Most Valuable Player Noah Triplett ran back the second-half kickoff 74 yards for the go-ahead touchdown as the Pasadena City College football team closed out a successful return to the SCFA National Division by defeating host Citrus, 35-30, in the Golden State Bowl on Saturday afternoon.
Triplett, a freshman All-Central League First Team running back/returner, totaled 221 all-purpose yards, rushing for 50, catching four passes for 34, and collecting 137 in four kick returns overall.
The Lancers, who at one point were 3-5 this season, won their final three games to push themselves over the .500 mark (6-5 overall) while also winning their first bowl game at the upper level of SoCal football 17 years ago to the day. PCC beat Southwestern in the 2008 Santa Barbara City College-hosted Tremblay Services Bowl, 45-14.
PCC led 14-0 on two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Xavier Buckles, but three Lancers turnovers were all turned into Citrus scores as the Owls grabbed a 17-14 halftime lead. Triplett then returned his third kickoff for a TD this season with Zack Hutchinson kicking one of his five extra points for a 21-17 advantage.
Triplett helped engineered a 10-play, 65-yard drive that started late in the third quarter and culminated on a 3-yard TD scamper by Dom Ezeonye 2:22 into the fourth period. Triplett made four carries for 25 yards and caught a pass during the series to help set up the score that increased PCC's lead to 28-17.
After Citrus cut it to 28-24, Triplett returned the ensuing kickoff 29 yards into Owls territory. Buckles followed with a 40-yard TD aerial to Ethan Hubbell to make it a two-score game again at 35-24.
The Owls (6-5) didn't quit as SCFA passing leader Brian Salazar Jr., who went past the 3,000 yards mark during the bowl, fired his fourth TD throw of the game, a 26-yard strike to Jojo Enriquez. Salazar, who totaled 377 yards in the contest (22-for-37 attempts), helped Citrus get to within one score with six minutes remaining.
PCC's offense would eat up the clock and put the game away when Buckles hit Triplett for a 2-yard completion on a 4th-down-and-1 near midfield. Citrus did get the ball back with 15 seconds left, but Salazar's 30-yard pass was the game's final play as Coleman Morning and Gabriel Sulaiman combined for the tackle at the Citrus 45 to close it out. Sulaiman led PCC with seven tackles and Morning added six.
While Triplett earned MVP honors, linebacker Devon Jones, who made five tackles, a sack, broke up a pass and had a QB hurry, was named Defensive Player of the Game. Citrus receiver Cameron Bateman (eight catches, 129 yards, one TD) received the Golden State Bowl Offensive Player of the Game award.
Triplett with his MVP plaque
Buckles finished by completing 23 of 29 passes for 296 yards and accounted for three TDs (two rushing, one throwing). Ezeonye led the rushing attack on 71 yards in 17 carries and Cam Mitchell led the receivers with six catches for 79 yards.
"It was a resilient effort by us, but part of what made our team a hard one for opponents to play against this season," said PCC Director of Football Operations/Head Coach Robert Tucker, who collected his 40th victory and third bowl championship overall in just five seasons running the program.
"We made some mistakes and it let Citrus back in it. I don't think we ever felt like we were in trouble though. We just went back to work and moved the chains to score our last two touchdowns. Super proud of our players and our assistant coaching staff. We were very competitive in losses against some great teams this season that could have gone either way. To finish with a bowl victory and win our final three games was especially satisfying."
