New-Look PCC Football Falls In Season Opener To El Camino, 37-20

The Pasadena City College football team showed flashes in Saturday’s 2014 season opener that this year’s squad has more firepower than the Lancers of the last few years. However, some of the defensive breakdowns that plagued those teams reappeared in a 37-20 loss against visiting El Camino at Robinson Stadium.

The Lancers trailed 13-0 before pulling ahead 14-13 on a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, a 13-yard scoring carry by Ahmad Springer and a 9-yard end zone pass from quarterback Dejon Williams to wide receiver Ricky Blair.

El Camino took the lead for good, 20-14, on an 18-yard TD pass from Joey Notch to Devante Jenkins with 27 seconds left before haltime. In the third quarter, the Warriors pulled away on Eddie Garcia’s third field goal of the contest, a 21-yard boot, and a 1-yard scoring run by Raphael Lawson-Gayle that made it 30-14.

Springer, who led the Lancers with 11 catches for 77 yards out of the backfield, scored his second TD on a 1-yard run with 10:21 left. He finished with 133 all-purpose yards while teammate Ruben Lawhorn totaled 150 all-purpose yards, including 94 on four kick returns.

The Lancers’ touted freshman quarterback Dejon Williams had an impressive collegiate debut, completing 17 of 32 passes for 227 yards and one TD.

But mistakes hurt the Lancers, including three lost fumbles, two botched punt snaps, and a  missed field goal. Six times PCC gave the Warriors first downs on defensive penalties.

El Camino’s running attack hurt the Lancers for 171 net yards in 37 attempts, including 119 yards in 16 carries by running back Kendell Sparks. ECC did its job in the red zone, scoring points on seven of its eight series inside Pasadena territory.

PCC’s defense was paced by sophomore safety Idrissa Simpson, who intercepted a pass and forced a fumble. Linebacker Sean Cowell added five tackles and a sack while defensive lineman Serge Vita made three tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Frosh linebacker Mason Evans led all Lancers with seven tackles.

Placekicker Franklyn Cervanka boomed all three of his kickoffs for touchbacks.

The Lancers losing streak at their home field continued, now at 13 in a row on the field (one was reversed to a forfeit win) going back to 2011.

PCC next plays at Grossmont College on Saturday, Sept. 13 in a 3 p.m. SCFA non-conference game.