By Joe Snyder
Last year, El Camino College’s men’s soccer team captured the California Community College championship with a win over Grossmont.
This season, the Warriors are 5-0-2 after downing Glendale College 4-1 on Sept. 17 at ECC, then battled host Chaffey College to a 2-2 tie last Friday in Rancho Cucamonga.
Against Glendale, ECC was ahead 1-0 on a goal from Jacob Martinez in the 22nd minute before pulling away for three second half goals.
Scoring in the second half for El Camino included returning all-American forward Marvin Gamez, Adda Riia and Fred Valai on a last second penalty kick.
Kevin Gamen scored the only goal for the Vaqueros.
Gamez was California state Player of the Year for the Warriors last season.
“He’s a special player,” ECC head coach Mike Jacobson said of Gamez. “He could play at any college in the country.”
Despite the unbeaten record, Jacobson said that El Camino needs some work on defense.
“We’re looking to get better,” Jacobson said. “In every match, we gave up, at least, one goal. We need to improve defensively.”
Although Gamez is back, the Warriors lost three other 2023 all-Americans in goalkeeper Donovan Palomares, center Nick Bulleiza and right forward Bogart Roca.
ECC does return all-South Coast Conference players Riia, Francisco de Luna and Diego Garcia.
El Camino was able to rally for a tie against Chaffey.
The Warriors visit San Bernardino Valley College on Friday at 6 p.m. and Antelope Valley College in Lancaster next Tuesday at 5 p.m.
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Serra offense sputters in loss to Oaks Christian
Serra High’s football team could not get its offense going as it lost to host Oaks Christian High 13-6 last Thursday in Westlake Village.
The Cavaliers played without four starting offensive linemen which could have been a cause.
The Warriors surged out to a 10-0 halftime lead behind a 27-yard field goal by Noah LaBerge and a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown from Davon Benjamin with 7:09 left in the second quarter.
Serra tried to rally behind the strong passing of quarterback Jimmy Butler and scored its only touchdown early in the fourth period on a two-yard run by Cameron Harris-Wilcot and the point-after-touchdown attempt by Nathan Altenberg, junior son of head Cavalier coach Scott Altenberg, failed as Serra trailed 10-6.
Oaks Christian finished the scoring on LeBerge’s 28-yard field goal.
Butler also had a rough outing. He passed for 153 yards but was sacked eight times and intercepted once.
Serra closes non-league at Los Alamitos High Friday at 7 p.m. It will be a matchup between two teams that met in the CIF-Southern Section Division II quarterfinals last season that was won by the host Cavaliers 38-28. Serra begins the Mission League at Loyola High in Los Angeles on Oct. 4.
In other games involving local teams, Narbonne recorded a key 35-31 win over host L.A. Cathedral; Torrance downed host El Segundo 38-19; host West Torrance rolled over Cerritos 41-21 and South Torrance defeated Hawthorne 34-24.
Gardena had a bye week and resume non-league at home against Dominguez High from Compton Friday at 4 p.m.
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Riverside pounds ECC football
El Camino College’s football team lost its second consecutive home game to an always powerful Riverside City College team 70-45 in a non-conference game last Saturday at Murdock Stadium.
The Warriors stayed close to the Tigers through the first half and early third quarter before Riverside, behind quarterback Brady Jones, reeled off 28 unanswered points to turn the contest into a rout. ECC trailed 21-17 at halftime and 28-24 about two minutes into the third period before the Tigers took a 56-24 bulge after their 35-7 quarter.
Jones completed 30 of 42 passes for 535 yards and five touchdowns. Riverside amassed 761 total offensive yards to 472 for El Camino.
Warrior starting quarterback Hunter Herrera completed 16 of 25 passes for 264 yards and three TD’s. Tyler Karen was 15-for-25 with 165 yards and one touchdown.
Takin Raye-Brown, Jr. led ECC’s receivers with nine catches for 89 yards and one score. Zamir Hall had one rushing touchdown of eight yards.
Despite giving up 10 TD’s, El Camino’s defense had eight tackles apiece by Ky’yin Arrington and Kaleb McCutheon.
The Warriors (1-2) hope for better things as they visit Moorpark College Saturday at 6 p.m.
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North shuts out Carson in SB rivalry
North Torrance High’s football team improved to 2-1 by blanking a very tough Carson team 20-0 in non-league play last Friday at North.
The game was a very good defensive battle but the Saxons finally let loose in just the final 26 seconds of the first half for a quick 13-0 halftime lead. It began when the sophomore brother passing combination of quarterback Boogie Anetema and Kingston connected for a 19-yard touchdown pass. Kicker Sergio Bernal made the point-after-touchdown for a 7-0 lead. On the kickoff, North recovered a Colt fumble putting the ball on the Carson 34-yard line. It was from there that Boogie Anetema connected with Felix Aguilar for the two-possession lead.
The Anetema brothers, Boogie to Kingston, finished off with their second scoring pass from six yards for the final score.
Will Pineda also had some good running on offense and had a key interception on defense to preserve North’s shutout win.
The Saxons, who are ranked sixth in the South Bay by the Daily Breeze, have a bye before opening the Pioneer League against Santa Monica High at Santa Monica City College on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
