Pierce College’s football team’s grip on victory slipped Saturday when, after securing a 26-point lead, they were overtaken by Santa Monica College with just over two minutes remaining in the game, losing 50-47.
Pierce was holding on to the lead on SMC’s turf since early in the second quarter. But, according to Head Coach Efrain Martinez, the tables started to turn “towards the end of the third quarter.”
“We just let it get away,” Martinez said. “You’re up 40-14, you don’t lose.”
Pierce’s Offensive Coordinator, Jim Thorton, felt the team dropped the ball when it came to keeping possession.
“We had our opportunities and we didn’t capitalize on them,” Thorton said. “The main thing was turnovers. We just turned the ball over so many times.”
Beau Sandland, Pierce’s tight end, closed out the third quarter with a standing ovation from the crowd after gaining most of the field and dragging SMC’s defence along for the last 13 yards.
“I knew it would be a game like this,” Sandland said, pointing out he didn’t expect it to be an easy win. “They fought hard and just made a couple more plays and a couple less mistakes than us.”
A handful of dead-ball personal foul penalties were called against pierce, along with two counts of unsportsmanlike conduct, keeping the Brahmas backing up the field.
“It’s kind of heartbreaking not to get the win, especially in a huge game like this against a team that beat us last year in a similar fashion,” Sandland said.
The Brahmas’ next game is next Saturday at Glendale College at 1 p.m.
