The LA Pierce Brahmas are going to the playoffs. SMC is not. Therefore, ostensibly, LA Pierce had no reason to play SMC hard. No reason except that with a victory over SMC they face Fullerton in the first rounds of the post season, not #1 ranked Mount San Antonio.

LA Pierce is the American Pacific Division champion. Moreover, LAP has resoundingly defeated most of the teams that SMC has lost to this season. So, on paper, LAP should have beaten the snot out of the Corsairs. Instead, for SMC, the American Pacific Division and possibly even for 2009 California community college football, this was the upset of the season.

It didn’t look like an upset in the making at first. In less than four minutes, LAP quarterback Matt Wabby connected with tight end Nate Ingram for a 17 yard touchdown giving LAP a seven to zip lead. The 59 yard drive took three plays. Then with five minutes left in the quarter, SMC blocked a Steven Sandoval field goal attempt, but the ball was picked up by LAP corner back Jaston Wells who ran it in for the touchdown leading to a 14-0 Brahmas lead.

The Corsairs woke up in the second quarter. LAP’s drive was interrupted when Wabby completed a short pass to his running back Daniel Lopez, then SMC defensive end Byro Rutherford stripped the ball and ran it back 37 yards for SMC’S first score of the evening. The Rony Estrada point-after closed the gap to 14-7.

LAP’s next drive started at their 49 yard line. After a couple successful rushes from their running back Alfred Taylor and one spectacular 30 yard Wabby pass to quarterback Daniel Berhe, LAP was poised for more points. LAP got four shots at the end zone because of an SMC defensive penalty, but the SMC defense stood tall. LAP had to settle for a Sandoval field goal and three points.

SMC would not answer the 17-7 lead until the closing minutes of the second quarter. With 1:57, SMC quarterback, Zachar Scribner, completed an 11 yard pass to wide receiver Gerryl Benett to the SMC 47. On third and ten, Scribner connects with his other favorite wide receiver, Anthony Windom, for 12 yards. Then on second and ten, Scribner completed an amazing 33 yard pass to Benett for a first and goal at the eight. Scribner wastes no time: he passes to Windom on the ensuing play for the touchdown, and with the point after, narrowed the LAP halftime lead to 17-14.

SMC opened the third quarter much like they ended the half. The Corsairs forced LAP fullback Carlos King to fumble. In the ensuing mellay, SMC linebacker Carl Capers emerges with the ball. Scribner wasted no time – on the first play of the drive he connected with Windom, again, this time for a 43 yard touchdown giving SMC their first lead of the night. Estrada sealed the 21-17 lead with the point after.

LAP responded. It took them nine plays to move the ball 64 yards to regain the lead. The drive consisted mostly of short gains with the exception of a 15 yard Lopez run and a 17 yard Wabby to wide receiver Ty Harris reception. On a second and goal from the nine yard line, Wabby pitches it to Berhe for the touchdown, and with a Sandoval kick, LAP took a 24-21 lead.

SMC got a break on a horrendous Cano Marduk 17 yard kickoff. Wide receiver, Fletcher Chase, receives the ball on the LAP 32 and he was off to the races. Weaving in between traffic and with a few good blocks, he returns it all the way for the touchdown. Estrada’s kick was blocked, so SMC settles for a three point lead, 27-24.

Pierce is a fighting team. With 7:46 left in the third quarter, Wabby again connects with one of his favorite receivers, Ty Harris, for 40 yards leaving LAP on the SMC 15 and a first down. The SMC defense made them earn this touchdown, stopping them cold on every other attempt. Nevertheless, on a second and goal from the two, fullback Carlos King punches it in for the touchdown. The two point attempt failed and Pierce took a 32-27 lead.

This was Pierce’s last lead of the night.

LAP’s kicker, Marduk Cano, banged a 55 yard kick off following the score. SMC running back Kendal Gordan retuned it 20 yards: the SMC drive started at their 31 yard line. On second and twelve, wide receiver, Gerryl Benett, in the quarterback position, passed to his wide receiver, Sayyid Rivers. for a 30 yard gain into LAP territory. On third and 11 Scribner returned to the game and completed a pass to tight end Kevin Bass for 14 yards. Then on second and eight from the LAP 26, Scribner nails a 26 yard touchdown pass to Benett and followed it up with a pass to Windom for the two point conversion. SMC takes a 35-32 lead.

With 3:25 left in the third quarter, LAP began begin the drive from their 40 yard line. On a second and nine, from the SMC 47, Wabby is intercepted by SMC defensive back Justin Broome … and … he … could … go … all… the … way!

