Glendale Defense Takes Its Bows After 27-0 Win Over Harbor

On a night when tailback Bobby Webster set two school records and quarterback Marco Arcipreste threw for nearly 200 yards, it was Glendale College’s defense that stood out in a 27-0 victory over host Harbor in a Western State Conference football game Saturday.

The Vaquero defense, Glendale’s Achilles’ heel last season, held Harbor (4-4, 3-4) to 107 yards in offense, including six yards passing, while posting its first shutout.

“The defense has improved at a great pace the last two weeks,” second-year Glendale Coach John Cicuto said. “Everyone seems to be coming together at just the right time. . . . We’re two weeks away from reaching our goal.”

The Vaqueros (6-2, 6-1) are gunning for a WSC Northern Division title and a bowl berth, but they will have to get past Moorpark on Saturday if they are to meet that objective.

“We knew we’d have to go through Moorpark to win a division title,” said Arcipreste, who completed 15 of 26 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown. “But we also knew there were several other teams we had to beat.”

The win improved Glendale’s divisional record to 3-0 and was the sixth in a row for the Vaqueros. And as in the previous five victories, Webster gained at least 100 yards and ran for at least two touchdowns.

The freshman from Pasadena High gained 119 yards in 16 carries and scored three times against the Seahawks before leaving the game in the third quarter because of leg cramps.

His third score--a 50-yard run--gave Glendale a 21-0 lead with 12 minutes 27 seconds left in the third period. It was Webster’s 17th touchdown (all rushing) of the season and broke school single-season records for touchdowns (15) and rushing scores (14).

In the fourth quarter, Harbor drove as far as the Glendale 27-yard line, but Robert Floyd intercepted Bill Inman’s pass in the Vaquero end zone for a touchback.

“The shutout was important to these guys,” Cicuto said. “I think it’ll give us added confidence going into the Moorpark game.”

Webster’s first score, a six-yard run, capped a five-play, 41-yard drive with 1:41 left in the first quarter. His second touchdown, a four-yard burst, climaxed an 11-play, 56-yard drive with 9:37 remaining in the second period.

Arcipreste, who entered the game averaging 16 pass attempts a game, completed nine of 17 for 130 yards in the first half alone.