National Football Foundation Bowl : Mesa Beats Grossmont in Marathon

Jeff Sturch of San Diego Mesa College completed 10 of 16 passes for 167 yards and 3 touchdowns in the first quarter against Grossmont College in the third National Football Foundation Bowl game Saturday.

But by the time the 3 1/2-hour game had ended at Balboa Stadium, Sturch’s fast start was a distant memory.

Mesa held on to win its fifth straight game and first National Football Foundation bowl game in two tries, defeating Mission Conference rival Grossmont, 29-26. Mesa (7-4) had defeated Grossmont (6-4-1) during the regular season, 22-14.

But it took an interception by Andy Gowell at the Grossmont 45 with nine seconds remaining to end a last-ditch rally by Grossmont.

Sturch threw touchdown passes of 26 and 57 yards to wide receiver Jim Courtney and 17 yards to Paul Anderson as Mesa built a 21-6 first-quarter lead.

“It’s the best quarter I’ve ever played,” said Sturch, the first community college quarterback to complete more than 400 passes in his career. “After that it was three frustrating quarters. I can’t explain what happened.”

What was supposed to be a passing duel between the two best quarterbacks in the Mission Conference turned into a battle of incomplete and dropped passes and penalties.

Grossmont quarterback Mike Jordan lasted two plays before he was forced to leave the game because of food poisoning. Jordan, a first-team all-conference selection, threw one incomplete pass.

Freshman Chadde Wolf, who replaced Jordan and played the rest of the game, threw a school-record 57 passes. Before Saturday, he was 9 of 12 passing for the season.

Wolf completed only one of his first six passes. But his second completion was a 16-yard touchdown pass to Joe Saska to cut Mesa’s lead to 7-6. The extra point was wide.

Mesa led, 21-12, at halftime after Grossmont scored on a one-yard run by Greg Garcia and a pass for a two-point conversion failed.

The lead became 29-12 on field goals of 40 and 32 yards by Aaron Petrich and a safety by Darrell Waterford, who also had a fumble recovery that led to the Olympians’ first field goal.

Wolf rallied Mesa in the fourth quarter despite an awful streak in the second half. Wolf had 159 yards passing by halftime and opened the second half with a six-yard completion.

But Wolf, who was under constant pressure, completed two of his next 16 passes, including one for a one-yard loss. Sturch’s passing also suffered in the second half as he completed 4 of his first 15 attempts.

In the fourth quarter, Wolf directed a 14-play, 56-yard drive, completing 6 of 8 for 47 yards. Garcia scored three plays later on a one-yard run, and Grossmont closed the lead to 29-18. A pass for two points failed.

Grossmont took over on the Mesa 31 after a bad snap on a punt attempt with 3:51 remaining.

Garcia scored his third touchdown of the game six plays later and Mesa led, 29-24. Wolf then hit Saska for the two-point conversion.