Broome does; Estrada’s kick is good; the third quarter ends – SMC 42, LAP 32.

LAP is not going into the post season for no reason – they are fighters and never give up. Again, except for one Wabby to Lopez 29 yard connection, Pierce moved the ball 55 yards in 6 plays with short, solid gains resulting in a King three yard rushing touchdown. LAP narrows the SMC lead 42 to 39 one minute after the fourth quarter opens.

The SMC defense was on fire. After LAP takes over on downs at their 15 yard line, once again, they began chipping away with solid, short gains. Then with a beautiful 37 yard Wabby to Linaar Williams connection, LAP is again within striking distance. LAP continues to chip away; for five yards; two yards, five yards, seven yards, loss of five, gain of two yards … LAP’s fate was in their hands. Then a very capable Wabby shoots for pay dirt when SMC defensive end Roderick Benman stepped in front of his pass and there is no catching him. Benman retuned the interception 72 yards for the touchdown, sealing a LAP v. Mt. SAC first round playoff on Saturday, November 21, 2009. SMC widens the lead to ten: SMC 49, LAP 39.

Alex Martinez would later sack Travis Rawls in the end zone. LAP scored two points for the safety and is now down by eight points. But with 4:18 left on the clock, LAP fumbled the ball and SMC defensive tackle Eddie Kelly recovered it at midfield. SMC, cautiously avoiding a turn-over, eats up just over two minutes of the clock before they have to punt. With only 2:09 left to play, LAP has to score a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie the game and send the game into overtime. SMC’s defense would have none of it. LAP turned the ball over on downs and SMC ran out the clock.

This was the upset of the season: Santa Monica Corsairs, 49, Los Angeles Pierce Brahmas, 41.

LAP head coach, Efrain Martinez, said “much credit must be given to Santa Monica – they came out fighting and swinging. This is Santa Monica’s bowl game – this made their season.”

Coach Martinez also expressed concerned for his team inasmuch as “nobody expected LA Harbor to lose.” The LA Harbor loss, along with Pierce’s defeat, resulted in LAP having to play Mt. SAC in the first round of the post season. If either Harbor or LAP had won, all other things constant, LAP would have met Fullerton in the first round. “We played Fullerton tough [during the regular season]. If we played Fullerton [in the first round] we would have a better shot – a better shot than most give us,” he said.

The coach compared Mt. SAC to Goliath and said “don’t count David out too soon.”

The playoffs begin this Saturday. The Campus Herald will cover the games.

Individual Statistics

Statistically, both teams put up good numbers, except on the ground. SMC had 16 first downs, LAP 20. SMC had 312 yards passing, LAP 335, but SMC netted 11 yards rushing; LAP had 108.

Individually for the SMC offense, the only stand-out was Zachary Scribner who was completed 22 out of 40 passes with three touchdowns. He was intercepted once and sacked twice, but these are nevertheless solid numbers. SMC also got solid performances from Gerryl Bennett and Anthony Windom. Benett gained 136 yards receiving with one touchdown. Windom had two touchdowns and gained 91 yards receiving, with a long of 43 yards.

The individual numbers for the Los Angeles Pierce offense are similar. Daniel Lopez, Alfred Taylor and Matt Wabby all gained over 31 yards rushing. Matt Wabby was 25 of 46 with two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice and sacked twice. LAP had four receivers with more than 50 yards; Ty Harris, Nate Ingram, Daniel Lopez and Daniel Berhe. Harris had an impressive 116 yards with a long of 45. Berhe and Ingram, with one touchdown each, had 65 and 61 yards respectively. Lopez rounded the receiving dept. with a solid 52 yards.

Carl Capers led the SMC defense in total tackles with 12. He had five solo tackles, seven assists and one fumble recovery. Stephen Harris followed with eight total; five solos and three assists. Adyel Annelus, Joseph Alvarez and Stephen Gentili all had seven total tackles. Eddie Kelly had five total tackles and assisted in recovering two fumbles. Justin Broome had four total tackles but returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown. Roderick Benman had a total of three tackles but also returned an interception for a touchdown - for 72 yards. Byron Rutherford returned an interception 37 yards.

Brandon Reeves led the LAP defense with ten total tackles and three and half assists in fumble recoveries. Chris Aragon had eight total tackles and one interception for 22 yards. Victor Lopez, Kasif McBride and Franky Anaya had five total tackles and all assisted in at least one fumble recovery. Alex Martinez had four total tackles, assisted in at least two fumble recoveries and gained eight yard on the fumbles.