CORSAIR FIELD — Defense again carried the day for the Santa Monica College Corsairs as they defeated L.A. Valley, 26-22, on Saturday at home.
The Corsairs were able to get the necessary stops and even came up with a big turnover late in the game that helped SMC improve to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in Pacific Conference play.
The Corsairs got out to their usual slow start allowing the Monarchs to go into half with a 22-13 lead largely due to the Monarchs running game which was able to rush for 138 yards in the first two quarters. All three touchdowns came on the ground as the Monarchs were clearly frustrating the Corsair defense with their counter pitches.
The Corsairs were able to get on the board in the second quarter on a five yard touchdown run by running back Myles Johnson and late in the quarter a 34 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alfonso Medina to wide receiver Kris Comas that left the Corsairs looking at a 22-13 deficit going into halftime.
Corsair defensive lineman Gerald Blockman reminded his team what defensive coordinator Steven Garcia said, “Play assignment football, and go back to basics.”
The Corsairs came out of the break fired up as they held the Monarchs scoreless in the second half.
The same Corsair defense that allowed 138 yards on the ground during the first half were able to limit L.A. Valley to just 20 yards during the second.
The Corsairs were looking to rally heading into the fourth quarter as quarterback Medina would run it in for a one yard touchdown to bring them within two points. Defensive lineman Karl Buchanon came up with a big fumble recovery midway through the fourth quarter inside of their own 40 yard line that set up a four yard touchdown run by running back Daniel Pipkin that gave the Corsairs the lead. The defense of the Corsairs finished the game out putting constant pressure on the Monarchs’ quarterback and eventually stopping them on fourth down to secure another conference victory and keeping their winning streak going at four
Next week SMC travels to Glendale College looking to go 5-0 in conference and keep their bowl hopes alive.
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