Defense keeps excelling for gritty Golden Knights
SOUTHEAST GLENDALE — The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club, in its 69th year, meets Tuesdays at the Elk’s Lodge. The following are odds and ends from the fifth meeting of the year.
TYING FOOTBALL TO BASEBALL
With the Major League Baseball postseason in its second week, St. Francis High football Coach Jim Bonds drew a parallel between his team’s recent contest and the baseball postseason.
“In the spirit of the baseball playoffs, we thought we would go out there and throw up a baseball-type score,” said Bonds, whose team completed the nonleague portion of its schedule Thursday with a 9-3 home win against Paso Robles at Friedman Field. “Our offense needs to get back on track.
“Our defense has been playing very well of late and we are getting a little healthier.”
St. Francis, ranked fourth in the latest CIF Southern Section Western Division poll, is yielding 6.8 points per game. The Golden Knights (5-0) will begin Mission League play at 7:30 p.m. Friday against visiting Harvard-Westlake.
Four Mission League teams are ranked in the division, including St. Paul at No. 1, followed by Chaminade (No. 2) and Gardena Serra (No. 5).
GOSSARD RETURNS TO THE CLUB
Crescenta Valley defensive coordinator Dennis Gossard spoke in place of Coach Paul Schilling at Tuesday’s meeting. Schilling, along with Glendale Coach Alan Eberhart, didn’t attend the meeting because of another function. That left Gossard to speak for the first time in 33 years.
Gossard was in a good mood describing Crescenta Valley’s 27-20 Pacific League victory against rival Muir on Friday at Glendale High’s Moyse Field.
“It was a great victory,” Gossard said. “Any time you beat Muir, it’s a great victory.
“We led at halftime and Muir then began the second half with its possession leading to a first-and-goal situation on the one-yard line. We had a great goalline stand and we wound up blocking their field goal. Then we went about 90 yards and scored a touchdown. That turned out to be the turning point.”
The Falcons (4-1) are ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Southeast Division and will meet host Pasadena in another league game at 7 p.m. Friday.
“I look at Pasadena and they are the opposite of Muir,” Gossard said. “With Muir, it’s more about defense.
“Pasadena might have the best quarterback in the league [in Brandon Cox]. They have a number of guys who can catch the ball, so we are going to have our hands full.”
BYE WEEK COMES AT THE RIGHT TIME
Glendale Community College is on a bye after opening 0-6, 0-2 in the Pacific Conference’s American Division. The extra week off will allow the Vaqueros to get a bit healthier despite not knowing when or if starting quarterback Kevin Hunter will return from a lacerated kidney he suffered Sept. 23.
Glendale was handed a 28-20 division loss against L.A. Pierce on Saturday at Sartoris Field. The Vaqueros attempted two passes, both by reserve quarterback Darren Orsbern before he sustained an injury in the first half.
“We ran the ball 60 times and that’s more than normal,” Glendale college Coach John Rome said. “The bye week will be very beneficial and we do need it.
“I know that we are getting better every day. I know it doesn’t reflect on the scoreboard, but our scores have been getting closer.”
