The two best teams of the SCFA American Division appropriately faced each other on Saturday in a collision course between undefeated, state #18-ranked Pasadena City College and it's 4-0 counterpart in unranked Chaffey. It was the host Panthers who created more big plays in producing 24 straight points to down the visiting Lancers, 31-21.
PCC (4-1) had a number of strong individual performances on both sides of the ball, but in the end a number of key offensive moments fizzled while Chaffey used the same technique that the Lancers had utilized often with huge success in their first four wins--a hurry-up offense--to cause some breakdowns on the Pasadena defense.
The two teams remain the state's top-scoring teams as PCC leads all with a 49.6 average and Chaffey at 45.4.
The Lancers jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Isaac Glover's team-leading eighth touchdown, a 7-yard run just 5:20 into the SCFA contest. Glover raced for a 23-yard carry and quarterback Kekahi Graham took a keeper 14 yards during the 8-play, 71-yard scoring drive.
A poor punt gave Chaffey great field position at the PCC 30 with the Panthers capitalizing on a 17-yard TD throw from QB Dereun Dortch to William Davis that tied it at 7-7 in a closely-played first quarter.
This time, it was a 7-yard shank punt that allowed the Lancers good field position near midfield. Glover broke loose for a 21-yard gain that helped set up a 20-yard TD throw by Graham to William Parra on the very first play of the second quarter. Graham rolled out to his right and just before the scrimmage line hit Parra at the front corner of the end zone for the go-ahead score. Nico Razo's extra point made it 14-7.
On PCC's next series, Graham's 27-yard connection to Jordan Rodriguez put PCC at the Chaffey 15. Stalled at 4th-and-2 at the Panthers' 7, the Lancers chose to skip what would have been a 24-yard field goal attempt and a 2-score lead to go for it. Graham's pass to the end zone was nearly picked off by Chaffey's Azariah Levells that ended the opportunity.
The switch of momentum started a 93-yard TD drive by Chaffey that culminated on a 1-yard scoring run by Jayson Cortes and a 14-14 tie. A 36-yard pass by Dortch to Davis was the big play during the series. A missed 32-yard Lancers FG attempt as rain hit the Rancho Cucamonga campus kept the teams deadlocked going into halftime.
PCC saw another scoring chance fail midway through the third quarter. The Lancers drove to Chaffey's 12 but on a 4th-and-2, Graham fumbled the snap, recovered by the Panthers' Dallas Brown. A missed 41-yard FG attempt by Chaffey resulted in a scoreless third quarter for both teams.
Razo pinned Chaffey with a 39-yard punt that was downed at the Panthers' 4 that ended the period. Chaffey responded with its no-huddle offense as Dortch fired passes of 20 and then 44 yards before finding a Jeremiah Beck on a 3-yard TD to give the Panthers their first lead at 21-14 just 2:56 into the fourth quarter.
On the next series, PCC had a 4th-and-12 at its own 35, but after a timeout tried a fake punt as Jacob Turowetz was stopped well short after a 4-yard gain. Making matters worse was a 15-yard personal foul penalty that gave Chaffey great field position at the Lancers' 24. Dortch's 1-yard TD run and the fourth extra point kick by Anthony Hagan upped the Panthers lead to 28-14 with 7:34 left. A 31-yard FG by Hagan made it 24 consecutive points scored by Chaffey.
The Lancers got its offense on track with Graham delivering passes of 17 yards to Rodriguez and 22 yards to Turowetz. Armando Guardado's 2-yard TD run in the final minute capped the game's scoring.
Glover was outstanding, rushing for 133 yards in 19 carries and adding five kick returns for 111 yards (244 all-purpose yards). Graham completed 23 of 42 passes for 182 yards (plus 35 yards rushing) while Rodriguez was his best target, making 10 receptions for 101 yards.
Defensively, the Lancers had four different players reach double digits in tackles, led by linebacker Jachai Pulley with 12 plus a QB hurry. Fellow linebackers Torriq Brumfield and Michael Prappas along with lineman Jose Oliveros collected 10 tackles each. Linebacker Adrian Ramirez totaled nine tackles and defensive back Devon Mayes made eight (six solos) and one pass break-up. Defensive lineman Julius Ray contributed five tackles and his team-leading sixth sack.
PCC enters its bye week and after the break will return home to Robinson Stadium to open the 5-game, Pacific League schedule when its hosts Santa Monica College on Saturday, Oct. 13. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
It is likely that the Lancers could face Chaffey again in the American Championship Bowl in November as the Panthers are the favorites to win the Metro League.
PCC GRID NOTES: The Lancers are now 6-7 in their history against Chaffey, last defeating the Panthers in the 1997 season opener...The last time PCC started a season 5-0 was in 2007 (team finished 7-3)...After five games, Glover is fifth in the state in all-purpose yards with 777 and leads PCC's ground game on 411 yards. He is third in kick return yards (360) and sixth in kick return average (27.7 yards). Glover has scored at least one touchdown in all five games...Graham is second in the state in passing touchdowns with 17 and 10th in yards with 1,171 (94-for-153)...Rodriguez nows leads PCC receivers with 20 receptions for 210 yards...Ray tops the defense with 30 tackles, 11.5 behind the line of scrimmage...Guardado became the 17th different Lancer to score a TD this season...A remarkable 18 different players have caught at least one pass...Razo is 21-for-22 on extra point kicks while Justin Vergara is 10-for-10. Vergara has reached the end zone for eight touchbacks on kickoffs. Razo has four punts that have been downed inside the opponent 20...In their history, the Lancers are a combined 87-36-1 against their upcoming five league opponents, including a program high v. one college of 37 victories v. Glendale.
