Football Pounds Santa Barbara To Get Into 2025 Win Column

The Pasadena City College football team put up its second highest scoring total in head coach Robert Tucker's five seasons directing the program, routing host Santa Barbara City College, 62-3, in a SCFA non-league game on Saturday night.

The Lancers (now 1-1) had notched 70 points in a 2023 game at West Los Angeles and against hapless Santa Barbara (0-2) they scored nine touchdowns, two in every quarter but the third when they posted three end zone entries. 

Starting quarterback Max Grizzell, from Park City, Utah, fired touchdown aerials of 75 yards to Ethan Hubbell and 41 yards to Josh Soto in the opening quarter, added a 25-yard TD pass to Maddux Mateski in the second quarter and scored on a 1-yard keeper in the third period. The redshirt freshman finished the evening completing 10 of 14 throws for 240 yards and three touchdowns.

PCC piled up 506 yards of total offense, averaging 8.9 yards per play and scoring on eight of their 57 offensive plays from scrimmage. Adam Huizar hit paydirt on fourth-quarter TD runs of 8 and 3 yards, Elijah Tehe scored on a 7-yard carry, and second-string quarterback Xavier Buckles tallied a 1-yard TD.

On the second half kickoff, Noah Triplett broke a seam and raced 94 yards for a touchdown.

Buckles complemented Grizzell's fine play by completing 8 of 12 passes for 132 yards, including a 48-yard throw to Mikey Guerrero. Eleven different players made receptions while nine made rushing attempts with Dom Ezeonye leading the attack on five carries for 53 yards. Tae Gibson totaled 43 yards in seven touches. 

Hubbell, Mateski and Jagg Richer each had three receptions. 

With original starting kicker Dylan Benitez injured, Zack Hutchinson made his collegiate debut and drilled all five of his extra point tries and was strong on kickoffs, including one for a touchback. Ryan Chen also debuted and was perfect as well on three extra points.

The PCC defense limited Santa Barbara to only 19 yards net rushing, sacking Vaqueros quarterbacks five times. Gio Livingstone made 1.5 sacks while Gabriel Sulaiman led the squad with five tackles and one sack. Teva Loft added a sack and Jasun Ridley made four tackles, one hurry, forced a fumble and made a half-sack. Ethan Bowser also made five tackles. 

Next Saturday, Sept. 13, the Lancers host Palomar in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Robinson Stadium.