Offense Takes Off in Second Half as Pack Dominates OCC

by Cerwin D Haynes

East LA College Football looked to get off to a good start on the back-9 of their schedule after last week's bye. Visiting Orange Coast College today, and facing a Pirates' defense that gives up and average of over 566 yards a game, gave the Huskies a great opportunity for such a start. 

It took them a little while to get going offensively, but the Pack (2-4, 1-2) ultimately got on trek to come away from Costa Mesa with a definitive 34-7 win over OCC (0-6, 0-3).

Sophomore RB CJ Bozeman had 19 rushes for 182 yards and a TD - his spectacular 85-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the lone score of the first half as both teams slogged through a variety of miscues and penalties. Thankfully for the road Green, they got their offensive execution cleaned up in the second half to finally take advantage of the pourous defense they were facing. They began the third quarter with an 11-play, 80 yard drive culimating in a one-yard touchdown run by freshman RB James Thomas III. ELAC's defense forced Orange Coast to go three-and-out on the next possession, and the Huskies next offensive series saw them drive from their own 38 to OCC's 10 yard line. But sophomore PK Zakrea Abraham's 33-yard FG try was left of the uprights, but thankfully that disappointment was short-lived.

Orange Coast took over on offense after the missed kick but would ultimately short-circuit themselves thanks to a couple of holding calls. Sophomore WR Victor Martinez fair-caught OCC's punt at the ELAC 19, and the Huskies' offense was ready to charge down the field... kind of.

Similar to the host Pirates, East LA comitted several offensive penalties that appeared to stall their own progress, as the Pack faced a 2nd-and-twenty five from their own 33. But then ELAC truly pulled one of the proverbial hat: Freshman QB Logan Ebnet completed a short pass to freshman WR Jaden Thomas. Thomas juked to elude a couple of defenders, and found a crease going towards the Huskies' sideline. He took off downfield, and 78 yards later ELAC broke the game open on their third touchdown of the game.

ELAC added two more touchdowns in the fourth: a 38-yard TD run by freshman TE Pharo Naea, and a 62-yard pass from Ebnet to freshman WR Cameron Jones that found paydirt. The Huskies had a shot at a shutout, but Orange Coast scored a touchdown late to spoil it.

HUSKY BITS

• ELAC amassed 593 yards of offense, 389 of which came in the second half.
• Big plays helped stacked the Huskies' yardage on the ground (265 yards) and though the air (328 yards).
• Freshman QB Logan Ebnet had 252 of his 328 passing yards in the second half, going 19-28 with 2 TDs.
• Thomas finished with five catches for 121 yards along with his TD reception.

UP NEXT:

With the bye week sandwiched between two road games, ELAC hadn't played a game at Weingart since September 20. They'll finally suit up at home next Saturday October 17th as they host College of the Canyons at 6pm.