Game Stats
September 2, 2006
Football:
Long Beach pulls out thrilling 21-20 win over Ventura
Long Beach City College scored two unanswered touchdowns to close the fourth quarter, including the game-winning score with two seconds left in the game, to defeat visiting Ventura College 21-20 in both teams’ 2006 season opener Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Freshman quarterback Josh Powell (Spokane, WA) orchestrated two 70+ yard scoring drives to help lead the Vikings to the come-from-behind win.
Ventura led 20-7 after a 23-yard field goal by Mack Pennington with 11:39 remaining in the game.
From that point, it was all Long Beach.
On the ensuing drive, the Vikings marched 70 yards in the six plays that was capped by a one-yard TD run by freshman Ajai Williams (Cabrillo HS) to make the score 20-14 with 9:29 left.
The Vikings took advantage of three crucial Ventura penalties, while Powell completed 4 of 5 passes in the drive.
The LBCC defense stopped Ventura on its next two drives to give the Vikings the ball and a chance to win the contest with 1:59 remaining in the game.
From his own 28-yard line, Powell began his drive by hooking up with sophomore wide receiver Paul Robinson (Prattville, AL) for completions of 20 and 4 yards.
Two plays later, a Ventura personal foul put the ball on the Pirates’ 34-yard line. After two incomplete passes and a three-yard catch by Troy Guthrie (Poly HS), the Vikings faced fourth and seven at the Ventura 21.
With less than 30 seconds to go, Powell scrambled before hitting Robinson with a 23-yard pass that got him to the Ventura eight-yard line.
Powell intentionally spiked the ball to stop the clock with eight seconds to go. With only one play left, Powell connected with sophomore wide receiver David Munoz for the game-winning TD with just two seconds on the clock.
Ventura nearly pulled out the win on the kickoff. Art Rubio received the kick on his own 12 yard-line and then lateralled the ball to Terrell Lee-Davis on the five. Davis scampered 64 yards to the LBCC 31 before he was finally taken down by freshman David DeCasas to preserve the win.
Long Beach (1-0) travels to Moorpark College next Saturday (Sep 9) for a 7 pm non-conference game.
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