "It's a non-conference game. We're not here to fool around. "It's my call and I'd do it 100 times again."
  Antavius Sims, CC football, community college, football, Jon Mack, VC, VC football
  Down seven points with 81 yards to go and 1:09 to play, the Ventura College drove the length of the football field against visiting Cerritos College Saturday night at the VC Sportsplex. Only to come up short.
  Rather than use his record-setting kicker to force overtime, Ventura coach Jon Mack elected to attempt the game-winning two-point conversion after quarterback Antavius Sims found receiver Nick Karam for a 9-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds to play.
  Ventura (3-1) fell despite kicker Tyler Stampler setting a school record by converting five field goals on five attempts and All-State cornerback Travaun Nixon intercepting three passes in the first 18 minutes, returning one 27 yards for a touchdown. Tags:
  Antavius Sims, CC football, Cerritos, community college, football, Jon Mack, Travaun Nixon, Tyler Stampler, VC, VC football
  Ventura College football team's season-opening 35-13 win over Los Angeles Valley was a collective effort.
  Especially on offense, where two different quarterbacks gave the ball to 13 different ball carriers (including the two quarterbacks) and threw the ball to eight different receivers. "That's something we're really stressing," said Ventura coach Jon Mack. "There are no individuals, just the team.
  "What I really liked, offensively. There wasn't anybody saying 'I need more touches.' It was a collective unit. Everybody was excited and involved. We probably played 50 or 60 guys."
  As a group, the Pirates rushed for 306 yards on 43 attempts. Sophomore Kraig McPherson rushed for 87 yards on 11 carries. Sophomore Dominic Morris rushed for 70 yards on nine carries. Sophomore Gabriel Bostic earned 51 yards on five carries.
  First-year quarterbacks Greg Jimenez and Antavius Sims seemed perfectly happy to alternate snaps on offense.
  Sims, who both threw and ran for touchdowns, said he was "real comfortable" with the "good rotation."
  Asked how he expects to keep two quarterbacks happy, Mack responded, "You just get unselfish kids who care as much about the team as they do themselves."
  Antavius Sims, CC football, community college, football, Gabriel Bostic, Jon Mack, Los Angeles Valley, VC football
  Sims on the board
  Freshman quarterback Antavius Sims turns a third and 18 into one of the highlights of the night, a winding 25-yard touchdown run that gives VC a 28-13 lead with 14:28 to play. Tags: