The 0-3 start to the 2017 season seems like a distant memory now for the high-flying Pasadena City College football team. The Lancers won their fourth in a row, and remain undefeated in SCFA Metro League play at 3-0 behind a 38-7 triumph over Glendale College before an excited crowd at Robinson Stadium Saturday night.
The Lancers (4-3 overall) matched their longest win streak (four) since the 2010 season. The Vaqueros stay winless at 0-7 and 0-3. PCC's 3-0 league mark is just a half-game behind Santa Ana (4-0) in the Metro title standings race.
After setting a record two weeks ago for most points ever scored at Robinson Stadium (58 v. West LA), the records kept on coming v. Glendale. At the end of the third quarter, Enrique Lozano drilled a 50-yard field goal, the longest in PCC history, on a kick that was dead-on center and high through the uprights. The sophomore had tied the record of Nick Luevano of 49 yards (2009) a few weeks ago v. Compton. Lozano added five extra point kicks and averaged 38 yards in three punts.
With 5:12 left in the game, PCC stopped Glendale short of the goal-line on a fourth down pass play. From their own 1-yard line, reserve quarterback Adam Besana threw a short pass to receiver Ryan Kotey, who went off to the races for a 99-yard touchdown. It was the longest pass in PCC's 93-year history on the gridiron. The previous longest pass was ironically also against Glendale, a 96-yard TD connection between QB Justin Posthuma to Jose Rodriguez on Sept. 3, 2011.
PCC took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard TD pass from starting QB Mario Bobadilla tight end KJ Turner with 7:50 left in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Bobadilla engineered a brilliant 16-play, 90-yard scoring drive after the team-leading third interception by safety Ty Apana-Purcell at the PCC 10. Bobadilla completed five passes, two to Forest Fajardo and a long of 18 to Kyle Torres. On a 4th-and-goal, Bobadilla scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak to give the Lancers a 14-0 advantage with 4:34 left before halftime.
After Glendale cut it to 14-7 just before the end of the second quarter, the Lancers converted again of an interception, this time a pickoff by linebacker Kimani Williams at the PCC 45. Bobadilla fired a 14-yard pass to Stevie Williams aided by a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty that set up a 26-yard TD pass to Fajardo. Lozano's extra point made it 21-7 with 10 minutes left in the third period. Bobadilla's legs came in handy on the team's next series as he raced for a 7-yard, first down carry on a 4th-and-2 situation. After a 17-yard connection to Stevie Williams, Kevin Thomas came off the bench and powered in a 5-yard touchdown run into the far front corner of the end zone. That made it 28-7.
PCC's two record-setting plays then finished off the team's scoring. The Lancers defense recorded four more interceptions for a state-leading 18 after seven games. Jared Henry and Steven Cantero also made interceptions as the team has 12 different players with pickoffs. Other highlights were seven tackles by linebacker Jasper Chavez, five tackles and two pass break-ups by Jshoun Wolfe, and a sack by Adrian Huerta.
Bobadilla completed 15 of 24 throws for 165 yards and two TDs. His best target was Williams with seven catches for 77 yards. Fajardo added five for 51. Amad Andrews led the Lancers ground game with 55 yards in 12 carries.
Next Saturday, Oct. 28, interim head coach Steven Mojarro's Lancers visit Los Angeles Southwest College, another winless team (0-7, 0-3), in a Metro League contest that kicks off at 6 p.m. The Lancers have been remarkable in their win streak in holding on to the football as they have made only two turnovers in the four victories.
PCC GRIDIRON NOTES: The last time PCC was better than .500 this late in the season was in 2008 when the Lancers were 5-2 on their way to a 7-4 season and their last appearance in bowl game (Tremblay Services Bowl of Santa Barbara)...Williams is third in the state in receiving yards average per game (103.2) and reached the 40-reception mark having played in only six games...Lozano's 51 points this season is fifth among state kickers and his 38.3 yards punt average is tied for sixth in the state for punters. He is 8-for-13 on field goal attempts...It was PCC's 35th win v. Glendale in its history, the most victories against any opponent, and the 50th meeting between the two colleges...
