Lopez Leads Glendale to 44-41 Win

Ronnie Lopez stood at midfield after the game Saturday, a wide smile plastered on his face. Things were finally going his way.

He was healthy. He was starting. And, perhaps most important, he was winning again.

Lopez, who last year was the starting quarterback on a Pierce College football team that won only one game, had just led Glendale to a wild 44-41 Western State Conference victory over Santa Monica at Glendale High.

“I’m very happy,” said Lopez, who transferred to Glendale in the off-season and made his first start for the Vaqueros a success. “Losing wasn’t fun. I just wanted to come back home and play before my friends.

“It feels a lot better to win.”

Lopez, who attended nearby Franklin High and led the Panthers to two City Section 3-A Division championships, completed 12 of 25 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns.

Glendale’s regular starting quarterback, Darren Fitzgerald, was sidelined because of a bruised shoulder, forcing Lopez into action and setting the stage for a bit of a quarterback controversy when Fitzgerald returns.

“I don’t like how I got (the starting position). It’s unfortunate,” said Lopez, who tore ligaments in his leg against Santa Monica last season. “But I know how to fight for the starting spot. Darren and I both push each other and make each other better.”

Lopez threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Cody McMahon in the first period and a 45-yard touchdown pass to Pat Lynch in the second quarter.

Another former Pierce product, fullback Wes Bender, also enjoyed a big afternoon, scoring touchdowns on runs of one, four and 15 yards. Bender has scored all eight of his touchdowns in the past three games.

Glendale (3-1-1, 3-0-1 in conference play) amassed 512 yards, including 208 yards on the ground against a Santa Monica team that had allowed just six yards rushing a week ago to Santa Barbara.

Glendale tailback Sean Hampton led all rushers with 154 yards in 24 carries. Hampton also scored on a nine-yard run in the second quarter.

The Vaqueros led, 28-17, at intermission and appeared to have the game well in hand after Bender’s 15-yard run early in the fourth period gave Glendale a 44-25 advantage.

But Santa Monica (3-2, 2-2) scored 16 unanswered points to make the game close.

The Corsair comeback began after Bender’s touchdown when Gordon Jones intercepted Lopez’s pass and took it 95 yards for two points under the rule that allows a conversion attempt to be returned for a score.

Less than five minutes later, backup quarterback Ernie Soto threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeff Williamson, and Pedro Saucedo’s kick cut the gap to 44-34 with 6:48 left.

Soto followed with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Travis Moore with 5:02 to play, and Saucedo’s kick made it 44-41.

Lopez, who had been replaced by Marco Arcipreste midway through the fourth quarter, returned and directed a nine-play drive that ran out the clock.

Glendale held Charles McKinzie, the WSC’s leading rusher, to 80 yards in 22 carries but had little luck stopping the Corsairs through the air. Santa Monica finished with 530 yards--365 passing.

Corsair starting quarterback Jeff Barrett, formerly of Burroughs High, threw for 241 yards, completing 17 of 36 with two interceptions. Moore had seven catches for 161 yards.

Lynch was Glendale’s leading receiver with five catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.