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After being down by eight with the extra point coming, the Lancers football team had a slim chance at an opportunity for an onside kick to get the ball back with 1:10 left on the clock.

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Homecoming King and Queen (Center) Jonathan Reed and Jaleisa Jacobs, with the runnerup’s Brandon MA and Vanessa Macias during halftime of the homecoming game against the Ventura Pirates at home in Robinson Field on Saturday Nov 9, 2013. The Lancers lost the game 37-27 and are now 1-8 for the season. (Courier/Benjamin Simpson)

The extra point never came.

The final nail in the coffin for PCC was when the Ventura College Pirates blocked the Lancers extra point kick and ran it back for a safety, crushing their hopes for a last minute comeback at the homecoming game.

The final score was 37-27, Pirates.

“It was a momentum killer,” defensive back Deshon Wade, who had seven tackles, said. “It was tough to be that close and let it slip away.”

PCC had just had a huge play of its own, blocking a Pirates punt and retrieving the football as it bounced into the end zone. Special teams player receiver Darion Lewis made the explosive play that cut the deficit to eight.

“We came out with a lot of intensity,” quarterback Darrian Cazarin said. “[Lewis] made a big play… I just wish we could have capitalized on that play.”

On a bright note, wide receiver Marcus Green had the biggest game of his Lancers’ football career, pulling in eight catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Green ended the game with a PCC season-high 209 all-purpose yards.

“Green is such a good player,” Cazarin said. “He made two great catches and was just amazing out there.”

The game was well within reach coming out of halftime, the score being tied at 21-21, but the Lancers let the Pirates score twice in the third quarter. Cazarin said that he felt that they shot themselves in the foot, failing to make adjustments.

“It’s becoming a bad habit of ours,” Wade said. “Letting opponents score like that in the second half isn’t something we can let happen.”

While Wade led the defense with his seven tackles, Dalyou Pierson was unable to get any sacks in Saturdays game and will have the odds against him in the final game of the season, needing four sacks to capture the school record for most sacks in a season.

A moment of silence was performed prior to the opening kickoff for Tom Williams, who has been PCC’s game clock timer for football games going back to 1998.

PCC quarterback Darrian Cazarin throws a forward pass during the homecoming game against the Ventura Pirates at home in Robinson Field on Saturday Nov 9, 2013.  The Lancers lost the game 37-27 and are now 1-8 for the season.  (Courier/Benjamin Simpson)
PCC quarterback Darrian Cazarin throws a forward pass during the homecoming game against the Ventura Pirates at home in Robinson Field on Saturday Nov 9, 2013. The Lancers lost the game 37-27 and are now 1-8 for the season. (Courier/Benjamin Simpson)

Williams died on Nov. 6 following a short illness. An extra 20 seconds was added and ticked off the scoreboard to honor Williams by the press box crew.

“Tom Williams was a true professional and one of the most reliable people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” Robert Lewis, head of PCC sports information, said. “He worked for us as the football game timer going back to when we were at Occidental College in 1997-98 and was in our press box for all but two of our games in the entire existence of Robinson Stadium. He was a friend and part of the best press box crew in California. He will be sorely missed.”

The last game of the season will be on Saturday at 4 pm. The Lancers will face Bakersfield College.

Philip McCormick
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