The long season is coming to a close for the Southwestern College football team, which will host Santa Monica College Saturday, Nov. 22, at 6 p.m. in the American Division Championship Bowl.
Southwestern is 9-1; Santa Monica is 7-3. This is the third consecutive bowl game for the Jaguars — a school record.
According to SWC head coach Ed Carberry, 37 teams play community college football in Southern California, yet only four teams, including the Jaguars, won nine or more games this year.
The American Division is comprised of two conferences: the American Mountain and American Pacific. The top teams from both conferences play for the division championship. Santa Monica is this year’s American Pacific champion after finishing 7-0 in conference play; Southwestern finished runner-up to Victor Valley in the American Mountain but the Rams (7-0 in conference, 10-0 overall) were ruled ineligible for bowl game competition following a game-ending brawl with San Diego Mesa College last weekend.
The Jaguars finished 6-1 in conference play and carry a six-game winning streak into Saturday’s bowl game match-up against the Corsairs.
Southwestern wrapped up regular season play with a 50-28 win at El Camino-Compton last Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Luis Perez (Otay Ranch) threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns to, in Carberry’s words, “set the tempo for the offense.”
Freshman signal-caller Tofi Paopao (Oceanside) threw for 163 yards and also had two touchdowns in the game.
Sophomore Kevin Mills (Valhalla) had two touchdown catches while freshman Sergio Bailey (Olympian) and Tony Jackson (Monte Vista) each had one TD reception. Additionally, freshmen Malik Kimbrough (San Jacinto) and Shannon Nickson (Mount Miguel) each scored one rushing touchdown.
On defense, Ty Stevens (Eastlake) and Devon Flores (Olympian) each made interceptions. Flores also had a scoop and run with a fumble for 35 yards while freshman Xavier Tuitele (Helix) had a sack. Sophomore defensive end Mike Molina (Chula Vista) blocked a kick for the second week in a row.
Roger Jones leads Santa Monica with 684 rushing yards and seven touchdowns while quarterbacks Christian Smith (1,211 yards, 13 TDs) and Jake Dashnaw (1,051 yards, 10 TDs) have proven they can throw the ball.
