VISALIA
–– Gavilan College finished with a 2-4 record entering Coast
Conference football play after a 6-3 loss to the host College of
Sequoias Giants Saturday night.
The Rams turned the game’s series into an A.J. Garbin 35-yard
field goal, then let several other scoring opportunities slip away
as the Giants snapped a three-game losing streak to move to
2-3.
By BOB BURCH
Sports Writer
VISALIA –– Gavilan College finished with a 2-4 record entering Coast Conference football play after a 6-3 loss to the host College of Sequoias Giants Saturday night.
The Rams turned the game’s series into an A.J. Garbin 35-yard field goal, then let several other scoring opportunities slip away as the Giants snapped a three-game losing streak to move to 2-3.
Gavilan visits the DeAnza Dons at 1 p.m. Saturday, beginning a four-game Coast Conference experience. Other conference teams are Hartnell, Monterey Peninsula College and Cabrillo.
“We moved the ball extremely well,” said Gavilan coach John Lango. “We need to put the ball in the end zone. I was proud of how our defense played. Our special teams put Sequoias in good field position, either because of poor tackling or being outflanked with coverage.”
Gavilan posted a 366-328 edge in total offense, but missed conversions on two fourth-and-one calls turned back promising Gavilan drives.
“Those were huge plays,” Lango said of the drive-stalling errors.
Ted Mason turned 10 pass catches into 240 yards for the Rams, including a 64-yard hook-up from Patrick Ames on the game’s third play that moved the Rams inside the Sequoias 2-yard stripe. Garbin split the uprights with 11:22 left in the opening quarter for a 3-0 Gavilan lead.
Sequoias completed the game’s scoring with a 21-yard run by Mulivai Pula with 1:04 left in the quarter. Gavilan had been stopped on its own 19 and a Brandon Zertuche 41-yard punt was returned 41 yards by Brandon Gridiron. Pula scored on the second play of the series. The PAT failed, leaving Sequoias up 6-3.
Gavilan had one field goal opportunity on the final play of the first half, but an inaccurate center snap foiled Garbin’s try for a tying kick.
The Rams could not convert on fourth-and-one at the Giants 25 in the third quarter. Gavilan reached the Giants 38 in the fourth quarter on an Albert Lebron 20-yard reception, but a fumble on the next play gave the football to Sequoias.
Gavilan had one final thrust into Sequoias territory in the game’s final three minutes when Mason turned an Ames third-and-15 pass into a 53-yard play to the Giants 24. Gavilan lost five yards on a penalty, 13 on a swing pass and eight on a sack. The fourth-and-36 play was an incomplete pass.
Ames went 19-for-41 for 330 yards, including two interceptions. Giants passer DeMonte Johnson was 7-for-16 for 91 yards and two interceptions. T.J. Monroe recorded his sixth interception. Eddie Sumpter added an interception.
Gavilan mustered a net of 36 yards on 29 plays, although El Ray Henry covered 49 yards on 19 rushes. The Giants running game produced 237 yards on 47 plays, including a 15-for-94 effort from Pula. Gridiron covered 104 yards on 19 carries.
“Patrick made some great audibles,” Lango said of the frosh quarterback. “Our entire front line played well against a very physical Sequoias offense. We just have to be able to protect the ball better. We lost the ball four times, two interceptions and two fumbles.”
