Offense Produces, But Football Upset by East LA, 38-30

By ROBERT LEWIS

Forty years ago, the Pasadena City College football team saw a perfect season end against perhaps East Los Angeles College's greatest team in 1974. The Huskies and Lancers played in a playoff bowl game that finished in a 14-14 tie, but with no overtime rules, ELAC advanced due to having the most yards of total offense while PCC's magical season came to a close.

While it was PCC's final undefeated season at 10-0-1 and the Lancers kept their regular season national title as crowned by the JC Grid-Wire, East LA would go on to win the Potato Bowl and the state championship.

No one should compare that long ago contest to Saturday's 38-30 upset victory by the Huskies over the visiting Lancers, but this year's contest likely detoured PCC's hopes to reach a bowl game in 2014. Despite scoring their most points in a game since 2012, the Lancers fell to 2-4 overall. ELAC improved to 2-3.

It was an evening of highs and lows especially for the PCC quarterbacks. The Lancers lost their No.1 and No. 2 starters to injuries during the game, but were buoyed by productive play by Elijah Turner and then No. 3 QB Trevor Hampton.

Turner started and passed for two first-quarter touchdowns on a 94-yard screen and jaunt by running back Timothy Jones and a 25-yard strike to the corner of the end zone to wide receiver Ricky Blair. The Turner-to-Jones connection was the second longest pass play in PCC history just behind the record TD pass of 96 yards set in 2011 by QB Justin Posthuma to receiver Jose Rodriguez.

Turner, who finished 7-for-10 passing for 158 yards, left with an elbow injury after losing a fumble during the second quarter. PCC sent in its regular starter this year in Dejon Williams, who was not expected to play in hopes of resting him for the team's final four SCFA National Northern Conference games.

Williams' evening ended by halftime as he left with an unspecified shoulder injury. Hampton, a 6-foot-3 freshman from La Quinta High, rallied the Lancers with two second-half touchdown strikes. With PCC trailing 28-14, Hampton hit a streaking J. Turner Jackson down the sideline for an 82-yard TD pass with 4:21 left in the third quarter.

Hampton completed a pair of first-down throws on the next series to help set up a 47-yard field goal by kicker Franklyn Cervanka. It was Cervanka's fifth FG of the season and cut ELAC's lead to 28-23 early in the fourth quarter.

Hampton was intercepted three times, but didn't quit, completing a 30-yard throw to Jackson before lofting a 5-yard TD pass to Ahmad Springer with 1:53 left. Cervanka's extra point cut the deficit to eight points, but ELAC ran out the clock.

PCC's defense could not stop the explosive running of Texas A&M University bounceback Randolph Will, who rushed for 187 yards in 21 carries, including three touchdowns. Will split the middle for a 76-yard TD sprint in the second quarter that helped ELAC take a 14-7 lead. His 27-yard score in the fourth quarter extended the Huskies' lead to 35-23 with 10:41 remaining in the game.

Pasadena's Jackson, a sophomore wide receiver and the team's return specialist, also had a monster effort. The speedy Jackson totaled 276 all-purpose yards, including 148 yards in six receptions. He added 99 yards in three kick returns and 32 yards in four punt returns.

For the second straight loss, the Lancers outgained their opponent in total offense, 446 yards to 385.

PCC Gridiron Notes: Running back Zander Anding rushed for a team-high 48 yards in 12 carries and added five receptions for 50 yards…PCC's three quarterbacks combined for 380 yards pasing (21-for-42) with Hampton completing 11-for-26 for 183 yards…Defensive lineman Serge Vita led the Lancers on 11 tackles plus a forced fumble and sack while fellow lineman Patrick Webb added eight tackles and a sack…Yet another lineman Kevin Bailey-Adair made two QB sacks…The team broke up 11 passes, two each by linebacker Anthony Johnson, defensive backs Robert Morgan and Marlon Dobbins…PCC broke a streak of 18 games without reaching 30 points…The Lancers were 6-1 in games v. ELAC since '74.