Pete Moye’
Sports Button
Refusing to allow head coach Frank Mazzotta and the Cerritos College football team a chance to attain vengeance for last season’s loss in the Southern California Championship game, the Mount San Antonio College football team defeated the Falcons 17-14 on Nov. 26
The Falcons (8-4) were rallying late in the fourth quarter with two minutes remaining when sophomore quarterback Brandon Denker eluded a swarm of Mounties and threw a deep bomb to a streaking Robert Abeyta who caught the ball at the Mounties’ two-yard line amid being surrounded by three Mt. SAC defenders.
However, the play was negated when officials called a pass interference penalty on the freshman wide receiver.
“At that point in the game, to make that call is sickening, just sickening,” Mazzotta said. “It was the wrong time of the game to make a call like that.”
Two plays later, Mt. SAC defensive back Ashtun Williams intercepted a pass thrown by Denker, that was intended for Cerritos College tight end Clark Evans, ending the Falcons’ hopes for a comeback.
Williams had two interceptions.
With the win, the Mounties (11-1) capture their fifth straight Southern California Championship and a third consecutive birth in the California State Championship for a chance to win their third consecutive state title.
Last season, Cerritos College humiliated 51-0 by Mt. SAC.
City College of San Francisco triumphed over Fresno City College 57-13 and it will face Mt. SAC in a rematch for the state championship on Dec. 10.
Mazzotta attributed most of the blame for the loss to the kicking game. He said the inability to achieve good field position put the defense in a tough spot.
“Our kicking game just killed us,” he said, “it costs us the football game. It’s amazing [Mt. SAC] didn’t score 50 points. Our defense did a great job.”
Defensive tackle Fred Lavulo captured the game’s Defensive Player of the Game award.
He had five tackles.
“I wasn’t expecting the award. I was just out there playing football but it’s a great feeling to receive the honor,” Lavulo said.
As a team, we played with our all and that’s all you can ask for.
Denker finished the game with 148 yards on 11 completions and two touchdown passes.
The first came on a 49-yard play to Abeyta and the second was a five-yard toss to tight end Jeff Lavulo.
The Falcons were able to hold the Mounties’ offense to 296 yards, 98 yards less than their season average.
Mounties quarterback Cameron Deen had 134 yards on a 15 completions and a touchdown to wide receiver Alonzo Agwuenu.
Cameron Deen said his team was just focusing on this year’s match-up and didn’t worry about last season’s victory over the Falcons.
“We just focused on the big picture. We are going to win state. That’s our No. 1 goal.”
Agwuenu was awarded the game’s Offensive Player of the Game award.
Running back Matthew Botello led the attack on the ground for Mt. SAC. He gained 78 yards on 13 carries, enough to earn him the Most Valuable Player award.
The Falcons will lose Denker, Lavulo and several other productive players including some who made National Division Northern Conference teams.
See list here.
Mazzotta also explained how the inability of wide receivers from Cerritos College to come back to the ball also hurt their offense.
“A couple times we let their guys just come and step in front of the ball. (Wide receiver) Lindsey Anderson did it a few times during the game.
“But, when you lose you always find things wrong,” Mazzotta said.”
Freshman Defensive Tackle Kyle Peko finished his first season at Cerritos College with 39 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
He said, “I feel good about this season. I can’t blame anything on any one, we did what we had to do but (Mt. SAC) just came out on top.”
This season, the Falcons swept their conference.
Linebacker Donovan Amituanai led defense in tackels this season with 58.
Denker finished the season with 2319 passing yards and 31 touchdowns through the air.
The dual-quarterback also attained 430 yards on the ground and seven rushes for a score.
