Southwestern College head football coach Ed Carberry wore a very pleased expression on his face following Saturday’s 35-6 non-conference victory against the visiting Grossmont Griffins in the season opener for both teams.
The Griffins have long gotten the better of the Jaguars over the years but Saturday’s blow-out win continued a recent trend of dominance by Southwestern.
“Grossmont has been the measuring stick in the county for outstanding football, (but) based on the last two meetings, there’s a new measuring stick,” the SWC coach proudly said. “Our coaching staff and the players have worked their tails off to be the best.”
The Jags dominated the game from beginning to end, with the Griffins only able to score their lone touchdown in the final two minutes of the game.
SWC led 21-0 at halftime.
Jags starter Israel “Tofi” Paopao (Oceanside) completed 19 of 39 passing attempts for 187 yards with two touchdowns while teammate Luis Perez completed 11 of 13 attempts for 64 yards and one TD.
Kevin Mills (Valhalla) caught six passes for 34 yards and scored two touchdowns while Diego Rodriguez (Montgomery) rushed eight times for 57 yards and scored once.
Sergio Bailey (Olympian) had five pass grabs for 74 yards, including a nine-yard scoring pass from Perez in the second quarter.
Southwestern’s defense also got in the act with a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
The Jags totaled 330 offensive yards — 251 passing and 79 net rushing yards.
The hosts were buoyed by one of the largest home crowds in years to see the debut of the team in newly refurbished Chet DeVore Stadium; the team obviously soaked up the emotion and played at a high intensity level.
Southwestern’s defense registered eight sacks and 13 tackles for losses in the game. Divanuel Flores and Rocky Fuga (Helix) led the Jags with six tackles apiece while each recording a sack and tackle for a loss. Flores and teammate Dorsey Norris each made an interception while Gustavo Ramirez and Michael King were credited with fumble recoveries.
Mike Molina (Chula Vista) recorded a team-high two sacks and had 3.5 tackles for losses. Dominic Morgan was credited with three pass break-ups for the victors.
Ray Clapper (Chula Vista), King, Ramirez and Messai Small (Monte Vista) also had sacks in the game.
Michael Carrillo, who led Christian High School to last year’s Division III section title, competed 23 of 54 passing attempts for 302 yards to pace Grossmont’s offense. Christian Brooks led all receivers on the field with seven catches for 106 yards.
Jeffrey Stephens scored the Griffins’ TD on a one-yard run.
The Jaguars’ offensive scheme proved relentless in its execution. “Our plan was to lead with our tempo,” Mills said. “We got a lot of big plays out of our offense.”
“The quarterback and I have been practicing that,” Bailey said in reference to his TD grab. “It felt amazing.”
The SWC defense, collectively, may have been the star of the game.
“For the first game, I thought we came out here flying around, very physical,” sophomore linebacker Blake Wilson said. “We obviously have some things to improve on, but I thought for an opening game, we played very well.”
Clapper tipped his helmet to the festive crowd after the game.
“To win a game in front of this atmosphere was great,” he said.
Southwestern College
2014 Football Schedule
September
6: Southwestern 35, Grossmont 6
13: Santa Monica at Southwestern, 6 p.m.
20: Southwestern at L.A. Pierce, 7 p.m.
27: Victor Valley at Southwestern, 6 p.m.
October
4: Southwestern at San Diego Mesa, 6 p.m.
11: Bye
18: East L.A. at Southwestern, 6 p.m.
25: Southwestern at Mt. San Jacinto, 1 p.m.
November
1: Southwestern at College of the Desert, 6 p.m.
8: San Bernardino Valley at Southwestern, 6 p.m.
15: Southwestern at Compton, 6 p.m.
22: Bowl game, TBA
