Vaquero defense has its toughest challenge

Over the course of this season, the Glendale Community College

football team’s defense has established itself as a power.

Unlike past years, the Vaqueros have stopped the run and the pass,

holding their opponents to just 270.8 yards per game. Players like

Jason Bonwell, Matt Patterson and Marco Ramirez have become Glendale

College’s top athletes, as the Vaqueros have relied on their stingy

defense to remain in games.

Glendale College has been superb against teams like Antelope

Valley and L.A. Southwest.

Today, the Vaqueros defense will face its toughest test when it

meets L.A. Harbor College at 7 p.m. in a Western State Conference

Southern Division game at Sartoris Field.

“They have by far the best offense we’ll see, which means our

defense will be really challenged,” Vaquero Coach John Cicuto said of

L.A. Harbor, which averages a conference-best 485.5 yards per game.

The Seahawks -- who, like the Vaqueros, are 2-2, 1-1 in division

-- might bring an offensive package that Glendale College has not

seen this season.

“They spread you out and try to run on you,” said Cicuto before

pointing out that L.A. Harbor running backs Robert Miller and Jaycen

Taylor are Nos. 9 and 10 in rushing, respectively, in the conference.

Miller has rushed for 281 yards and two touchdowns and Taylor has

gained 273 yards.

Each tailback averages 5.5 yards per carry.

The duo has had an efficient quarterback to help shoulder the

burden. Seahawk quarterback Sean Flynn is fourth in the conference in

passing with 839 yards and three touchdowns.

“Their offense is really explosive,” Cicuto said.

The Vaqueros -- coming off a 24-15 victory against L.A. Southwest

College -- might have the talent to stop L.A. Harbor.

Bonwell and Ramirez, both sophomores, have been forces on the

defensive line.

Bonwell was the conference’s defensive player of the week after

his 11-tackle, one-sack performance against L.A. Southwest College.

Patterson had an interception and a fumble recovery Saturday,

giving him four take-aways this season.

The defense was aided last week by an offense that had possession

for nearly 45 minutes. The Vaqueros relied on Samuel Ledford and

Jamal Rashad to help keep L.A. Southwest’s offense off the field, as

their running backs used the clock to their combination of speed and

power.

But Ledford injured his knee in the fourth quarter and is likely

out for the rest of the season, according to Cicuto.

With Ledford sidelined, Cicuto will turn to Brandon McCullough,

who has nine carries for 33 yards on the season, or Derek Leiphardt,

who has yet to carry the ball, to take some of the pressure off

Rashad.

“It’s going to come down to our offensive line,” said Cicuto,

whose team is 0-2 on its new on-campus field this year. “They are the

ones who make the running backs have those great stats. If our

offensive line improves, we’ll be in great shape.”

* EDGAR MELIK-STEPANYAN covers sports. He can be reached at (818)

637-3226 or by e-mail at o7edgar.stepanyan@latimes.com.

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