ELAC Opens Season With Disappointing Loss

Note From The Editor:  East L.A. College  opened its new era under Head Coach, Eric Marty,  and its 2015 season with a dramatic and valiant effort, only to see it result in a final minute disappointing loss to the Glendale College “Vaqueros.”  The game, played on 9/5/15,  featured two teams who were very evenly matched in both skills and abilities. The main difference of course, for the Huskies, was that this game was played at home in front of a growing student, and community fan base. Game attendance was estimated at 750.  

Game Summary:   The Huskies  scored first with 8:32  left in the first quarter when starting QB/#14 Levi Wells  (So. El Monte HS), found his WR/#7 Trey Adkins  (Lakeview HS/Dallas, TX) open for a 55 yd. TD pass. Glendale answered with their first TD at the 3:39  mark and then with only 6  seconds left in the quarter, the Vaqueros caught the Huskie secondary totally off-guard when QB/Grant Kraemer  found WR/Elonzo Griffen  completely uncovered by the defense for an 87 yd TD catch and run. No defender came close to catching him. The score was now 13-7.  The Huskies then took their first lead at 14-13  with 12:56  left in the half when RB/#15 Shaq Shelton  (Crenshaw) scored on a 17 yd run.  But Glendale put up two more quick scores at the 6:58  and 1:52  marks, giving the them a 26-14  lead. The Huskies then scrambled back after a 1:13/4 play/66 yd drive and with only :31  seconds left in the 1st half, WR/#5 Iheanyi Obinna  (Van Nuys HS) ran it in from the 4 yd. line to close the gap to 26-21  at the half.

When play resumed in the 3rd quarter, the Huskies regained the lead with the only score in the period when QB/#9 Brian Marty  (Meadowdale HS/Edmonds, WA) ran for a 2 yd TD at the 9:54  mark. This moved the score to 28-26  giving the Huskies their second lead of the game. The 4th quarter featured intense drama when with 3:44  left in the game, the Vaquero placekicker, Kerin Beltran  booted a 19 yd FG, which gave the lead back to the Vaqueros. at 29-28.  As the clock was winding down, and their 2-minute drill stalling, Coach Marty went to his placekicker, #39 Vicente Peña, (L.A. Wilson HS)  and called on him to retake the lead with only 1:29  to go. Peña  confidently answered the call and nailed a 43 yd. FG, putting the Huskies  back in the lead at 31-29. However, the confidence of a victory was short-lived when the Huskies were assessed a major penalty for excessive celebration on the field. A high-price they paid on the ensuing kick-off which came from their own 20 yd. line, instead of the regular 35 yd. line. The Vaqueros would capitalize on the great field position they gained on the medium distanced kick-off, and with just :37  seconds remaining on the clock, QB/Kraemer  hooked up with WR/Griffen  for a 37 yd TD pass and their “go-ahead”  score. The TD then moved the score to 35-31, Glendale up. ELAC would receive the ensuing kick-off with just :58  seconds left, but could not muster enough offense to score on a “quick-strike”  or “Hail Mary”  play. When the final buzzer sounded, the score was Glendale 35, ELAC 31. The Huskies now trail Glendale (6-16-1)  in “head-to-head” competition. In the final analysis, the Huskies have no one to blame but themselves for the loss, due in large part, to the amount of penalties and the costliness of those that had nothing to do with an actual play in the game. After a Bye this weekend, the Huskies travel up north to play Santa Barbara City College,  on Saturday, 9/19 @ 1 pm. 

Note #2 From The Editor: Although new Head Coach, Eric Marty’s  inaugural game resulted in a narrow and unusual loss, there’s a bigger picture that must be considered. The wins will come in due time as the Coach’s system is completely locked in by the players and the full team makes its commitment to excellence and winning the Conference championship. One win, or one loss, does not make a season. It’s still a marathon and good things are coming the Huskies’ way. Mark your calendars and come out to support the Huskies in their next Home game on Saturday, 9/26  vs. El Camino-Compton  @ 6 pm. Rico Cabrera, Sr./Editor, EastLASportsScene.Com

Statistical Categories:  After reviewing various game categories, some very good “positives”  where Coach Marty will appreciate Huskie game superiority are the following: Time of Possession:  (34:08 to 25:52); First Downs  (27-24); Rushing TDs  (3-1); Total Offensive Plays  (81-70); Yds Gained Rushing  (160-70); Red Zone Scoring Chances  (4 TDs-3 TDs). The one stat that concerned Coach Marty more than any other was the number of penalties. In this game the Huskies were penalized 14  times for 154  yds.

Players Of The Game:  Offense: #9 Brian Marty/QB/16-30/182 yds/43 yds. Long; #39 Vicente Peña/Place Kicker/4-4 PATs/1-1 FG-43 yds/7 Pts. Defense: #45 Carlos Gomez (La Mirada HS)/MLB/7 Solo/1 Ast/8 Total; #10 Terry Brady (L.A.- Jefferson)/DE/ 2 Solo/3 Ast/5 Total/2 Sacks-11 yds/2 TFL-12 yds.

Credits: John  Czimbal,  ELAC Statistician; Erik Sarni,  Videographer/Digital Photographer & Louie A. Rodriguez,  Digital Photographer, EastLASportsScene.Com

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