SHEPHERD ACCOUNTS FOR FIVE TOUCHDOWNS IN MARAUDER FOOTBALL VICTORY OVER SANTA BARBARA

Photo by Bill Sobalvarro

LANCASTER - Wow!

Maybe that's what Marauder fans were thinking following a tenacious comeback by the AVC football team. Or maybe that's what the handful of fans were thinking in the opposite bleachers after they saw their team blow a two-touchdown lead.

Whatever the case, it was the partisan crowd of onlookers at Marauder Stadium that left with a smile on their face.

The Marauders scored 27 unanswered points in the second half and the defense held No. 24 Santa Barbara City College without a point the final two quarters en route to a convincing 41-28 victory, Saturday night.

It was AVC's (5-2, 2-0) third consecutive victory as they remained undefeated at home this season. With the four home victories this season and three consecutive at home last season, the Marauders have one of the longest home winning streaks in school history.  

It was the first time since 2007 a Marauder team beat a team ranked on the state polls, and in doing so kept the Vaqueros from scoring 40 or more points for the first time this season.

"The second half we played as good of football as we've played in a long time. I thought we dominated them in the second half," AVC head coach Perry Jehlicka said. "Our physicality wore them down in the second half. When you pitch a shutout in the second half, it gives you a chance to win."

Quarterback Blake Shepherd rushed for three touchdowns and passed for two more. He was 14-of-30 for 252 yards, while he rushed for 106 yards on 15 carries. Last week against Citrus, Shepherd passed for 475 yards and tossed four touchdowns.

One of Shepherd's touchdown passes was a 74-yarder to Blake Verrett in the second quarter which tied the score, 14-14. In two weeks, he has thrown for three touchdowns of 70 yards or more. He threw two last week to Donte Ross against the Owls.

"There wasn't a look of concern at halftime," Jehlicka said. "I thought going in we were the better football team, but they were 5-1 coming in for a reason."

Already leading 7-0, early in the second quarter the Marauders got inside the Vaqueros (5-2, 1-1) red zone, however, Shepherd was intercepted on the 11-yard line which was returned for an 89-yard touchdown return. On the ensuing kickoff, AVC fumbled the ball which was returned for a score and Santa Barbara quickly led 14-7. The Vaqueros led 28-14 at halftime.

The Marauders scored 14 points in the third quarter to tie the score on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Shepherd to Ross and a Shepherd 1-yard touchdown surge.

One of the reasons for the Marauders' resurgance in the second half included going a perfect six for six in fourth down conversions, while the Vaqueros tried four times and could not get the first down on fourth.

Two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter sealed the victory for AVC.