The Vaqueros were run right out of Compton College (3-5, 3-2 in division) 46-7 Saturday. With this loss the Vaqueros (2-6, 2-3) can forget about going to their second bowl game in three years or winning the WSC South division. This loss guaranteed the Vaqueros their eighth losing season in nine years.
From the start the Compton Tartars caught the Vaqueros off guard. Head coach John Cicuto and his staff prepared for the Tartars to pass the football, but was surprised when Compton scrapped the play book and stuck to the running game. The Tartars utilized the quarterback keeper play most of the day keeping the defense scratching their heads.
Compton’s quarterbacks combined for 202 yards, most of them coming on direct snaps from the center. They were running the ball as if they were the only players on the field. This was a very different GCC team from Oct. 26 that beat L.A. Harbor at home 42-38.
David Parker was named WSC player of the week for his 237 total yards against Harbor. Chris Berroud lead the rushing attack with 121 yards on 18 carries.
Things went bad for Vaqueros when they allowed two quick touchdowns in the second quarter.
Halfway through the third quarter the Vaqueros were starting to fall apart as players pointed fingers at anyone they could, except for themselves. The quarterbacks did not help.
Parker and Adam Freeman combined passing three for 15 for 36 total yards.
“We certainly couldn’t throw the ball; the decision making of the quarterbacks was questionable, to say the least. We stopped ourselves, Our performance was very, very poor. The offensive coaches and I take responsibility for that. I’ll be the lightning rod for this.”
The Vaqueros scored once on a four-yard touchdown run, but that was the only good drive the Vaqueros were able to muster up all game. GCC had 33 total yards on offense in the first half, and less than 100 for the whole game.
The running game, which has been a highlight of the GCC offense, could not get rolling, gaining only 64 yards on 34 carries. The offense totaled 96 yards on 49 plays, which produced 1.9 yards a play. Add this to over 100 penalty yards for the Vaqueros and over 140 for the Tartars and its turned into a circus.
GCC will try to salvage something in the last two games of the season. On Saturday, they will host Santa Monica at Moyse field at 1 p.m., and they will close out the 2003 season at Citrus College on Nov. 15, also at 1 p.m.