A Robinson Stadium Thriller: Football Hangs On v. Palomar, 24-23

Satuday night's SCFA contest between the Pasadena City College football team and Palomar had it all--bomb passes, electric defensive stops in the red zone and big special teams plays. In the end, the Lancers outlasted the Comets 24-23, at Robinson Stadium.

The thriller came down to the final minute as Palomar scored on a KJ Chatham's third touchdown pass of the game--a 7-yard toss in the corner of the endzone to receiver Furious Hoskins. With 59 seconds remaining, Palomar elected to go for the victory and attempt a 2-point conversion rather than kick and extra point that would have tied the game and potentially sent it to overtime. 

Chatman was pressured by linebacker Gabriel Sulaiman as his throw to the corner of the endzone toward tight end Tristan Pugal went high and incomplete with PCC linebacker Ethan Bowser defending on the failed pass. Palomar then attempted an onside kick that was placed perfectly by kicker Camden Cowgill as the ball took a giant hop, going through the hands of a Palomar special teams player and finally recovered near the sideline by Adam Huizar.

The state #24-ranked Lancers (2-1 record) ran out the clock and beat Palomar (1-2) for the first time since 2007. 

PCC rallied from 7-0, 10-7, and 17-14 deficits, taking the lead for good on reserve quarterback Xavier Buckles' 1-yard TD plunge with six minutes left in the third quarter, that made it 21-17. Kicker Zack Hutchinson was good on a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter for what proved to be the winning points.

One of the biggest defensive plays occured on the ensuring series as Palomar drove to the PCC 1. A draw play was turned into a 1-yard loss as linebacker Caeden Holcomb got the first tackle and lineman Noah Raab finished off the play to take down Comets running back Andrew Muirhead. Chatham then fired a pass that was picked off by Holcomb at the goaline as he returned the TD-saving interception 35 yards. Lineman Jasun Ridley hurried Chatham on the pick.

The Lancers offense racked up 553 yards of total offense, including a whopping 411 yards in the air. The squad moved the chains 28 times for first downs and controlled the time of possession (37 minutes), including 22 minutes in the first half alone. PCC and Palomar combined to convert on four of six fourth-down conversions (two each) to keep drives alive.

Starting quarterback Max Grizzell had a monster first half before being injured and lost for the game by the end of the second quarter. Grizzell completed 24 of 33 passes for 301 yards, including TD passes of 34 yards to tight end Javery Mayberry, who made a spectacular 1-hand catch, and 20 yards to receiver Ethan Hubbell, both in the first period. 

Hubbell had a big game himself with 11 receptions for 187 yards (a long of 52), Mayberry pulled in four catches for 80 yards, and WR Jagg Richer added four receptions for 68 yards. Dom Ezeonye totaled 93 yards in just 10 carries to pace the ground game. Buckles came off the bench for a solid 9-for-16 passing and 110 yards in relief of Grizzell. 

PCC's special teams blocked two field goals by strong-legged Palomar kicker Carson Beard, who earlier drilled a 53-yard FG. Ridley blocked a 50-yard attempt in the second quarter and Jonah Maningo got his hands to deflect a 22-yard attempt in the third quarter. 

Linebacker Coleman Morning led the defense with nine tackles, Bowser seven and Ridley five while DB Desi Valdes made two of the team's five pass breakups. 

Next week, PCC opens National Division Central League play in a 12 p.m. matinee kickoff at state #23-ranked College of the Canyons on Saturday, Sept. 20. Canyons is still looking for its first victory, now 0-3 after a wild 57-54 loss to #8 Riverside City on Saturday.

GRIDIRON NOTES: PCC Director of Football Operations/Head Coach Robert Tucker has a sparkling 22-3 record since the start of the 2023 season and is 36-10 overall since taking over the Lancers program in 2021...Buckles made two punts for a 42-yard average...Noah Triplett totaled 122 yards of all-purpose offense, including a 42-yard kick return, a 15-yard carry, and four catches. He was one of 11 different Lancers to haul in at least one reception...Hubbell's yards total is 11th highest in a game in PCC history and he became the 18th player to catch double digits...The excitement of this contest reminded history buffs of a famous 52-48, last-second win by the Lancers at Palomar 30 years ago when PCC QB Joe Phears launched a bomb pass that was tipped and then caught by WR Gavin Peries for the game-winning TD. The head coach of the Lancers that season is new SCFA Commissioner Chuck Lyon, who had a successful coaching run at Canyons...It was the first time the two teams met in 14 years and now PCC closed the gap in the all-time series at 11-10 in favor of the Comets.