ELAC wins 70-26 in Metro Showdown
CULVER CITY, CA — The Southern California American Division’s No. 3-ranked East Los Angeles College defeated No. 6 West Los Angeles College, 70-26, in a battle of undefeated Metro League teams.
“We played a really good team and responded with some physical football,” said Bobby Godinez, first year ELAC head coach. “I’m proud of my staff preparing the kids who responded equally. The (Huskies) were a determined group. They are beginning to gel and show what they are capable of.”
The 70 points that the Huskies put on the board breaks a 66-year ELAC record for points scored in a game, by nine points. In 1950, ELAC won 61-19 vs. LA Valley College.
Sophomore kicker Vicente Luis Juan connected PATs on each ELAC touchdown (10-of-10). He is 30-of-32 for the season and needs five more to tie a 48-year school record.
The Huskies scored four unanswered first quarter touchdowns, the first a 49-yarder from freshman quarterback Jonathan Santos (South East High School) to sophomore tight end Ceejhay French-Love (Long Beach Poly HS) and the latter a Santos 54-yard run.
West LA scored with 12:44 remaining in the second quarter, a freshman wide receiver Justin Garrett 9-yard pass from quarterback Jorge Reyna. ELAC answered with a touchdown two minutes and 15 seconds later, a Santos 12-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Kyeree Wallace (Hamilton HS) to post a 35-7 lead.
ELAC sophomore backup quarterback Levi Wells (South El Monte HS) threw a 23-yard pass to French-Love for a 42-7 lead with 02:35 remaining in the half. “We have confidence in both Santos and Wells. It felt good to me to give Wells experience with the first group,” said Godinez.
The Huskies outscored West LA 28-19 during the second half with Wells tossing two touchdowns for the Huskies.
Reyna ran for a touchdown for West LA and tossed two touchdowns, the latter a 5-yard pass with 9:01 remaining in the game. ELAC freshman defensive lineman Sione Vea (Honolulu, HI / Kalani) blocked the PAT. He has blocked a PAT or punt in each game this season.
“Late in the third quarter we utilized everybody to give all of them the opportunity to play a good team in this kind of atmosphere,” said Godinez.
It was the East’s defense vs. West’s offense, top in the state with an average of 526 offensive yards per game. While the Husky defense held West LA to 137 yards below their average, ELAC’s offense lit up the scoreboard with 10 touchdowns and finished with 501 total offensive yards.
The ELAC defense gave the state’s top quarterback, Reyna, problems all day. Reyna, who averages 367.9 yards passing per game, passed for 274 yards (32-of-45, an interception), however, he threw three touchdowns.
ELAC passed for 334 yards. Wells was 5-of-9 for 178 yards with three touchdowns. Santos, who threw three touchdowns as well, was 8-of-18 for 156 yards.
West LA freshman running back Kejuante Austin rushed 22 times for a game-high 99 yards. ELAC freshman running back Marquis Arnold (Seneca, SC / Seneca HS) rushed four times for 61 yards, which included a 42 yarder and a touchdown.
On the receiving end, ELAC freshman wide receiver Kenny Allen (Fairfax HS) caught three passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
French-Love hauled in two passes, each a touchdown, for 72 yards and Husky sophomore wide receiver Cemaj Douglas (Dorsey HS) caught three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.
West LA wide receivers sophomore Daniel Bell and freshman Joshua Smith received 11 passes for 76 yards and 5 passes for 74 yards, respectively. Smith scored one touchdown.
On the defensive side, ELAC freshman safety Joey Knowles (John Muir HS) had a game-high 16 tackles, 10 of them unassisted. Freshman defensive back Admirol Devereux led West LA with six tackles, five unassisted.
Huskies freshman safety Trevon Bordrick (Wilmington, DE / Howard HS of Tech) and freshman linebacker Daniel Belton (South East HS) each had nine tackles, seven unassisted.
ELAC improves to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in American Metro League play. The Huskies host No. 10 (tied) Pasadena City College (4-4, 2-2) on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. in Weingart Stadium. West LA (5-4, 4-1) plays at No. 10 Santa Ana College (3-5, 3-1) Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.
In other American Metro action, Glendale Community College (2-6, 2-2), who stunned Pasadena last week 25-3, won 61-6 against El Camino College Compton Center (0-9, 0-5). Pasadena won 42-14 against LA Southwest College (0-8, 0-4) and Santa Ana College had a bye.
story submitted by Tadzio Garcia