Allan Hancock College’s football team won the right to host this year’s American Division Championship bowl game. However, it was Southwestern College that stole the spotlight with a 35-14 victory in a game played Nov. 18 at Santa Maria High School.
Southwestern, the American Mountain Conference regular season champion, finished the season with an overall 9-2 record.
Allan Hancock, the American Pacific Conference regular season champion, finished 8-3.
The Jaguars built a 14-0 halftime lead and never looked back in winning the program’s fourth bowl game in the last five years and third American Division championship in that same span.
SWC, which has posted a 51-14 record since 2012, finished this season on a seven-game winning streak.
“A six-hour bus ride couldn’t stop the Jags,” proudly proclaimed SWC head coach Ed Carberry, who earned his 72nd victory with the Jaguars to tie former coach Bob Mears for most wins in school history.
Carberry noted his team’s defense played huge again, forcing the Bulldogs “to fight for a first down in the second quarter of the game.”
The offense also played huge.
Southwestern grabbed the lead on a four-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Strayhorn 2:19 into the second quarter. Alexander Nixon’s extra-point conversion was good to stake the visitors to a 7-0 lead.
The Jaguars doubled their lead with 2:14 left in the second quarter as quarterback Demonte Morris scored on a four-yard run. Nixon converted on the extra-point kick as the scoreboard rolled over to read 14-0.
Southwestern’s first scoring drive totaled 15 plays and 80 yards and took nearly six minutes off the clock. The Jags’ second TD drive included seven plays and measured 49 yards.
Allan Hancock halved the SWC lead to 14-7 with 6:45 to play in the third quarter as Isaac Bausley scored on a 37-yard run. The Bulldogs drove 80 yards in eight plays to reach the end zone.
But the visitors put the game out of reach with two more touchdowns in the third quarter to jump in front 28-7.
Morris scored on a 20-yard run with 1:55 left in the quarter to make the score 21-7; Ricky Barfield scored on a 25-yard punt return with one second left in the quarter to increase the lead to 28-7.
“The blocked punt for a TD took all the gas out of Allan Hancock,” Carberry said.
A key play in the drive that put the Jags ahead 21-7 came on a third-and-long conversion from Morris to Nick Sexton (Christian High School).
The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Allan Hancock made the score 28-14 with 6:41 left in the game as Dominic Chance scored on a five-yard pass from Jimmy Kelleher.
Southwestern closed out scoring in the game on a 29-yard by Strayhorn with 3:57 left on the clock. The scoring drive encompassed four plays and measured 48 yards.
Strayhorn finished the game with 129 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns to earn offensive player of the game honors.
Morris, who earned MVP of the game honors, rushed 24 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns; he also passed 15 times, completing 10 for 98 yards.
Camron Lewis led Jaguar receivers with four catches for 62 yards while Sexton had three catches for 26 yards.
Adrian Petty had two kick-off returns for 60 yards, including one return that measured 48 yards.
Nixon finished the game with five extra-point conversions.
Dean Smith punted four times for a 36.3 average; Chris Gomez punted once for 44 yards.
Both teams racked up sizable yardage in the game. Southwestern totaled 353 yards (255 rushing, 89 passing) while Allan Hancock tallied 312 yards (189 rushing, 123 passing).
For Allan Hancock, Kelleher passed for 123 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions while Bausley rushed eight times for 63 yards and one TD.
Jordan Pollard punted six times for a 35.3 average.
Each team had two turnovers — Southwestern lost two fumbles while Allan Hancock suffered two interceptions.
Jalen Nelson and Barfield both had picks for SWC. Nelson rumbled 68 yards on his return.
Cameron Hanson led the Jaguars with 10 tackles while Sergio Ayon recorded one sack.
Basiru Jobe led the Bulldogs with 14 tackles while Osa Omokaro had one sack.
Stat attack
•Morris finished the season with 1,055 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed 80 times for 434 yards and scored three touchdowns.
•Strayhorn finished the season with 153 carries for 920 yards with 14 touchdowns. He fumbled only once during the season.
•Chris Mack led the Jaguars with 48 pass receptions for 540 yards. He scored three touchdowns.
•Sexton ranked second on the team with 32 catches for 335 yards and three touchdowns.
•Lewis led the team with 581 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
•Ryan Stokes (479 yards on 27 catches) led the team with six touchdowns.
•Nixon finished the season with 48 kicking points; Smith had 47 punts for a 32.7 average.
•Petty scored five touchdowns on kick returns this year.
•Strayhorn led SWC with 935 all-purpose yards while Petty ranked second with 919 all-purpose yards.
•Strayhorn led the Jags in scoring with 78 points.
•Defensive leaders included Ayon with 66 tackles, Duran Miller (9.5 sacks) and Shaquez Bond (eight interceptions).
Southwestern College
Football Records
2012: 10-1 (bowl champions)
2013: 9-2 (bowl champions)
2014: 10-1 (bowl champions)
2015: 4-6 (Did not qualify)
2016: 9-2 (bowl runners-up)
2017: 9-2 (bowl champions)
