Vaqueros gear up for passing attack
GLENDALE — It’s halfway through the season and the Glendale Community College football team is still searching for its first victory.
One of the main weaknesses for the Vaqueros throughout has been trying to stop the passing game. Now, they will face the best passing team to date on their schedule.
Glendale will seek to improve on that facet of the game when it meets visiting L.A. Pierce College at 6 p.m. today in an American Conference Pacific Division contest at Sartoris Field.
The Vaqueros (0-5 and 0-1 in the division) will likely see plenty of pass attempts by the Brahmas (3-2, 1-0) today. Pierce is ranked second in Southern California in passing offense at 324.6 yards per game and are sixth in Southern California in scoring (36 points per game).
“They throw a lot and they are extremely talented,” said Glendale third-year Coach John Rome, whose team began division play Saturday with a 27-21 home loss against L.A. Valley. “They have got some playmakers and they can put up a lot of points.
“We have just had trouble stopping the pass so far and we’ve had difficulty at critical junctures. We give up yards [in the air] by the bushel. It’s up to us to be able to sustain drives. For us to be successful against Pierce, we are going to have to limit their amount of time on the field.”
Pierce will likely start quarterback Exavier Johnson, who has completed 74 of 118 passes for 963 yards and 10 touchdowns. Wide receiver Kenny Davis has caught 19 passes for 442 yards and four touchdowns for the Brahmas, who began division play with a 42-38 home victory against West L.A. and have won three of their last four games.
By comparison, the Vaqueros are 26th in Southern California in scoring at 20.8 points per game.
Glendale is 34th in Southern California in points allowed, averaging 36.8 points per game. Pierce is 35th, allowing 37.
“We are struggling to get better by the inch, but we are improving,” said Rome, who added that Steven Batista will once again start at quarterback after he completed 13 of 22 passes for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Valley. “It’s painful to be 0-5.
“Our improvement is noticeable, but we’ll just continue to hang in there.”
Both teams will wear the Army of Pink logo on their helmets as a show of support for breast cancer awareness and research.
