JUNIOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Pierce Rallies in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Santa Monica, 24-13

Pierce College exploded for 12 fourth-quarter points within a one-minute, 20-second span and rallied to defeat Santa Monica, 24-13, Saturday in a Western State Conference game at Pierce.

Pierce trailed, 13-12, when Mike Burns capped a 14-play, eight-minute drive by kicking a 29-yard field goal, his third field goal of the game, to lift the Brahmas to a two-point advantage with 6:07 to play.

On the ensuing series, the Brahmas stopped Santa Monica in three plays at the Corsair 15. On the fourth-down punt, the snap from center Mario Hull sailed over punter Chris Jackson into the end zone for a safety with 5:10 to play.

Fifteen seconds later, Chad Zeigler ran back the free kick 64 yards for another Brahma score.

The win lifted Pierce to 3-4 overall, 2-4 in conference play.

Pierce got on the scoreboard first when Keith Brooks recovered a Santa Monica fumble at the Corsair 45. Five plays later, Louis Vann scored from nine yards to give the Brahmas a 6-0 lead early in the first quarter.

Vann rushed for 89 yards in 18 carries, including 77 in the first half, before leaving midway through the third period because of an injury. Anthony Mitchell added 49 yards in 12 tries.

Burns booted a 33-yard field goal to increase the margin to 9-0 with 4:40 left in the half and also connected from 26 yards in the third quarter.

Santa Monica (3-4, 2-4) was limited to 17 yards rushing in the first half. The Corsairs were only able to drive inside the Pierce 40 once in the first half, but Aaron McDaniel picked up a Charles McKenzie fumble at the Brahma 40 to squelch the only scoring threat.

McKenzie ran in from two yards to open the second half and Charles Frazier added a one-yard plunge at the end of the third period to account for Santa Monica’s scoring.