Grossmont, Southwestern Renew Rivalry : Schools Accept Bids to Play in National Football Foundation Bowl

Grossmont and Southwestern colleges are only 17 miles apart, but the schools have not met in football since 1977. The rivalry will be renewed in three weeks when the teams play in the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Community College Bowl on Friday, Dec. 6, at San Diego City’s Broderick Field.

The matchup became official Thursday when Southwestern accepted an invitation from Harry West, bowl chairman. Grossmont agreed to play Tuesday, the first day bowl bids could be extended.

“We’re very pleased with those teams,” West said. “Both teams are local and both look like they’ll finish with 9-1 records. One team has already won its league and the other can’t finish worse than second.

“We really couldn’t have hoped for anything more. I think we’re fortunate to be in this situation, especially since it’s the first year of the game and we want to get off to a good start.”

Grossmont (8-1) has clinched the Foothill Conference title with a 5-0 record. The Griffins, who have a seven-game winning streak, play College of the Desert in their final regular-season game at 7:30 Saturday night at Grossmont High School.

Southwestern (6-1 in the Mission Conference, 8-1 overall) has a bye this week but will play host to San Diego City in its regular-season finale Nov. 23. The Apaches are guaranteed of no worse than a second-place finish.

“We’re very excited about playing in the game and are pleased we were invited,” Southwestern Coach Bob Mears said. “I think it’s great they asked two local teams to play in the game.”

Mears also said he would not have accepted a bid to an out-of-town bowl game, unless it had been the only one the Apaches received.

“We really hadn’t considered going anywhere else,” he said. “I’ve always supported the idea of a community college bowl game in San Diego. That’s why I started the South Bay Bowl (which was discontinued after 1983) in 1982.

“A game like this is good for San Diego and community college football. It was our first choice all the way.”