At Last, Pierce Savors Victory After 31 Losses

Three years of frustration ended Saturday in Compton when Pierce College stopped the state’s longest football losing streak at 31 games.

Quarterback Calvin Zinck scored on a two-yard keeper in overtime to cap an improbable comeback and give the Brahmas a 34-28 Western State Conference interdivision victory over Compton.

Pierce’s losing streak had dated to 1995 and was the second-longest in the nation.

Zinck, a sophomore from Kennedy High, rallied the Brahmas (1-3) from a 22-6 fourth-quarter deficit.

His one-yard run and two-point conversion pass to Basil Duncantell tied the game, 28-28, with one second left in regulation.

Zinck finished with three short touchdown runs and completed 24 of 46 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Vaughn Corley, the top receiver in the WSC, caught 14 passes for 174 yards, including a two-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter.

Pierce stopped Compton in the first series of overtime, then Zinck connected with Corley for gains of 14 and nine yards to set up the decisive score.

A key play came with 2:21 left in the fourth quarter after Compton’s Vincent Starks scored on a 33-yard run to give the Tartars a 28-18 lead.

On Compton’s two-point conversion attempt, Mario Chelsen stripped Starks of the ball and raced 90 yards to score two points for Pierce and set up Zinck’s game-tying run.

Jason Brown completed 22 of 35 for 287 yards and one touchdown for Compton, which led, 14-0, at halftime.

Donald Carpenter rushed 18 times for 65 yards and one touchdown for Pierce. Duncantell caught seven passes for 67 yards.

Pierce’s rally was helped by 88 yards in second-half penalties by the Tartars (0-3). It was a familiar problem for Compton, which was called for 25 penalties and 233 yards last week in a loss to College of the Canyons.