The Vaqueros stepped off the field Oct. 5 with a sense of pride, which ran deep in every player, coach, and fan. The 0-2 start was a distant memory and now as a unit, they started to realize that hard work and dedication would payoff.
It did not take GCC long to realize what they could accomplish. The offense which had it problems early in the season wanted to show ELAC and the Vaquero faithful, that drove down to see the game, that the 42-34 win against Citrus was not a fluke.
Despite the Huskies air assault of over 300 passing yards the Vaqueros remained poised. Allowing an early touchdown, the Vaqueros shifted momentum to their side when sophomore Rainest Crawford ran the ball back for a 65-yard safety, after GCC’s special teams unit blocked the Huskies extra point attempt, giving them two points and making the score 6-2.
From that point the Vaquero running assault was unstoppable. Led once again by standout freshman Willie Latham, who ran for 111-yards on 24 carries, the Vaqueros pounded the ball into the ELAC defense.
“We all played like one unit tonight,” said Latham. “I cannot take all the credit for being able to run for all those yards. We all did out part. The offensive line blocked well and the defense made the stops to get us the chances.”
The effectiveness of the running game allowed for the Vaqueros to put up their first six on the board when GCC quarterback J.D. Ziska connected with Thomas Riley for a 38-yard touchdown pass.
The Vaqueros continued to punish the weak ELAC defense with the running game. Coming back from a knee injury, running back Kartrell Clayton let the ELAC defense and the rest of the league know that he was ready to return to action, running for 79 yards on 12 carries and also scoring twice. He showed he was more than ready to be back on the football field.
Running back Tyrone Burwell was not going to go down quietly either, he also ran for 76 yards on 11 carries.
The 294 combined rushing yards proved to be too much for the ELAC defense, giving the Vaqueros their second straight victory. This improves the Vaquero record to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in WSC play.
“We are playing as a team,” said Coach John Cicuto. “We came in here knowing that ELAC was in a must win situation and we held our ground. The discipline and commitment that these men have shown the last two weeks has paid off tremendously, and as I said we just have to take things day by day.”
The Monarchs of Valley College are up next for the Vaquero’s, Saturday 1 PM at Glendale High School’s Moyse Field. Both teams put their 2-0 WSC record on the line in what should be a great match up between cross town rivals.