GCC’s Jackson and Raiders able to tame Bears
The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
JACKSON, RAIDERS GET BY BEARS
The Oakland Raiders, coached by former Glendale Community College quarterback Hue Jackson, remain in first place in the NFL’s American Conference’s West Division. Oakland recorded a 25-20 home win against the Chicago Bears on Sunday and maintain a one-game lead over the Denver Broncos.
The Raiders (7-4) are in first place for the first time in December since 2002, when they advanced to the Super Bowl against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland will next play at 10 a.m. PDT Sunday at Miami.
Against Chicago, Oakland intercepted three passes and received a team-best six field goals from Sebastian Janikowski, who converted on field goal attempts of 40, 47, 42, 19, 37 and 44 yards to eclipse the team mark of five he shared with Jeff Jaeger.
Punter Shane Lechler also excelled for Oakland, recording a 49.2-yard net average. Lechler had three punts land inside Chicago’s 20-yard line. He also had a team-record 80-yard punt.
“Our two kickers are fantastic,” Jackson told the Associated Press. “There’s not another punter or kicker in the National Football League I would ever want to have on the football team.
“I said to the team when this was over, those were the two men who were here the last time this team was 7-4. Those guys have a lot to do with it. They did a tremendous job.”
REID, EAGLES LOSE BIG TO PATRIOTS
After seemingly getting back on track with a victory against the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles, coached by former Glendale Community College football player Andy Reid, stumbled at home Sunday against the New England Patriots. Philadelphia suffered a 38-20 defeat and fell to 4-7. The Eagles are tied for last in the National Football Conference’s East Division with the Washington Redskins, three games behind the first-place Dallas Cowboys.
To complicate matters, Philadelphia will have an abbreviated week to prepare for its next game. The Eagles will travel to Seattle for a 5 p.m. PDT Thursday contest.
Philadelphia entered the season with great expectations, including being picked to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 2004. The Eagles, who brought in several high-priced free agents, are all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
Even the boisterous Philadelphia fans vented their frustration during the second half, calling for Reid to be fired.
“The way we played, I can understand,” Reid told the Associated Press.
Several Philadelphia players defended Reid, including reserve quarterback Vince Young.
“Andy’s a tremendous guy,” Young who completed 26 of 48 passes for a career-best 400 yards, told the Associated Press. “I have the utmost respect for him.
“Fans don’t understand some of the situations that goes on during the game. You can’t put it all on Andy. We’re going to always continue to keep fighting hard, playing hard for him.”
VAQUEROS EARN CONFERENCE HONORS
Though the Glendale Community College women’s volleyball team finished 9-16 and 4-8 in the Western State Conference, five Vaqueros showed improvement and earned all-conference accolades.
Sophomore middle blocker/setter Cami Martin was named to the first team, while sophomore outside hitter/middle blocker Sara Kert and sophomore libero Racquel Valenzuela earned spots on the second team. Freshman middle blocker/outside hitter Angela Gaignard and freshman setter Laila Souktani received honorable mention.
Martin, a La Cañada High graduate, finished with 184 kills, 103 digs and a team-best 74 blocks in 70 games played.
Kert contributed a team-high 214 kills and 43 aces in 82 games. Valenzuela, a Holy Family graduate, collected a team-best 514 digs in 90 games.
Gaignard registered 163 kills and 70 blocks in 90 games and Souktani added a team-high 592 digs in 85 games.
