Special Teams Sparks Football's 27-17 Win Over Santa Ana

Secil Ackah blocked a punt and returned it 23 yards for one touchdown and Isaac Glover ran back a kickoff 71 yards that set up another TD as Pasadena City College's football special teams made the difference in a 27-17, SCFA Non-League victory over Santa Ana Saturday night. The game was played at PCC's Robinson Stadium.

A rematch of the SoCal Bowl won last year by PCC, 28-21, this game did not live up to the excitement and drama of that contest. However, the Lancers came up with enough big plays to keep it entertaining for the fans. 

PCC improved to 2-1 overall while Santa Ana remains winless at 0-3. 

Most of the time, the teams traded short series, three downs and out that resulted in an incredible 18 punts, nine by each team. 

The Lancers jumped out to a 13-3 first quarter lead and took a 20-3 advantage into halftime. 

Just 3:15 into the game, Lancers quarterback Jakob Doolittle caught the Santa Ana secondary napping as he found a wide-open Jason Sanford for a 51-yard TD bomb. With a little more than two minutes left in the period, Jaylon McGee made a 6-yard sack that forced the Dons to punt from their own 33-yard line. Ackah, a PCC cornerback, broke through the line and blocked a punt by David Ramos II, and raced in for a 13-3 Lancers lead.

On one of the few sustained drives by Pasadena, the Lancers drove 62 yards in seven plays that culminated on a 1-yard TD run by Glover with 7:05 left in the second quarter. Doolittle had three carries for 20 yards, shoveled a pass to Ivan Ostry for a 24-yard reception and hit Oscar Willis for a 16-yard throw. Justin Vergara's second of three extra point kicks gave the team breathing room at 20-3.

After Santa Ana cut it to 20-10 in the third quarter, Glover broke through a block for a 71-yard kick return where Dons kicker Anthony Gomez prevented a TD on a tackle but Santa Ana was called for a personal foul penalty that brought the ball to the SAC 12. Doolittle followed with a 12-yard TD pass to tight end Isaiah Smalls and a 27-10 lead with 8:23 left in the period. 

Glover finished with a team-high 45 yards rushing in 13 carries and 116 all-purpose yards. In two games this season, Doolittle (making his first collegiate start v. SAC) has completed five passes, but three for touchdowns. Sanford's receptions this season have been nothing but gold strikes for PCC as four of his eight receptions have resulted in TDs. He's averaging a state-leading 33.5 yards per catch. 

Defensively, PCC's secondary picked off two passes with interceptions by Nathaniel Palacios and Nesty Monfleury (25-yard return late in the fourth quarter). Linebacker Jordan Monroe made 10 tackles (seven solos) and 3.5 behind the line of scrimmage with a sack while defensive back Jory Johnson also recorded 10 tackles.

Defensive end Carlos Ramirez added eight tackles (one sack), linebacker Jaylon McGee six tackles (one sack), and lineman Michelangelo Loretto had an 11-yard sack, forced a fumble and tallied a QB hurry. Palacios added two pass breakups and three tackles. 

Nate Sanchez, PCC's punter, didn't have many long kicks, but two were downed inside the 20 and his longest went for 52 yards. 

Next Saturday, Sept. 24, Coach Robert Tucker's Lancers travel to face Antelope Valley College in a 6 p.m. kickoff.