Vikings Battle No. 1 Ventura in Competitive First Half

The Long Beach City College football team went toe-to-toe with the No. 1–ranked Ventura College Pirates for much of the first half before ultimately falling 45–24 on Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Vikings (3–6, 3–3 conference) came out firing, forcing an early turnover and capitalizing immediately when Imari Conway punched in a 4-yard touchdown to give Long Beach the lead just one minute into the game. Later in the first quarter, quarterback Allen Fernett connected with Justin Auston on a 31-yard strike to put the Vikings up 14–7.

Long Beach's offense continued to click in the second quarter as Wyatt McCauley found Michael Wilson for a 12-yard touchdown, tying the game 21–21. Ethan Smithlin added a 28-yard field goal as time expired in the half to send the teams into the break tied at 24–24.

McCauley finished 13-of-19 passing for 189 yards and one touchdown, while Fernett added 73 yards and a score through the air. Owen Tomich led all Viking receivers with seven catches for 106 yards, while Wilson totaled 35 yards and a touchdown.

On the ground, Conway and Lynnden Hodge combined for 74 rushing yards, helping the Vikings stay balanced offensively.

Defensively, Long Beach held its own against one of the state's most dynamic offenses. Noah Mallon led the team with 10 tackles, followed by Austin King and Alex Koulovatos with eight apiece. Koulovatos also came up with a key interception in the second quarter, while Catron Hargrove added a sack and Knockia Wynter forced a fumble.

Despite Ventura pulling away in the second half, the Vikings' strong start showcased their competitiveness against California's top-ranked program.

Long Beach will close out the regular season on the road when they travel to Moorpark College on Saturday, November 8, with kickoff set for 1 p.m.