Andre Fuller/Roundup
On a night when it was a mere 56 degrees at Hilmer Lodge Stadium, the Mt. San Antonio College Mounties stayed hot as they beat the Pierce College Brahmas 69-31 in the Southern California Bowl in Walnut, Calif. Saturday night.
The No. 1 seed in the California Community College Athletic Association state playoffs, the Mounties showed why their head coach Bob Jastrab received “Coach of the Year” in the National Division of the Central Conference.
Jastrab put together a game plan that featured an offense that couldn’t be stopped and a defense that seemed to bend, but not break.
With the lack of pressure created by the Brahmas defensive line, Jastrab let his quarterback, Matt Faulkner go to work.
“Our offensive runs and the offensive line played great,” said Faulkner. “If the offensive line doesn’t work, then we’re all screwed. But they won tonight so it was great.”
With 412 yards passing on 13 of 17 passing attempts and five touchdowns in the first half, Faulkner never seemed to be flustered by the Pierce defense.
Torching the Brahmas defense, Faulkner did whatever he wanted.
Exposing the Pierce defensive secondary, the Mounties offense put up 14 unanswered points in two straight possessions.
Clicking on all cylinders, it was Faulkner in those first eight minutes of the game that hooked up with wide receiver Lester Thomas and Michael Harrell for 39 and 75 yard pass plays respectively.
This would be a trend for the high-octane offense.
However, with the help of Mt. SAC running back Burton Iosefa, third conversions looked easy, converting three of four in the first half.
Following an offside penalty by the Brahmas defense, it was a 51-yard run by Iosefa that broke the back of the Pierce football team.
“That’s the key thing—running behind your blocks and they’ll do wonders for you,” said Iosefa.
With 516 total offensive yards in just 35 plays, the quick scoring Mounties offense had an excellent game plan going into the first round playoff game.
“Our scout team has given us great looks all week long,” said Iosefa. “And we know that as long as the line blocks well, it’ll give us good runs and also give our quarterback Matt [Faulkner] plenty of time to throw the ball and make things happen.”
Playing with an inexperienced, yet talented defense the whole season, Pierce’s youth was displayed Saturday night.
After giving up so many yards in the first half and Faulkner sitting out on the sidelines in the second half, the Brahmas defense still couldn’t seem to put things together later in the game.
The Mounties drained all the life out of the Brahma team. It was noticed at halftime as Pierce sluggishly walked onto the field.
It was the total opposite on the opposing sideline as the Mt. SAC football team came running onto the field after they were seen chanting songs and hitting each other in the end zone closest to the locker rooms.
With a big pass play of 42 yards from Pierce quarterback Matt Wabby to wide receiver Ty Harris early in the third quarter, it seemed that the Brahma offense was getting back on track.
However, after the ensuing pass play a mishandled handoff from Wabby turned into a 94-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Mt. SAC defensive end Bruce Irvin.
The turnovers wouldn’t end there.
On the next offensive possession, Wabby would then throw an interception to Mt. SAC defensive back Arness Ikner.
In a ball that looked to be thrown 20 yards away from the route Harris was running, the Brahma offense couldn’t keep that second half magic going like that had to done the whole season.
“We just gave up some big plays and with a team as good as they [Mt. SAC] are, you can’t give up big plays like that,” said Wabby.
The big plays given up by Pierce didn’t stop as Mt. SAC back-up quarterback Tyler Vanderzee threw an 87-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ahmere Owens after the Wabby interception.
Seemingly over by the halfway point of the third quarter, the football team of Pierce knew who the better team was.
“The better won,” said Efrain Martinez, Head Coach for the Pierce College Brahmas football team. “Hats off to them, they’re a great team.”
Martinez referred to the game as a measuring stick for the young Brahma football team. Looking forward to next season, Martinez saw playing in a bowl game and having a successful season as recruiting tools for he and his coaching staff.
“Nobody takes better care of their athletes than here at Pierce,” said Martinez, who was named “Coach of the Year” of the American Division in the Pacific Conference . “That’s why we’re going to get them to come here [referring to future football recruits].”
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