RB Micah Mendoza, Coach Tucker Pick Up Hardware In PCC Football's All-SCFA Selections

COMPLETE ALL-SCFA PACIFIC LEAGUE TEAM

Running back Micah Mendoza was named Offensive Player of the Year and Director of Football Operations Robert Tucker awarded Coach of the Year to highlight Pasadena City College's selections on the 2024 SCFA American Division All-Pacific League Team.

Mendoza, a sophomore, is one of 12 First Team choices and one of 18 Lancers overall chosen from the 72-player list of awards made by the six teams' league coaches.

In nine games played, Mendoza was second in the APL in rushing with 695 yards in 124 carries for a 5.6 yards per carry average, scoring eight touchdowns on the ground. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound, Pasadena High product had three straight 100-yard plus performances, 159 v. Victor Valley, 141 v. Chaffey, and 101 v. Santa Monica. 

He scored a touchdown in PCC's American Division Championship Bowl victory over Chaffey on Nov. 30 that clinched a perfect 11-0 season for the now 2-time, defending Pacific League champions. 

It's Tucker's second COTY award as he won the coach's trophy in 2021. He has a 34-9 overall record in his four seasons with three bowl appearances, two American Division finals, and now a division crown to his credit here.

Other First Team choices from PCC include sophomore Flip Fox, who was chosen at wide receiver and kick returner, offensive linemen in center Jericho Martinez and right tackle Julian Navarrete, defensive tackle Sione Suliafu, and outside linebacker Torriq Brumfield. Including Mendoza, all were unanimous all-conference selections. 

At 5-11, 205, Brumfield, named American Bowl Player of the Game, is a 2-time, All-SCFA First Team selection as he made 50 tackles, a team-high 10.5 behind the line of scrimmage, had 3.5 sacks, an TD interception return, two fumble recoveries, two pass break-ups, two quarterback hurries, and a blocked kick.  

Fox led Pasadena and was third in the APL in scoring with 11 touchdowns, including three on kick returns. Fox led PCC receivers with 30 catches for 428 yards (14.3 per reception) and six touchdowns. An all-purpose threat anytime he touched the ball, Fox added 164 yards in 12 carries (two TDs), and averaged an impressive 48.6 yards a return in just attempts, second in the state in yards per return. His long play list includes TD pass receptions of 76 and 66 yards, an 80-yard scoring carry, and kick return touchdowns of 100, 92, and 72. He had PCC's longest play in the bowl win, a 36-yard TD sprint. 

Martinez, 6-foot, 280-pound sophomore, and Navarrete, a 6-2, 275-pounder (2-time, All-SCFA choice) blocked for a Lancers rushing attack that totaled 180.6 yards a game and 4.1 per carry. Suliafu, 5-11, 255, totaled four sacks, a fumble recovery, and one hurry.

Also named to the First Team were all-purpose rover and 2-time All-SCFA choice Jachai Pulley, who made 50 tackles, three sacks, one interception and five pass break-ups, and defensive end Julius Ray (27 tackles, four sacks, two pass knockdowns), who is a 2-time First Team selection. 

Other First Team players were sophomore safety Eli Moulton, transfer sophomore placekicker Ozlo Rigby (also Second Team punter), sophomore punt returner Jordan Rodriguez, and second-year tight end Deven Muniz. Moulton had two interceptions, a breakup, and a forced fumble while Rodriguez (twice named All-SCFA in his two seasons) had 16 receptions at wide receiver and one TD while totaling 161 yards on 18 punt returns (8.9 yards average). Rodriguez is a 2-time, all-league player as well. Muniz made 11 catches for 122 yards and two TDs.

Rigby was one the state's best kickers as he connected on 13 field goals in 18 attempts, 13-for-14 extra points, and booted two FGs in the bowl championship. He totaled an impressive 28 touchbacks on kickoffs and additional 13 that were returned from the opponents' 1-yard line or goalline. As a punter, he averaged a deceiving 35.2 yards as he 13 times landed punts inside the 20. 

Making All-SCFA Second Team were 2-time selections in inside linebacker Kyden Bailey (led the team in tackles with 59 and interceptions with three), defensive end Izzy Duncan (four sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick), and cornerback Idrique Carmichael, who made 32 tackles, one interception and led the secondary in pass break-ups with eight. Carmichael was last season's APL Defensive Player of the Year and All-State.

Also picked to Second Team were sophomore offensive lineman Daniel Barrientos (6-3, 270), running back Mohammad Maali, who was a workhorse in the backfield with a team-high 151 carries for 564 rushing yards (five TDs), matched teammate Fox with a 100-yard TD kick return, and added a touchdown reception, and wide receiver Josh Barron, who collected 12 catches for 227 yards (22.7 per reception) and one TD.