Eagles Close Strong in 52-20 Win at Long Beach

The MSJC football team shook off a shaky start on Saturday night at Long Beach City to earn their first win of the season defeating the Vikings 52-20.

The Eagles struggled out of the gates as they turned the ball over on their opening possession of the game deep in their own territory. Long Beach took advantage with a fifteen-yard scoring drive and with less than two minutes gone in the game the Eagles trailed 7-0. MSJC would respond when the defense scored the first points of the night, Ifeanyi Onye recovered a fumble in the end zone after sacking the Vikings quarterback to cut the lead to 7-6. The Eagles missed the extra point.

MSJC would take their first lead of the contest in the second quarter when quarterback Julian Silva found Jackson Weng on a nine-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles two-point conversion attempt failed. Long Beach answered with a sixty-four-yard scoring strike on the following possession to reclaim the lead at 13-12, their own two-point conversion attempt also failed. The Eagles special teams then took advantage of an errant snap by the Vikings on a punt attempt that gave MSJC the ball at LBCC one yard line. Williiam Ford seized the opportunity and scored from one yard out to give the Eagles an 18-13 lead. MSJC once again tried a two-point conversion but did not convert. MSJC did build some momentum headed to halftime when Sebastian Stapleton connected on a forty-six-yard field goal to make the score 21-13 at the break.

The first points of the second half also came on a Stapleton field goal, this time from thirty-five yards out to extend the lead to 24-13. LBCC would score their only points of the second half on the ensuing drive when they connected on another long TD pass from forty-nine yards out to cut the lead to 24-20. The Eagles took over the game from that point on as they would score the final twenty-eight points of the contest.

Roman Lonzo scored on a sixty-yard pass from Silva to give MSJC some breathing room with just a minute and a half left in the third quarter. George Aguilar then picked off a Viking pass on the next possession, setting the Eagles up for another score. This time Cole Vasquez hit Keon Gantt from nine yards out and MSJC had control of the game leading 38-20 heading into the final period. The Eagles tacked on two more touchdowns as Dante Sams caught a thirty-three-yard pass from Silva and Vasquez ran one in from fourteen yards out.

The MSJC defense had the Vikings on the run all day as the team recorded eight sacks and eighteen tackles for loss in the victory. Eddie Smith led the way with eight tackles, a sack, and three tackles for loss. Onye finished with two sacks on the day to go along with his touchdown. Giovanny Monge was credited with a sack and a half while both Christian Wilson and Alijah Sio-Levao added one. Aguilar and Dojonni Bryant had an interception for MSJC.

The Eagles now 1-1 on the season will be back at home at HCN Bank Stadium on Saturday when they host Orange Coast. Kick-off is scheduled for 6 pm in Menifee.