Five Straight Wins For Football, Stays Perfect In Metro League

For the first time in a decade, the Pasadena City College football team extended a winning streak to five games as the Lancers also remained perfect in SCFA Metro League play with a 35-6 triumph at Los Angeles Southwest College Saturday night. PCC is tied for first place with Santa Ana, both at 4-0.

Pasadena assured itself of its first .500 season since 2009 (5-5 that year) and did so under an interim head coach in Steven Mojarro. PCC's defense limited an opponent to one touchdown for the second straight game. The last time that happened was 2002 when PCC held Orange Coast and Mt. San Antonio to just six points in consecutive wins. In league play, the defense has allowed a stingy 55 points in four games (13.75 average).

The Lancers (5-3) exposed a winless team for the second straight week although it took time for their offense to get going against the Cougars (0-8, and 0-4 in league play). After a scoreless first quarter, PCC finally got on the board a minute into the second period. The PCC musical quarterback procession slated sophomore transfer Adam Besana at starter this week. Besana, who a week ago set a PCC record for the longest pass play in PCC history at 99 yards, hit tight end Jordan Bruner for a 41-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Bruner made a circus catch while being interfered with by a Cougars' defender as he backed into the end zone.

On the team's next series, it took two plays for Besana to connect to a streaking Stevie Williams for a 39-yard TD pass. Enrique Lozano's second of five extra point kicks made it 14-0 just 3:10 into the quarter. 

PCC got the ball back and with Mario Bobadilla at QB, the Lancers marched 75 yards in just six plays. Kevin Thomas rushed for first down carries of 11 and 15 yards. Bobadilla fired a bomb to Forest Fajardo who hauled in a 36-yard catch at the LASW 2. From there, Thomas crossed the goalline for a 2-yard TD run and a 21-0 lead with 2:40 left before halftime.

In the third quarter, Besana added a 9-yard TD pass to Kyle Torres and a 2-yard scoring throw to tight end KJ Turner for a 35-0 advantage. Overall, Besana completed 15 of 24 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns. The Lancers controlled the game throughout, outgaining LA Southwest in total offense yards, 448-160. PCC's rushing game had another fine group effort, led by Amad Andrews with 64 yards in nine carries. Thomas totaled 50 yards in six attempts and James Shaw gained 42 yards in seven rushes. The Lancers ran for 165 yards in 29 attempts for a season-best 5.7 yards per carry.

LA Southwest broke the shutout early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard TD carry by Lamuna Robinson. 

The PCC defense produced four sacks, two by lineman Javier Wallace, who totaled six tackles. David Vardanian made five tackles, a couple behind the line of scrimmage and forced a fumble. Defensive back Raysean Clayton led the team with seven tackles, six solos. Linebacker Tristen Chavarria added five tackles. DB Tristin Rojas intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 18 yards. It was the team's state-leading 19th interception this season (tied with San Diego Mesa).

The Lancers play perhaps their biggest game in nine years next week (Nov. 4) when they play the Homecoming Game against rival East Los Angeles College. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Robinson Stadium. The Huskies, last year's Metro champions, are 5-3 and 3-1 in league, but have been on a hot streak with three straight victories. Last season, ELAC handed PCC a crushing 63-17 defeat. If PCC should defeat ELAC, it would set up a possible winner-take-all, regular season finale at Santa Ana. The Dons (5-3 overall) would also have to beat West LA next week to create the scenario.

PCC GRIDIRON NOTES: In 2007, the "David Show" combo of record-setting quarterback David Pittman and national-record setting wide receiver and future NFL player David Reed helped PCC open with a 5-game winning streak. The team hit a rough patch in conference play and finished 6-4, missing out on a bowl game...The Lancers twice lost fumbles against LA Southwest. the first time the team lost a fumble since week 3 against Allan Hancock...PCC's passers have only thrown two inteceptions during the win streak in 144 throws with 17 touchdowns...PCC has scored 30 or more points in the five wins. The last time the program did that was in 2008 when the Lancers scored 30 or more in six straight games from weeks #2 thru #7.