Community College Football : Golden West Goes to 5-0 With Win : Defense Is Difference in 21-3 Victory Over Long Beach

Golden West College, off to the best start in school history, had five interceptions Saturday night to beat Long Beach City, 21-3, in a South Coast Conference game in Veterans Stadium at Long Beach.

After the Rustlers (2-0, 5-0) took a 14-3 halftime lead, the Vikings (1-1, 4-1) were forced to pass most of the second half and the Rustlers had three interceptions, after getting two in the first half.

The Vikings were driving early in the third quarter but linebacker Mark Ziegenhagen intercepted Long Beach quarterback Derek Morgan’ pass on the Rustler 45 to stop the drive.

After forcing Golden West to punt, the Viking drove to the Rustler 24 before Adam Spies intercepted Morgan’s pass in the end zone.

Rene Oliver had the final interception in the last minute of the game. He is the team leader with three.

Morgan finished 13 of 32 for only 106 yards. The Vikings had only 163 total offense and only eight first downs. Long Beach City came in leading the conference in total offense, averaging 335 yards a game.

The Rustlers had 320 yards in total offense but went to a ball-control offense in the second half, stressing runs and short passes. Sophomore quarterback Eric Lawton was 15 of 29 passing for 174 yards and no interceptions. Running back Carl Satterfield rushed for 79 yards and 1 touchdown, a one-yard dive in the fourth quarter. Fullback Ted Pappas had 66 yards in 11 carries.

Golden West took a 14-3 lead at halftime on two second-quarter scoring passes from Lawton to wide receiver John Spoor.

The first was a three-yard pass with 12:11 left in the half.

The second was good for 32 yards. Spoor had 5 catches for 81 yards.

Long Beach led 3-0 after its first possession. Long Beach City, which had only 46 yards total offense in the first half, was help by a roughing-the-punter penalty which kept the drive alive.

Stan Lambert kicked a 26-yard field goal with 10:34 left in the quarter. Lambert also kicked a 42-yard field goal in the second quarter, but the Rustlers roughed the kicker and the Vikings took a first down on Golden West 12 instead.

The decision backfired when quarterback Derek Morgan was intercepted in the end zone by Mike Pacini.

Golden West defensive back Dan Ramsey intercepted Morgan in the first quarter to set up the first Rustler touchdown.

GOLDEN WEST 21, LONG BEACH CITY 3 LB--FG Lambert 26

GW--Spoor 3 pass from Lawton (LaPlaca kick)

GW--Spoor 32 pass from Lawton (LaPlaca kick)

GW--Satterfield 1 run (LaPlaca kick)

A--2,500

In Mission Conference action:

San Diego Mesa 14, Saddleback 3--The passing combination of quarterback Jeff Sturch to receiver De Angelo proved too much for the Gauchos, who lost their second straight game. Sturch completed 23 of 38 passes for 211 yards, with 15 of the passes going to Mitchell for 135 yards and a touchdown on the Olympians’ field.

Sturch passed 37 yards to Mitchell for a touchdown in the first quarter, and Mesa’s second score came in the fourth quarter when Lewis Gibson recovered a fumble in the end zone. Saddleback quarterback Pat Hegarty completed 26 of 47 passes for 264 yards but threw 3 interceptions. San Diego recovered all six of its fumbles.

The Gauchos, who had their 49-game home winning streak snapped by Riverside last week, drop to 2-2 in conference and 3-2 overall. Their only score came on Steve Williams’ 42-yard field goal in the first quarter.

SAN DIEGO MESA 14, SADDLEBACK 3 SD--Mitchell 37 pass from Sturch (Russell kick)

S--FG Williams 42

SD--Gibson recovers fumble in end zone (Russell kick)

Attendance--1,100

Southwestern 34, Rancho Santiago 17--Apache quarterback Brad Platt completed 16 of 28 passes for 223 yards and 3 touchdowns and also ran for a score to lead Southwestern to the victory over the Dons at Southwestern. Two Rancho Santiago fumbles in the first quarter led to 10 Apache points, and Southwestern built a 24-0 lead at halftime.

John Cook completed 26 of 39 passes for 266 yards for Rancho Santiago.

SOUTHWESTERN 34, RANCHO SANTIAGO 17 SW--Platt 1 run (Ackerson kick)

SW--FG Ackerson 48

SW--Love 6 pass from Platt (Ackerson kick)

SW--Bankhead 27 pass from Platt (Ackerson kick)

RS--Cook 1 run (Willis kick)

RS--Anderman 2 pass from Cook (Willis kick)

SW--Clark 5 pass from Platt (Ackerson kick)

RS--FG Willis 39

SW--FG Ackerson 49

Riverside 31, Orange Coast 14--Michael Moore rushed for 157 yards to lead Riverside College (4-0, 5-0) to the victory over the Pirates (1-3, 1-4).

Riverside scored 21 points in the third quarter, including a touchdown on a 79-yard run by Moore that erased a 7-3 Orange Coast halftime lead. Junior Tagaloa caught 9 passes for 138 yards for Orange Coast.

RIVERSIDE 31, ORANGE COAST 14 OC--Tagaloa 15 pass from Conway (Green kick)

R--FG Hernandez 33

R--Moore 79 run (Hernandez kick)

R--Widener 1 run (Hernandez kick)

R--Tyson 2 run (Hernandez kick)

R--Kelley 13 pass from Widener (Fanning kick)

OC--Tagaloa 20 pass from Conway (Green kick)

Attendance--3,200