Huskies lose control in loss to Bakersfield
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — East Los Angeles College controlled more than half of the first quarter with a touchdown at the 6:40 mark after limiting Bakersfield College to minus 6 yards in the process.
From that point on it was all downhill for ELAC (3-5, 1-2) at Bakersfield’s homecoming game in front of 4,303 at Memorial Stadium on a balmy night of 84-degrees.
A 24-17 Bakersfield (5-3, 2-1) halftime lead turned into a route in the second half. The Renegades rode the gamut with four unanswered third quarter touchdowns enroute to a marred 58-17 Bakersfield win.
“We lost our discipline and that’s what cost us the game,” said ELAC freshman quarterback Miguel Aguero. “In the first half we kept our cool and simply just played football.”
ELAC found the endzone first, an Aguero-led 10-play 85-yard touchdown drive which included 42-yards on the ground from freshman defensive back Armando Velasco (St. Paul HS). The score was a 10-yard pass from Aguero to freshman wide receiver Phillip Reaves (Charlotte, NC / Hickory Ridge HS). Bakersfield responded a little more than two minutes later with a 5-play, 63-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Jacob Irby’s 27-yard pass to Chance Cooper tied the score at 7-7.
ELAC sophomore quarterback Phillip Tran fumbled at the Huskies 16-yard line. Bakersfield took advantage of that mistake and scored four plays later. Suddenly the Renegades led 14-7. After a field goal by Bakersfield, ELAC bounced back with a touchdown set up by sophomore Terrell Robinson’s (Hawkins HS) 50-yard kickoff return to the Bakersfield 47-yard line. A 10-yard pass from Aguero to sophomore wide receiver Tredious Thomas (Huntington Park HS) trimmed the Renegades lead to 17-14.
Bakersfield scored two plays later with a 69-yard pass and led 24-14 with 5:52 left in the second period. ELAC marched 60 yards in seven plays and freshman kicker Juan Rangel (Mendez HS) split the uprights with a 41-yard field goal. The Huskies were down 24-17 at the half.
In the third quarter, Bakersfield scored four unanswered touchdowns and led 52-17. Bakersfield scored a touchdown three plays into the fourth quarter. On the PAT attempt four men were ejected from the game, two from each team. The game was cut short to safeguard public safety. The decision was made by the heads of both athletic programs. Eight players in total were ejected from the game, five from Bakersfield and three from ELAC.
In other Northern League competition, Long Beach City College (4-4, 1-2) eked out a 23-18 win at Moorpark College (1-7, 0-3) while Canyons (8-0, 3-0) defeated Ventura College (6-2, 2-1) 31-7.
UP NEXT
The Huskies continue National Northern League competition, hosting Ventura, Saturday, Nov. 4 beginning at 6 p.m. Recent common opponents: Ventura lost 31-7 at Canyons last week while ELAC lost at Canyons 31-9 two weeks ago.
Every team that we have played this season so far was beatable and Ventura is no different but we have to want it more than they do,” said freshman linebacker Carlos Alvarez. “We just have to show up Saturday ready to play smart and disciplined football.”
We are a good football team but we are our worst enemy,” said Alvarez. “If we can overcome our struggles as a team then we will come out with a win Saturday night against Ventura.”
Follow ELAC Athletics at http://athletics.elac.edu/landing/index or on Facebook at ELAC Huskies Athletics (@elachuskiesathletics).
submitted by Tadzio Garcia