For the first time in seven years, the Glendale College football team won its third game in a row with a 20-16 win over Los Angeles Valley College on Saturday.
“It was encouraging for the entire team and for the entire staff to beat the Monarchs,” said head football coach John Cicuto. “They are a very solid football team with the number two ranked defense in the WSC conference. We knew that our offense was up for a huge challenge, but they met the challenge.”
Glendale (3-2, 3-0 in conference) was led by a defense that made a total of eight sacks. Carlos Coronado led Glendale with three sacks. Zack Acker had two sacks, and Mark Owens, Christopher Lovejoy, and Jason Karch all had one sack each. Coronado led Glendale in total tackles with seven. He also had two hurries, and two pass breakups. Randy Beckman, and Steve Carballo had one interception apiece.
GCC running back, Clifford Gatlin lead the team with 136 rushing yards, on 36 carries, including a 26-yard touchdown run that gave Glendale their touchdown and a 13-3 lead in the third quarter. Quarterback Joe Kroells threw 8-18 for a total of 116 yards.
The Vaquero defense gave up 331 yards to the Monarch offense. The Monarchs averaged 5.25 yards per play. Brandon Graham led Valley with 169 rushing yards, while the Vaqueros averaged 3.9 yards per play.
During the first quarter both teams were scoreless. The second quarter was a field goal fest. The Monarchs scored first on a 21-yard field goal by Geoff Marcus. Glendale countered with two field goals of 42, and 32 yards by Wilbur Martinez to put Glendale ahead 6-3 at halftime. Valley tied the score at 6-6 early in the third quarter with a 36-yard field goal by Marcus. Glendale took the lead for good in the third quarter on Gatlin’s 26-yard touch down run, and when Beckman recovered a blocked punt in the end zone by Alfred Perkins to make the score 20-6.
“Our defense came up with some big plays at opportune times with a level of execution I haven’t seen in years,” said Cicuto.
Valley (2-3, 2-1 in conference) scored twice more in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard field goal by Marcus, and on a nine-yard touchdown pass by Reuben Zargoza to Graham.