Offense Breaks Out as Huskies Get by Dons for First Win

(written via AI... mostly)

(thumbnail courtesy of livflicz)

East Los Angeles College got their first win of the season Saturday at Santa Ana College in a thrilling contest, getting past the Dons with a final score of 35-30. The game, which showcased a dynamic passing attack and strong individual performances, was highlighted by standout efforts from freshman quarterback Logan Ebnet and freshman running back Bernardo Blanco.

Offensive Surge:

Logan Ebnet led the charge for East LA, throwing for 357 yards on 22 completions out of 33 attempts. He connected with freshman wide receiver Da'mari Taylor for two explosive touchdowns, including a 57-yard catch-and-run that was one of the longest plays of the night. Ebnet was responsible for four touchdown passes in total, showing impressive poise under pressure. Taylor, who was a big-play machine, ended the night with 133 yards on five catches, proving to be a constant deep threat.

Rushing was a bit more of a struggle for East LA, with Blanco providing the lone highlight in that department. Blanco rushed for 88 yards on just 7 carries, including a 63-yard run late in the fourth quarter that set up ELAC's final touchdown of the evening. While the rushing game wasn't dominant, the big plays in the air and on the ground kept the Santa Ana defense on its heels.

Defensive Standouts:

On defense, Nazir Abram was a force for East LA, leading the team with 9 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. The defense employed a bend-but-don't-break strategy for the first half, holding Santa Ana to just three field goals, but struggled to slow down the Dons in the second half. Yet, the defensive line's pressure on Santa Ana quarterback Justin Gil was a key factor in the victory: he only completed 19 or 39 passes and sophomore DE David Chukwuemeka (five total tackles incling two TFLs) got to him for a sack, while Travion Baker had a big interception in the third quarter for a touchback that stopped the Dons from retaking the lead.

The ELAC defense was resilient throughout the game, though Santa Ana's offense kept the game close, primarily through the arm of Gil and the hands of his wide receivers. Damian Gomez was Santa Ana's standout receiver, hauling in 157 yards and one touchdown. The Santa Ana offense was balanced, with a mix of short passes and solid rushing from Brandon Giron, who rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown.

HUSKY BITS

• Ebnet had a rough first quarter, misfiring on four of his first five passes which included an interception. This prompted some pointed words from ELAC head coach Bobby Godinez towards his QB early on. But since midway through the first quarter, he completed 21 of his next 29 passes which included those four touchdown throws.
• Back to back 100 yard-plus receiving games for Da'mari Taylor.
• Sophomore WR Jonathan Alexander had 58 of his 68 receiving yards on a huge catch and run in the second quarter that helped set up ELAC's first touchdown.
• DL Larry Thomas had eight total tackles. LB Roberto Ceballos - who's developing a Zack Camarena-like knack for bottling up opposing running backs - had seven total tackles.

UP NEXT:

The Pack return home to Weingart Stadium next Saturday to host the always-formidable Hornets of Fullerton College. Kickoff is at 6pm.