ALTHOUGH NOT AT ITS BEST, MARAUDER FOOTBALL ESCAPES WITH VICTORY
Photo by Bruce Jacobsen
LANCASTER - It wasn't pretty, but I'm sure the Marauder football team will take it.
In a see-saw battle against East L.A. College, it was a late touchdown run by AVC quarterback Blake Shepherd and a late interception by Tony Dudley, Jr. and the Marauders breathed a sigh of relief escaping with a 29-25 victory, Saturday night at Marauder Stadium.
It certainly wasn't the way AVC head coach Perry Jehlicka drew it up, but I'm sure he'll take it.
AVC's defense forced the Huskies (1-2) to commit four turnovers, none bigger than Dudley, Jr's interception late in the game with the Marauders clinging to a four-point lead.
It was a lackluster performance by Shepherd through the air the entire game as he only finished the game 12-of-29 for 117 yards and a touchdown. Shepherd did rush for 134 yards on only nine carries and his late 18-yard touchdown run with 3:25 remaining in the fourth quarter helped propel the Marauders (2-1) to the victory.
Although only completing less than 50 percent of his passes this season, Shepherd is still on pace to break the all-time career passing yardage record.
Following a turnover by ELAC on the opening kickoff, the Marauders took advantage as Shepherd threw a strike to Cahlil Canada from four yards out and AVC led 6-0. After the Huskies took their first lead of the game following a fumble recovery for a score, AVC's Blake Verrett returned the kickoff 96 yards to tie the score, 13-13.
With the score tied, 16-16, ELAC's Shaquille Shelton scored a touchdown from 22 yards out, but failed extra point conversion gave the Huskies a 22-16 lead.
Later in the quarter a huge 34-yard run by AVC running back Tre Coleman down to the one yard line set up a touchdown run by Coleman on the next play giving the Marauders a 23-22 lead.
Following Shepherd's touchdown run, ELAC had one final opportunity to score and got into AVC territory, but an errant throw by Jonathan Santos wound up in the arms of Dudley, Jr. to seal ELAC's fate.