Glendale Community College football hands out top honors
GLENDALE — The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club, in its 71st year, meets Tuesdays at the Elk’s Lodge. The following are odds and ends from the 10th meeting of the year.
VAQUEROS HONOR TWO STANDOUTS
Glendale Community College assured itself its first winning season since 2007 when it posted a 24-17 victory against host Santa Barbara on Saturday in a Pacific Conference American Division contest.
Two players who have stood out regularly for the Vaqueros throughout the season and helped lead the team’s resurgence are sophomore linebacker Noche Nwofer and sophomore wide receiver/safety D’Angelo Blake, both of whom were honored during Tuesday’s meeting.
The Vaqueros’ most valuable player, as voted on by the team’s coaching staff, was awarded to Nwofer.
The recipient for academic performance went to Blake, who sports a 3.0 grade-point average.
“It’s rewarding to see two guys like this who are doing so well,” Rome said. “They’ve meant a lot to the teams with their leadership.”
Glendale (6-3, 4-2 in the division) will meet host L.A. Pierce (7-2, 5-1) in a regular season division finale at 7 p.m. Saturday with the winner advancing to a bowl game. Santa Monica College (7-2, 6-0) is in first place, but is ineligible for bowl consideration this season.
The Vaqueros last won a conference championship in 2005, when they split the Western State Conference Pacific Division crown with Citrus College. Glendale last appeared in a bowl game in 2006, when it recorded a 23-14 win against visiting Santa Ana in the Western State Bowl.
ON THE ROAD TO CULVER CITY
Following the last two weeks of the regular season, the St. Francis High football team went from being undefeated to losing a pair of Mission League road contests against powerhouses Gardena Serra and Chaminade. Still, the Golden Knights had already locked up a playoff berth following the eighth week.
While St. Francis lost some traction down the stretch, it will look to regain its grip when it meets host Culver City at 7 p.m. Friday in a CIF Southern section Western Division first-round contest.
St. Francis suffered a 56-35 defeat against Chaminade on Friday.
St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds said the Golden Knights will look to get back on track.
“We are excited about going to Culver City,” said Bonds, whose team is 8-2. “They come out of the Ocean League and they were 1-4 going into league before winning five in a row to win league.
“They have a lot of momentum and confidence now. We’ve got our work cut out, but we think we can go in there and give them a fight and try to get a home game in the second round.”
VETERAN COLUMNIST VISITS CLUB
As a columnist with the Los Angeles Times since 1996, Bill Plaschke has covered his share of high-profile games and athletes from coast to coast. Plaschke, a native of Kentucky who previously worked in the Fort Lauderdale, Fla, and Seattle markets before moving to Southern California, was the guest speaker at Tuesday’s meeting.
Plaschke, who is also a personality on ESPN’s “Around the Horn,” addressed the audience mostly about pro and college football.
“Football has passed baseball by far,” Plaschke said. “You look at the [television] ratings and numbers and it’s what people want to view.
“Pro football is the most popular sport now and college football is there at No. 2. There’s problems right now in the sport with concussions and steroids, but there’s something about a team coming together and being able to lift everybody up.”
Plaschke covered the UCLA-Arizona football game Saturday in Tucson, Ariz. UCLA earned a 31-26 Pac-12 victory.
“[UCLA Coach] Jim Mora has done a great job turning around the program,” Plaschke said. “It’s great to see the Rose Bowl filled for the games.
“If UCLA can win its final three games against Washington, Arizona State and USC, then it will win the Pac-12 South Division for the second time in two seasons and go to the Pac-12 championship game against most likely Stanford. Can they beat Stanford? Absolutely.”
Plaschke also briefly addressed the latest saga in the NFL involving Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito, who is currently suspended by Miami for allegedly harassing teammate Jonathan Martin.
“It’s a story that won’t die,” Plaschke said. “Everybody works in a place where there’s a bully. Whether you are a car salesman, journalist or an accountant. At the end of the day, bullies don’t win.”
