By Joseph Dargan
Football won the season opener on Saturday night against Orange Coast College, avenging last season’s opening game blowout loss.
Among the crowd of fans enduring the 100-degree temperature on game night was ELAC President Marvin Martinez.
“With the addition of our new coaches, staff and recruits, along with a year to put it all together, we could very well go undefeated if we beat Orange Coast tonight,” Martinez said.
After rendition of the National Anthem by ELAC student Regis Bell,the Huskies began their opening drive on offense. Freshman quarterback, Philip Tran dropped backwith 12:02 left in the first quarter to deliver an 80-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Kenny Allen.
Allen took it into the end zone for the Huskies first touchdown of the season.
Orange Coast retaliated with a touchdown in the first quarter and failed to convert the extra point, leaving the score 7-6.
A two yard rushing touchdown by running back Nicholas Hutson made the score 14-6, giving the Huskies some breathing room midway through the second quarter.
Orange Coast wouldn’t go without a fight as they mounted a third quarter comeback.After scoring a two yard rushing touchdown, forcing ELAC to punt on consecutive possessions, and mounting a 55-yard drive, Orange Coast found themselves on the one yard line with a chance to take the lead.
Orange Coast attempted to run it in on third down. After a hand off to the fullback forwhat looked like a guaranteed touchdown, the ball was stripped and recovered for a fumble by ELAC sophomore defensive lineman Sione Vea.
Vea provided a field goal block and a shared sack with sophomore defensive lineman Trestan Kueneman on a failed two point conversion attempt later in the game.
Though Orange Coast scored again, they didn’t mentally recover from the lost fumble on the goal line.
Tran went on for 18 of 30 with 293 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. In the 4th quarter Tran had a drive that included a 17-yard, passing third down conversion and ended with a 14-yard, flipping through the air, rushing touchdown for Lavell Thompson.
freshman kicker Hector Gomez, 17, went five for five on the night converting four extra points and one field goal.
The one downside of the game was that the Huskies were responsible for 16 penalties throughout the game.
Since coach Bobby Godinez was hired, the Huskies are 10-2 and have not yet lost a home game.
According to a family member of the coach, Godinez would do anything to get last year’s first game back.
“When we cut down on penalties and consistently execute our style of play, this team could be unstoppable,” said Godinez
Although ELAC lost last season’s first game, the team finished with a 9-2 record, earning themselves an invite to the Patriot Bowl, in which they won.
The Huskies could not replicate their success in week two, as they were defeated by Allan Hancock College 13-21. Although they were able to cut down on penalties, committing 11 compared to week one’s 16, the Huskie’s offense struggled, averaging 2.2 yards per play.
Allan Hancock averaged more than double ELAC’s output with five-yards per play. Sophomore wide receiver Kenny Allen was able to score his second touchdown He is currently averaging 23.4 yards a catch. With a even record of 1-1, ELAC will be playing home on Saturday against Antelope Valley College at 6:00 pm.