MARAUDER FOOTBALL MATCHED UP AGAINST ITS TWIN IN HIGH DESERT BOWL

Photo by Bill Sobalvarro

LANCASTER - Mirror images? For sure.

It would be safe to safe that the matchup between Antelope Valley College and Victor Valley College will be a highly contested game in the High Desert Bowl hosted by the Marauders at 4pm on Saturday at Marauder Stadium.

The similarities are eery and cannot be overlooked. Let's start.

Both the Marauders and the Rams are 6-4 on the season. Both teams finished 3-2 in their respective conferences. Victor Valley is ranked No. 6 in Southern California-American Division polls, while AVC is No. 7. Want more?

Both teams have five common opponents, LA Valley College, Citrus College, San Diego Mesa College, Mt San Jacinto College and College of the Desert. The Rams defeated Citrus by 19 points, Mesa by seven and Mt. San Jacinto by 18. Ok so what. Well the Marauders defeated the same three teams by eight, seven and 14 points respectively.

On the flipside Victor Valley lost to LA Valley by 31 points and COD by seven, while AVC lost to LA Valley by 25 and COD by six. Against Deset, both teams lost in the last offensive play by the Roadrunners - AVC with 12 seconds left and Victor Valley in overtime.  Hmm.

Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

Both teams are 4-1 at home and 2-3 away from their comfort zone, which bodes well for the Marauders since they host the game. The Rams are averaging 342 yards of offense a game (200 passing/142 rushing) and 29 points per game.

AVC is averaging slightly more yards per game at 391 (247 pass/144 rush) and are scoring an average of 31 points per game. Ironically the Marauders are allowing slightly more yards than Victor Valley gains per game (348 to 342) and the Rams are giving up slightly less yards per game than AVC is averaging (383 to 391). Victor Valley is giving up an average of 32 points per game while AVC is allowing 28 points per game.

You do the math. The numbers don't lie.

"We watched them on video and broke them down and you see a lot of similarities on film. On paper it could be an evenly matched game," AVC head coach Perry Jehlicka said. "Because you weren't expecting it (a bowl game) it gives it a more special meaning. We were waiting to get the call and we did and the kids were really excited. It's a reward for a very successful season. For the freshmen it's a new start to their sophomore season. I think we'll play well and so will Victor Valley."

Quarterback Blake Shepherd will have one last opportunity to shine wearing the No. 1 jersey for the Marauders. Think about this, which could be a longshot but is not out of the realm of possibility. Shepherd has passed for 5,446 yards in his career and 47 touchdown passes. He needs his biggest game of his career (554 yards and three touchdowns) to hit the 6,000-yard mark and 50 touchdowns for a career.

It's certainly not out of the question. Last week in a blowout victory against LA Pierce College, Shepherd tossed five touchdown passes. Ealier this season he threw for 475 yards against Citrus. No other quarterback in school history has even reached the 4,000-yard plateau.

The last time AVC was in a bowl game was in 2008 in the Western State Bowl in which the Marauders lost 41-17 to College of the Canyons. AVC is 0-2 under Jehlicka in bowl games and has been outscored 90-32 in these games.

Still the Marauders hold a 17-7 record against Victor Valley in the all-time series. The last meeting between the two teams was in 2014 in which Victor Valley earned a 19-7 victory.

Prediction: a very competitive game.