Glendale Community College Football Preview: Vaqueros look to get back on track
GLENDALE – Entering his ninth season in charge, Glendale Community College football Coach John Rome knows very well that two paths lie directly ahead of his team.
Through the early part of Rome’s tenure, the Vaqueros struggled routinely and finished near the bottom of the standings.
Then in 2013 and 2014, everything changed.
In both seasons, the Vaqueros came close to winning an American Pacific League crown, tying for third in 2013 (6-4 final record) and finishing runner-up (9-2) in 2014 while advancing to the Patriotic Bowl, the program’s first postseason appearance since 2006.
It seemed like Glendale had turned a corner and reinvented itself as a perennial power.
Unfortunately for Rome and the Vaqueros, they took a step back last season and finished 3-7 and 2-5 for sixth place in their final season in the Pacific League. While injuries took a toll, Rome refused to use such reasons as excuses.
“It wasn’t injuries, it was the head coach who didn’t push these guys hard enough last year,” Rome said. “I relied a lot on the sophomores as I did in 2013 and 2014. What I failed to realize was that the players and the work ethic on those two teams were special. I just expected last year’s group to fall into line and it didn’t happen.
“I didn’t push them hard enough and the coaches did not prepare them well enough. If we want to avoid mediocrity and get back to what we were doing in 2013 and 2014, we’re going to have to be very disciplined.”
There was plenty of change in the offseason, as the Vaqueros moved from the American Pacific to the newly formed American Metro League. The switch means Glendale will still take on West Los Angeles College and Los Angeles Southwest in league play, but will face a new slate of league opponents in Compton, East Los Angeles, Pasadena City and Santa Ana.
“It’s a positive move and it helps with parity,” said Rome, a member of the Southern California Football Assn. Competition Committee and Coaches Assn. “We’re alright with it and I love the chance to play Pasadena and Santa Ana, two traditionally good programs.”
The Vaqueros suffered a blow when Rome confirmed Thursday that University of Colorado bounce-back quarterback Cade Apsay did not make the team for academic reasons. Apsay spent two years with the Buffaloes as a back-up and had the inside track for the starting spot with GCC.
With his absence, the Vaqueros have an open battle between sophomores Mark Powell and David Muir. Powell, a Verdugo Hills High product, saw limited action last year as the No. 3 quarterback and completed 14 of 23 passes for 152 yards in three games.
“Right now, we’re still getting everyone reps and at some point, probably right before the opener, we’ll make a decision on who will start,” said Rome, whose team opens the season Saturday at 6 p.m. versus Golden West College. “They’re [both] starters as far as I’m concerned, so it’s just a matter of who wins the position.”
Both quarterbacks have a loaded running back corps with sophomore Darius Jones (38 rushes for 115 yards and two touchdowns), converted sophomore wide receiver Malcom Sherman, Jeremiah Jones, Devin Mangrum and former Crespi High standout TJ Brumfield.
It’s quite possible that the player Rome is most impressed with in the backfield is the one who will get a few carries. Compton Dominguez’ John Ioane Niopulusu is a true fullback the program has lacked recently.
Niopulusu didn’t arrive on campus alone, as his brother, Samuela Grady, is also on the squad as a defensive tackle.
“We’ve been playing together since Pop Warner, so we’re not a distraction for each other,” John Ioane Niopulusu said.
The Vaqueros lost depth at wide receiver, but do return former Crescenta Valley star Jordan Lobianco, who had 11 receptions last year for 216 yards and one touchdown. Lobianco will also be returning punts and kickoffs and is coming off a 2015 campaign in which he averaged 26.7 yard per kick return.
“The goal is to get us big returns on punts and kickoffs to get us good field position,” Lobianco said. “I can do that.”
Westlake High’s Ronald Carter-Smith and sophomore Anthony McGinnis figure to be impact players at wide receiver, also.
Glendale has a pair of tight ends with different talents as Beverly Hills’ Solomon Nwankwo is a talented blocker, while West Virginia State’s Randall Mincy is a known pass-catcher.
Perhaps the team’s strength is on the offensive line, which is anchored by sophomore center Andrew Mills.
“The offensive line is looking pretty good right now,” said Mills, a former All-Area star at Burroughs High. “We’re moving some guys around, but I’m pretty excited. I’ll just play wherever coach wants and do my best.”
Mills will be joined on the line by Chris Salgado and Eric Babakhanian. Rome also has four freshmen vying for positions, including St. Francis High alumnus Cade Mockary, along with Mark Clark, Guadalupe Arevalos and Edgar Manjarrez.
The Vaqueros have an interesting defensive front led by defensive end Mohamed-Fafana Inoussa, a converted soccer player from Sweden who has quickly learned the American game.
College of the Canyons transfer Cody Shoemaker will highlight a linebacking corps that includes La Cañada product Sam Brown, sophomore returner Sylvester Robinson, Rashad Ysaguirre and Anthony Parker.
As for the corner backs, sophomore Keyon Hardin appears ready to lead a unit that includes Lonnie McNamee, John Brown, Samuel Obeng and Elijah Thompson.
“The key for us is communication,” Hardin said. “The expectations are pretty big. Honestly, it’s just about doing what the coaches said and doing everything we can.”
While special teams has been an Achilles heel of sorts for the Vaqueros in recent years, the unit has some talented contributors. Besides Lobianco, the Vaqueros have a former Falcons teammate in sophomore Matt Erickson, a rising long snapper. Place kicker Kevin Garcia has one of several interesting tales on the team and won the position after impressing at a flag football competition.
