By Tadzio Garcia
The Huskies football team left their own records in shreds all over the football field in Raymond “Tay” Brown Stadium in Compton, last Saturday, Nov. 3.
Those darn dogs.
With the 48-27 win over host El Camino College Compton Center, the Huskies have scored 354 points this season. The previous record was 336 points set by the 2009 Husky team.
Husky quarterback Aaron Cantu threw for 416 yards from 29 of 46 passes for five touchdowns and no interceptions. His season total of 380 attempts surpasses the previous record set by Pedro Velasquez in 2009.
Cantu’s five touchdowns fell one short of his own ELAC record, six touchdowns that he threw against San Bernardino Valley College on Oct. 20 in a 54-42 loss.
He also threw for six touchdowns in a 58-55 win over West Los Angeles College on Sept. 15, when the Huskies had a season high 715 offensive yards.
The offense had 524 total yards against Compton adding to the season total of 4580 yards surpassing their previous record set in 2009 of 4578 yards.
Entering the game, winless Compton averaged 11 points per game, ranking 69th in the state out of 70 teams. They were also ranked 67-70th statewide in 13 other categories including 69th in tackles per game.
Mountain Conference rivals Southwestern and Victor Valley colleges chose to pound out 69-20 and 65-28 wins, respectively, over Compton.
ELAC instead played with the spirit of collegiality and filled plays with reserves.
It also made for a much more interesting game.
Compton came back from a 20-0 deficit to pull within 20-14 in the first quarter and pulled within one touchdown in the third quarter, 28-20.
ELAC responded with more reserves.
The Huskies were going to win with players that have not seen much action, if at all. Daniel Davis and Chris Perez both scored their first tackles of the season.
Twenty four Huskies grabbed tackles in the game led by Shawn Esparza’s fourteen. With the 14, Esparza became the top linebacker for the Huskies with 59 tackles this season, fourth-best in the conference.
When asked about how he made 14 tackles with so little time playing, Esparza responded with, “It’s the Husky way.”
Breeon Moreno made four tackles and one interception. With Compton driving in the third quarter, Moreno nabbed an interception and ran it back 15 yards to the Compton 45-yard line.
Three plays later, Jonathan Lopez scored his second touchdown of the game with a one-yard run with 8:36 left. ELAC led 41-20.
Not to be outdone, Compton answered with a two-play drive scoring off of a Frederick Johnson 49-yard run.
The Huskies responded with a five-play drive for a 48-27 lead off of a 13-yard pass from Cantu to Bryan Munoz-Alvarez.
The Huskies opened the game with a 65-yard, six play drive. Lopez scored on a one-yard run 1:59 minutes into the game.
A three-and-out play for Compton followed by a punt miscue gave the Huskies the ball on the Compton 35-yard line. Cantu completed two passes; a 20-yard gain to Willie Udofia followed by a 15-yard touchdown toss to Elli Willoughby to put the Huskies up 14-0.
Compton’s Frederick Johnson rushed for 111 rushing yards including a 48-yard run that scored Compton’s last touchdown.
Teammate Desmond Williams added 76 yards rushing, including a game-high 71 yard run also resulting in a touchdown.
ELAC’s Preston Oliver led the Huskies with 81 yards from 11 attempts with an average of 7.4 yards per gain.
The Huskies will host San Diego Mesa College on Saturday at 6 p.m. A win over the Olympians will give the Huskies a 7-3 overall record. The defending Mountain Conference Champion Huskies are hoping for an at-large bid to a bowl game.