Football Offense Continues To Soar In COD Victory

The Pasadena City College football team is piling up points and yards as it continues its trek through the American Division of the SCFA. The Lancers totaled 582 yards, a high for Director of Football Operations/Head Coach Robert Tucker in his third season, and rolled over host College of the Desert, 59-13, Saturday night. 

The previous high for a Tucker-coached Lancers team was in his first season in 2021 v. Santa Monica (505 yards). The Lancers reached at least 55 points for the third straight week to stay undefeated at 3-0, handing COD (2-1) its first loss. It's the best start to a PCC football season since the 2010 team won four straight. 

Freshman lefty thrower Kekahi Graham became just the fifth PCC quarterback to reach 400 yards passing in a game as he completed 26 of 40 passes for 407 yards and five touchdowns. It's the seventh highest total passing yards by a Lancer and Graham is collecting TD aerials at an alarming rate, now 11 in the last two weeks alone. 

Graham's six TDs last week was just the fourth time in PCC history a QB reached that number, falling one short of David Pittman's record seven in the 2007 season finale. 

After Isaac Glover returned the opening kickoff 36 yards to the PCC 48, Graham hit paydirt on the first play from scrimmage, bombing a 52-yard TD to Drushun Phillips. Kicker Nico Razo tied the PCC record for extra point kicks in a game of eight, just the fourth time ever and first since Enrique Lozano in 2017. His first extra point made it 7-0.

Graham, who completed his first eight passes, upped it to 14-0 on an 11-yard dart to LeMonte Holmes just 3:52 into the contest. He was 6-for-6 on this drive, three to Jacob Turowetz on a 74-yard drive. 

Glover's 1-yard scoring run allowed the Lancers to take a 21-0, first-quarter lead. On the very next PCC possession, Graham hit Daniel Schwam for a 54-yard reception and then completed a 15-yard TD pass to Joshua Barron for a 28-0 advantage. Another 15-yard TD throw to William Parra helped PCC take a 35-13 lead into halftime. 

In the second half, Graham added a 37-TD connection to Tijani Daley, Razo kicked a 38-yard field goal, Glover raced in for a 15-yard TD run, and Jon Bautista capped the win on an 11-yard TD run with 1:18 left.

Twelve different receivers pulled in at last one catch, led by Holmes (55 yards), Turowetz (38), and Parra (30) with four each. Phillips had the most yards of the receivers with 73 on three receptions. 

PCC moved the chains with 32 first downs as Glover led the ground game on 70 yards in 11 carries and his two TDs. Reserve quarterback Wyatt Oak added five carries for 50 yards, including a 45-yard jaunt and Mohammad Maali contributed 32 yards in five attempts. 

The Lancers offensive line, including right guard Julian Navarrete, right tackle Guadalupe Cedillo, center Frederico Novo, left guard Francisco Guerrero, and left tackle Jacen Guerra, gave Graham plenty of time out of the shotgun and blocked well to provide openings for the rushers. 

Defensively, linebacker Torriq Brumfield had six tackles (five solo, 2.5 behind line of scrimmage) while defensive lineman Julius Ray totaled six tackles, including two sacks. Talented cornerback Idrique Carmichael added five tackles and made an interception for the third consecutive game.

Letterman linebacker Michael Prappas returned to the lineup with four tackles and a pass breakup, lineman Israel Duncan had three tackles, a sack and a QB hurry while defensive back Elijah Lewis blocked an extra point, had a breakup and three tackles. Interior lineman Jose Oliveros was sound with four tackles (1.5 for lost yards) and DL Ryan Pastran had one sack. Gabriel Campos and George Flores combined for one of the team's five sacks.

Next Saturday, Sept. 23, PCC returns home for a 6 p.m. non-league game against Victor Valley. Kickoff at Robinson Stadium is 6 p.m.

PCC GRIDIRON NOTES: Razo, subbing for an injured Justin Vergara, had a breakout game including a 47-yard punt, 10 kickoffs averaging 52 yards per and his perfect day kicking with 11 points and nine successful kicks overall...PCC leads the state in the following offensive categories, points per game (61.3), touchdowns (25), extra point kicks (23), and passing TDs (15)...Graham's 14 TD throws lead all state QBs while Glover leads the team in scoring with five touchdowns...Nine different receivers have caught at least one touchdown pass, led by Phillips, Holmes and Daley with three each...Graham's 846 passing yards in three games already has surpassed the most of any PCC quarterback last year...Caleb Carruthers' 14-yard catch in the fourth quarter made him the 16th different PCC receiver to collect a reception this year...Ray's 14 tackles leads the defense. 

The defense coming through with Torriq Brumfield (7), Ryan Pastran (40) and Israel Duncan (5) swarming on the QB here.