By JESSE HALEY Special to the Daily Press
Allan Hancock College, a notoriously strong junior college football program, steamrolled the Santa Monica College Corsairs 45-0 in Saturday night’s heavily penalized home game.
Two plays into the first Corsair possession, the Bulldogs recovered a fumbled snap for a touchdown to get out to an early lead, 7-0.
A sack and interception later, and a 32-yard Bulldog field goal made it 10-0. Then a fumbled kick off deep in Corsair territory gave the Bulldogs the ball on the Corsair 1-yard line, which resulted in Hancock’s first of three offensive touchdowns.
SMC’s offense did their best to stay in the game, but penalties for holding, illegal procedure, an illegal block and illegal contact to the helmet cost SMC crucial yards.
Third string quarterback Mike Haley, who threw for 3 touchdowns in 9 minutes against El Camino two week prior, went 5 of 17 for 92 yards and 2 interceptions before leaving the game at half time with a strained calf muscle.
In the absence of leading rusher James Jackson, who is out with a strained MCL, SMC struggled to establish a running game against Hancock’s defense, gaining only 26 net yards on the ground.
The bulldogs also scored on a safety and a 19-yard field goal in the first half to go up 28-0.
SMC lost more yards on penalties, 140, than they gained in total offense, 57. They gave up 2 interceptions, 3 fumbles, 7 sacks and 2 safeties.
“I don’t know what happened,” a quiet coach Taylor said after the game. “But I’m going to find out.”
The Corsairs are scoreless in their last two games.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 7, 2002. Read the original PDF.