ELAC Wins First For New Coach, 21-14

Note From The Editor:  On 9/19/15, the “Huskies” traveled up our northern coast to Santa Barbara and faced their Game #2 opponent, the Santa Barbara City College “Vaqueros.”  The Huskies played defense with a very strong sense of urgency, forcing and creating key turnovers and then capitalizing on it to their advantage for a full 60 minutes. On the other hand, the offense showed steady improvement and built a 14-0 chalf time lead. The Vaqueros were able to tie it at 14-14  in the 3rd quarter, but in the end, and with the game on the line, the Huskies hit pay-dirt in the final 30 seconds and scored the winning TD when QB/#9 Brian Marty connected on a 4 yd toss to his diving WR/#17 Willliam Tanner Rose, in the coffin-corner of the end zone.

A repeat of Game #1’s disastrous ending would not occur after this triumphant scenario took place. Coach Marty relentlessly stressed that discipline and restraint would be rewarded in the most appropriate fashion, with a “W”  in the record column. It was a euphoric ending to a long-day road trip and a very well played game. Coach Marty’s post-game statement was brief but to the point. In his words…“Our defense played huge and the kids battled on the road for four quarters. Then tied at 14-14, in the 4th quarter, we drove 91 yds. Then on 3rd & goal from the 4, and with just 30 seconds left in the game, our QB and Tight End connect on a throw and catch for the win.”

At the end of the day, the Huskies were credited with two firsts… their first win of the season, and their first win under new Head Coach Eric Marty’s  era. The Huskies  return home for their next match-up against  Compton-El Camino Community College  on Sat. 9/26. Kick-off is at 6 pm. Come a little early and grab your 50 yd. line seat. The buzz is growing on campus and in the community. Continue to come out and support this young and talented team!!  Rico Cabrera, Sr./Editor, EastLASportsScene.Com

Game Recap:

(1st Half)  East L.A. scored a touchdown on its first and last possession on Saturday to hand SBCC a 21-14  nonconference football defeat at La Playa Stadium. With the score tied at 14, the Huskies drove 91 yards in 12 plays, capped by a diving 4-yard TD grab in the right side of the end zone by WR/#17 William Tanner Rose.  The TD came with 30 seconds to play.

Freshman QB/#9 Brian Marty completed 20-of-37  passes for 248  yards and three touchdowns. The Huskies (1-1) drove 63 yards with the opening kickoff and took a 7-0 lead on Marty’s 19-yard toss to WR/#5 Iheanyi Obinna (Van Nuys HS).  SBCC’s Marvin Millett  lost a fumble on the first play of the second quarter and the Huskies went 34 yards and made it 14-0  on a 9-yard aerial from Marty  to WR/#3 Leonard Taylor  (Crenshaw HS).

Santa Barbara got to the Huskies’ 9 on its second possession but ELAC’s DB/#26 Ryan Cisneros  (Montebello HS)  ended the march by intercepting an Edwards’ pass at the 1 yd. line.

(2nd Half)  The Vaqueros  opened the second half with a 54-yard drive and converted a fourth-and-1 at the 34 on a 5-yard run by QB/Brandon Edwards.  On the next play, Edwards hit Osha Washington  with a 29-yard scoring strike to cut the deficit in half, 14-7.

SBCC’c Diante Lewis-Jolley  a pass at his own 21 early in the third quarter and the Vaqueros marched 79 yards in eight plays, taking just 2:50 off the clock. On third-and-4, Edwards handed to Washington who threw a pass into the end zone. Jason Matthew-Starsh  made a spectacular one-handed grab as he and a defender tumbled to the turf. Blake Levin’s  PAT kick made it 14-14 with 7:51 to go in the third. Levin had a 36-yard field goal try blocked by the Huskies’DB/#23 Robert Douglas  (Westchester HS) midway through the third period.

The Vaqueros drove to the Huskies’ 15 on the first drive of the final quarter and probably would have tried a field goal if Levin hadn’t been injured on an earlier play. Edwards’ fourth-down pass was picked off by ELAC’s DB/#21 Deangelo Buchanon  (Lynwood HS). This play would pay later dividends when the Huskies mounted their final drive and the drama that followed to seal their win.

After the Huskies “go-ahead”  TD, SBCC (1-2) got the ball on its own 40 and QB/Edwards completed a 6-yard pass to Chad Woolsey.  Then with six seconds left, the Huskies’ DL/#19 Daniel Alvarado  (Santa Fe HS) sacked Edwards to secure East L.A.’s first win. Special mention goes to DB/ #1 Dakota Ridgeway,  former L.A. Lincoln HS “Tiger,” for making one interception in the game.

Game Leaders:  ELAC/Pa: Brian Marty – 248; Ru: Shaq Shelton – 37; Rec: Iheanyi Obinna – 159. SBCC/Pa: Brandon Edwards – 252; Ru: Chad Woolsey – 55; Rec: Elijah King – 96

Team Stats:  ELAC/SBCC-Passing Yds: 287/271; Rushing Yds: 64/73; Turnovers: 2/3; Time of Poss: 28:46/31:14; Total Yardage: 351/344.

Credits: cccaa.com; sbccvaqueros.com (Official website of Santa Barbara City College Athletics; Dave Loveton, SBCC Scorekeeper; Tadzio Garcia, ELAC Sports Intern.

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