Grossmont Edges PCC Football, 17-14

El Cajon – A 34-yard field goal by Brendon Chitura with just 2:20 left sent the Pasadena City College football team to a 17-14 loss against host Grossmont in a SCFA non-conference game Saturday afternoon. The Lancers dropped to 0-2 on the season.

The Lancers twice battled back from 7-point deficits, tying the game in the second and fourth quarters.

With 10:35 left in the game, freshman quarterback Dejon Williams scrambled around the pocket before delivering a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Donald Davis. Williams, who sat out the first half due to disciplinary reasons, engineered a 13-play, 85-yard drive. Kicker Franklyn Cervanka’s  second of two extra points made it 14-14.

PCC twice had golden opportunities to take the lead in the final quarter. Williams had connected with J. Turner Jackson for a 34-yard pass that brought the ball to the Grossmont 38. On the next play, Maurice Carnell intercepted a Williams’ screen pass and that would lead to the Griffins’ winning field goal.

On the ensuing kickoff, Ruben Lawhorn took off for a 40-yard return and a 15-yard personal foul penalty gave the Lancers the ball on the Grossmont 37. But Williams fumbled on the next play as Penia Moa stripped him of the ball on a keeper with the Griffins recovering at the 28.

Trailing 7-0 with 2:20 left in the first half, PCC got on the board when starting QB Elijah Turner lofted a 46-yard bomb to Ricky Blair and who was left wide open down the sideline
for the TD.

PCC’s three quarterbacks, Williams, Turner and Trevor Hampton combined to complete 24 of 41 passes for 292 yards. The Lancers outgained Grossmont in total offense, 338-335.

J. Turner Jackson led all Pasadena receivers with six catches for 88 yards while Ruben Lawhorn also made six receptions for 41 yards. Lawhorn totaled 133 all-purpose yards, 75 on two kick returns. Williams was the team’s rushing leader, netting just 25 yards in 11 attempts. The PCC rushing game faltered overall, gaining only 46 yards in 33 carries.

On special teams, Turner made a brilliant quick kick, hitting a 43-yard punt that was downed at the Grossmont 5. The Griffins, though, put together a 95-yard drive that resulted in the game’s first score, a 9-yard TD pass from quarterback Michael Carrillo to receiver Paris Miller late in the first quarter.

Cervanka got PCC out of poor field position with a 56-yard punt in the third quarter.He also averaged 66 yards length per kickoff and made a tackle on one kickoff. However, the team’s poor long snap problems continued when a 43-yard field goal try in the second quarter resulted in a 23-yard loss due to a poor snap that bounced past the holder.

Hampton performed a fake punt and pass for a 17-yard first down to Davis at midfield to end the third quarter.

On defense, linebacker Terry Wilson made nine tackles, linebacker Anthony Johnson had seven tackles and a sack. Dyaire Hicks and Kevin Bailey-Adair each added sacks while sophomore lineman Serge Vita made three tackles behind the line of scrimmage (five overall) and frequently rushed the Grossmont quarterback into running with the ball.

The Lancers will host Los Angeles Harbor College next Saturday, Sept. 20 in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Robinson Stadium. It is the first gridiron meeting for the Lancers against the Seahawks since 1967.

Release Date: 09/13/14
Robert Lewis, Sports Information
Phone: 626-585-7018, Email: rmlewis@pasadena.edu

Fall Sports