The 2021 Pasadena City College football team continued to reach new heights on Saturday night by winning its eighth game, 41-10, over Grossmont before an energetic crowd of Lancers fans at Robinson Stadium. It's the first time that a PCC team won as many games since the 2002 Potato Bowl squad.
The Lancers (8-2) avenged one of its two losses this in defeating Grossmont, who they lost to 24-19 on the road on Oct. 15. They also finished 2-1 v. their fellow SCFA American Mountain League tri-champions in the Griffins and Mt. San Jacinto, who PCC tied for the title last week, 28-26.
Pasadena appears to have clinched an invitation to one of the two American Bowls, but according to a SCFA executive board member the information on opponent, location and date all remain up in the air. However, with a few makeup games being played on Nov. 20 due to COVID-19 postponements, bowl announcements may not be made until Nov. 21.
Unlike the closeness of the first encounter v. Grossmont, the Lancers completely controlled the Griffins at PCC's House of Fun--Robinson Stadium. Pasadena is 6-0 in home games this year and seemed to feed off the fans energy and enthusiasm in cheering on the Lancers.
PCC's defense allowed a season low points total with a heavy pass rush that produced a season-high eight sacks and helped force two interceptions. The special teams came up with two blocked punts.
After a scoreless first quarter, it was the offense that came up with its longest play of the season as the San Marino High duo of quarterback Kade Wentz and receiver Wheeler Smith hooked up for an 85-yard TD pass just 11 seconds into the second period. Wentz hit a streaking Smith across the middle and the sophomore raced the final half of the field for a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing series, defensive back extraordinaire Kaydon Spens blocked his third punt of the season. That led to a 23-yard field goal by lefty-footed kicker Cristian Contreras and a 10-0 advantage. After a 45-yard field goal by Nathan Hughes cut the lead, Grossmont tried an onside kick but PCC recovered near midfield. The momentum that the Griffins had gained was erased as Contreras was good on his second 23-yard FG as time expired in the first half with Pasadena taking a 13-3 lead into the locker room.
In the third quarter, PCC moved the chains on a 13-play, 71-yard drive. Wentz completed 5-of-8 passes in the series (four first downs), including a 16-yard strike to Jeremiah Hartfield and a 19-yard throw to Justen Campbell. From the Grossmont 18, Wentz delivered a pass to Smith, who had the ball stripped from him near the end zone. Campbell, though, recovered the fumble for a PCC touchdown.
On the next play from scrimmage, Jordan Monroe intercepted a Brady Abt pass and raced 26 yards to inside the Grossmont 10. With the series stalled on fourth down, Contreras came out to try a 19-yard FG, but holder Jabari Kindle had other intentions as he took the snap rolled out and hit a wide open Carlos Ramirez in the end zone for a 2-yard TD pass. Contreras third of five extra point kicks distanced the Lancers lead to 27-3 late in the third quarter.
The fun had just begun in a wild final few minutes of the period. On PCC's next series, Hartfield took off for a 37-yard run, then Wentz hurled a bomb to a wide-open Kennith Russell for a 48-yard touchdown pass. Monroe followed on the next Grossmont series by sacking Abt for a 6-yard loss as the Griffins were forced to punt. Again, the Lancers special teams performed the spectacular as Roland "Kea" Rodrigues blocked a second Grossmont punt that Osvaldo Raigosa returned the last five yards for a defensive touchdown.
PCC scored 21 points in a 5-minute span and turned the game into a rout, 41-3, going into the fourth quarter. While Grossmont finally scored its only touchdown, it was but a formality as the Lancers emptied the bench with reserves getting valuable college playing time.
PCC GRID NOTES: Rodrigues led all PCC tacklers with eight (seven solos), Monroe totaled five tackles, a pickoff, 1.5 sacks and a hurry, Lucio Rodriguez made two sacks (back-to-back in the first quarter), Ramirez 1.5 sacks, and Brian Payne added a 24-yard interception return...Wheeler Smith totaled 123 receiving yards in four receptions while Miles Anderson led the ground game with 47 yards in 12 carries...Wentz passed for 287 yards (15-for-24) and three TDs...Contreras totaled 11 points on kicks, but had a 37-yard FG attempt hit the right upright...With the PCC Marching Band playing at a previously scheduled event, the fans decided to have their own music fun. In the fourth quarter and the game's outcome no longer in doubt, fans sang Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" much to the delight of the players as both fans and players joined in on the lyrics. At the end of the game, PCC players saluted the fan base, a new tradition in Lancers football under Coach Tucker...Tucker upped his community college record to 38-5...Updates were announced of the South Coast Conference women's volleyball tournament that was taking place at the same time at El Camino College. The state #3 ranked Lancers captured the SCC championship in five sets over Mt. San Antonio. This is the first time in school history that PCC won a football and volleyball conference title in the same season...Smith's reception was tied for 10th for the longest pass catches in PCC history...The Lancers snapped a 5-game losing streak to Grossmont in head-to-head meetings, now ahead in the all-time series at 7-5...A defensive end, Ramirez had the distinction of scoring touchdowns in both of the Grossmont games as he had fumble recovery for a score in the October matchup.
LANCERS BY THE NUMBERS: Lucio Rodriguez leads the SCFA in tackles for loss with 16 for 87 lost yards, is tied for fifth in the state in sacks with seven, and is sixth in the region in total tackles with 71...Osvaldo Raigosa is tied for sixth in the state in interceptions with five...Spens three punt blocks are tied for second in the state in that category...Kade Wentz has passed for 1,920 yards and needs 80 more to become the first Lancer QB since Jett Even in 2015 to reach 2,000 yards in the air in a season. In fact, Even is the only PCC QB to pass for 2,000 yards in the last 14 years...Jabari Kindle has passed for a TD, rushed for a TD, and caught a pass for a TD.