2005 MISSION CONFERENCE
AMERICAN DIVISION CHAMPIONS
Game Stats | Season Stats
November 18, 2005
Football:
LBCC scores 28 fourth-quarter points to beat Hancock 49-37 in American Bowl
It might not have been a playoff game, but the Long Beach City College football team played with the same intensity as if it was.
Trailing 34-21 to Allan Hancock College after three quarters, the Vikings scored 28 points in the final period to down the visiting Bulldogs 49-37 in the 2005 Mission Conference American Bowl at LBCC’s Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday.
The LBCC offense didn’t dominate as it had throughout the season, but the special teams unit more than made up for it.
Freshman corner back Ryan Howard (Bishop Montgomery HS) had an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter and gave the Vikings a 35-34 lead in the fourth with his 78-yard punt return TD to spark the Vikings to the win.
Howard added a 37-yard interception return on Hancock’s final drive to wrap up the game and most valuable player honors.
Fellow freshman corner back Brian Williams (Las Vegas, NV) also had a big game on special teams, running back four kickoffs for 143 yards, including a 62-yard effort.
His brightest moment came on a botched Hancock field goal attempt from the 23-yard line in the second quarter. Hancock’s snap sailed over the head of kicker Victor Velasco, Williams picked up the ball at 28-yard line and ran it back to the AHC 48-yard line.
As he was being taken down, Williams pitched the ball to trailing sophomore free safety Damion Porter (Lakewood HS) who ran it in the rest of the way for a touchdown.
Porter led the Vikings on defense in his final game, totaling nine tackles (six solo). He had a 64-yard interception return and broke up a pass with a big hit.
Sophomore linebacker Antonio Steele (Cleveland, OH) added 9.5 tackles (five solo).
Throw out the late game heroics and Hancock dominated the game for three quarters. The Bulldogs totaled 562 yards of offense, while holding the Vikings to just 273 offensive yards. AHC controlled the ball throughout the contest and easily doubled up LBCC in possession time (42:28-17:32) and first downs (33-13).
Hancock (7-4) quarterback Jonathan Dally threw for 266 yards on 20 of 32 passing with two touchdowns. He also ran eight times for 77 yards. Derek Sedin caught nine passes for 101 yards, including a 12-yard TD.
It wasn’t a typical game for LBCC sophomore quarterback Alex Aispuro. He had just 172 yards passing, completing 11 of 19 attempts, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
But he made up for it with his 72-yard touchdown strike to sophomore wide receiver Paul Robinson (Birmingham, AL) with 3:01 left in the fourth that gave the Vikings the lead for good at 42-37. He closed the scoring with his second one-yard TD run of the game with 1:47 left.
With the win, the Vikings close the 2005 season with an 8-3 overall record. It was LBCC’s third straight bowl game win. Long Beach captured its second consecutive Mission Conference American Division title under head coach Jerry Jaso, who ends his third season at LBCC with a 17-16 overall record.
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