Mounties get their second win beating Golden West 33-14

Costa Mesa, CA – The Mounties were able to bounce back from last week’s sub-par performance to score a 33-14 win over the host Golden West College Rustlers Saturday night at LaBard Stadium.

“We are a young team,” Mounties head coach Rob Jastrab said. “We are getting better and continuing to improve.”

Mt. SAC (2-0) took a commanding 16-0 lead in the first quarter as they scored twice and caused the Rustlers to mishandle a punt snap out of the end zone for a safety. Both teams, however, were not able to score in the second quarter, highlighted by two Matt Faulkner interceptions inside the Rustlers 20-yard line on consecutive possessions. The Rustlers, however, were not able to capitalize as they too failed to score.

“Turnovers in the red zone kept them in the game,” Jastrab said. “We thought we dominated the first half, (but) we can never be comfortable with the lead we had.”

Golden West (0-2), whose average starting field position was its own 19-yard line couldn’t get past midfield until the second half, finally got on the board in the third quarter by executing a trick play.

Mt. SAC appeared to have stopped Golden West on its first drive of the second half after a Mike VanDeripe incompletion to force a punt, but Harold Williams took the direct snap from center and connected with Josh Smith with a 38-yard pass to the Mounties 18-yard line. Golden West would score 4 plays later when VanDeripe found Trent Burns on a 14-yard scoring toss.

Mt. SAC took the opening kick off and promptly drove down the field, culminating on a Burton Iosefa 1-yard run. Iosefa ran for 25 yards on 5 carries in the drive. He finished with 96 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown. Brother Lancer added 72 yards on 9 carries.

A scoring pass from Faulkner to Jessie Canada in the left corner of the end zone and Iosefa’s 6-yard touchdown run with less than 30 seconds to go in the fourth quarter give Mt. SAC more points on the scoreboard

Golden West will score one more time in the fourth quarter on Mike Manuel’s 1-yard run with 4 minutes left in the game, but the game’s outcome has since been determined.

“The most important thing is to improve and get better,” Jastrab said.

The Mounties improved to 2-0 and will travel to Victor Valley next Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m.

- Story by Henry Montemayor