Defense Sets Tone As Football Downs SBVC, 26-11

On a night where the Pasadena City College football team had 50 more yards in penalties than in total offense (194 to 144), the Lancers let their defense do the talking in a 26-11, SCFA non-conference victory over San Bernardino Valley at Robinson Stadium Saturday.

PCC evened its record to 1-1 as head coach Tom Maher won for the first time since the 2004 season, the last year he directed the Lancers program. SBVC dropped to 0-2 as the two teams were penalized an amazing 40 times (20 each) for a combined 375 yards. The game lasted 3 hours and 36 minutes.

The Lancers twice used big defensive plays to create touchdowns. In the second quarter, Jshoun Wolfe broke up a pass that teammate Adrian Morrow turned into a 20-yard interception return to the SBVC 1. Francisco Gallegos followed with a 1-run TD run and after Enrique Lozano's extra point kick, the Lancers led 10-0 with 8:08 to go in the first half.

Leading 20-0 at halftime, PCC's defensive end Zephaniyah Sanford scooped up a Wolverines fumble and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown just 3:46 into the third quarter. 

The team tormented San Bernardino with a ferocious pass rush that produced six sacks and six quarterback hurries. It was a big night by No. 98, freshman defensive tackle Daeqwan Bailey who led PCC with nine tackles, including three sacks for 31 yards loss, two pass break-ups from close range, and two hurries. Another tackle Josh Martinez added two sacks. Sophomore safety Kendell Jefferson contributed six tackles and intercepted a pass.

Lozano, the team's kicker and punter, made field goals of 34 yards in the first quarter and 29 yards to end the first half. Besides kicking two extra points, he landed three of his punts inside the SBVC 20-yard line. 

PCC's offense was limited to 12 first downs and had its best production on a late second quarter series. Freshman quarterback Jesse Hanckel bombed a pass for 41 yards that Jett Even, last season's starting quarterback, some how landed on his back and maintained possession despite two defensive backs draped on him. Then running back Jacob Fimbres cut to his right and raced 16 yards for a PCC touchdwon with 3:01 left in the second quarter.

San Bernardino got on the scoreboard for the first time in 2016 (six scoreless quarters) with 6:58 left in third quarter on a 33-yard field goal by Humberto Ramirez. The Wolverines picked up their first touchdown on a 2-yard run by Devontre Hale with under eight minutes left in the game. 

The Lancers host Allan Hancock College next Saturday, Sept. 17 in a 4 p.m. kickoff at Robinson Stadium.

[Photo--Daeqwan Bailey (98) was a menace to the SBVC quarterbacks all game on Saturday, image by Richard Quinton.]