Surging Pierce Flattens Compton in 31-14 Win

It is premature to make comparisons to other Pierce College football teams, but something about the 1991 Brahmas has a familiar ring.

Pierce is winning again.

Saturday’s 31-14 Western State Conference thrashing of host Compton was the team’s third victory in four games. It marked the team’s best start since 1984, when Pierce was among the top programs in the state before budget problems caused the school to temporarily drop football.

“I’d like to say that we’re all the way back, but we’ve got six games coming up and our schedule is not going to get any easier,” Pierce Coach Bill Norton said. “We do have some great kids who work hard. They do a great job of trying to do what we ask them to do.”

The performance of Pierce (2-1 in WSC play) left little room for criticism, a victory against winless Compton (0-4, 0-3) notwithstanding.

Pierce quarterbacks Joe Pica and Cesar Parra combined with a host of receivers to turn a 10-6 halftime lead into a second-half rout.

Pica completed 11 of 18 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns; Parra made the most of his limited action by completing three of four for 55 yards and a touchdown.

“Our line makes it easy,” Pica said. “I just had to sit back and pick a receiver.”

The Brahmas held Compton to 202 yards in offense. Pierce defensive backs Darnell Hendricks and Bruce Dotson each recorded an interception, and linemen Randy West and Keith Kershaw played key roles in limiting Compton to 76 yards rushing.

“The defense has definitely proved that they are a credible part of the football team,” Norton said. “They’re making the other teams earn what they get.”

Pierce opened the scoring on its second possession with a six-play, 60-yard drive that culminated with Pica’s 14-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Shannon Culver (three receptions, 56 yards) in the left corner of the end zone.

Pierce kicker Steve Szekely, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound sophomore out of Bell-Jeff High, increased the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with a 50-yard field goal. The kick was set up three plays earlier when Pica and Culver teamed on a 58-yard pass play.

But the Tartars refused to buckle and a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown by Patrick Brunson in the closing minute of the first half pulled Compton to within 10-6.

Pierce regrouped at the break and scored on its first two possessions of the second half to take a 24-6 lead. It began when Pica hit Xavier Foreman with a 15-yard touchdown strike across the middle.

The six-play, 21-yard drive followed Hendricks’ interception.

About six minutes later, Pierce tailback LaShante Parker (12 carries, 53 yards) capped a six-play, 55-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run. Parra and Dan Alexander completed the Pierce scoring with a 13-yard pass play with 11 minutes 56 seconds left to play.

Compton quarterback Sharhron Wynne, who also played in the secondary, finished six of 16 for 116 yards. He also rushed for 47 yards in nine carries. Willie Billingsley was on the receiving end of three Wynne passes for 56 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown pass with 9:53 left to make it 31-14.

Pierce, which lost tailback Arie McQuaig on Thursday after an on-campus incident resulted in his dismissal from the team, also was without 6-foot-5, 311-pound right guard Charles Gietzen.

Gietzen, who works as a bouncer at a Canoga Park nightclub, was stabbed in the back while attempting to break up a fight Friday night at the club. Gietzen was not seriously injured.

“I’ll miss a few days of practice, but I’ll be back for the Glendale game,” said Gietzen, a sophomore from Hamilton High. “I could be dead. (The knife) was real close to my kidney and a half an inch away from my spine.”

Said Norton: “We had a couple of real adverse things happen to us this week. We were not real focused and my hat’s off to the team for withstanding the adversity.”