High-Scoring Affair Sees Huskies Hold Off Grossmont 45-38

by Cerwin D Haynes

An offensive explosion on Saturday saw both team combine for 73 points in the first half. However, East LA College was able to grab the lead before half and ultimately hold on for a 45-38 season opening road win over the Grossmont College Griffins.

The Huskies may have found an all-purpose superstar in DB DeGabriel Floyd: lining up on both sides of the ball as well as fielding punts, Floyd was electric - scoring four touchdowns on just five touches (three rushes, two punt returns). He also had five tackles (three solo) on defense and added two pass breakups.

With the score tied at 28 in the second-quarter, East had the ball on their own 39 on a 3-and-1. QB Trilian Harris handed the ball to Floyd on the left. Floyd bounced wide, found daylight, and took off untouched for a 61-yard touchdown run with 5:05 left in the half. With the extra point made, ELAC would ultimately take a 35-28 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, both teams slowed down a bit with a series of punts and a missed Huskies FG attempt. But The Pack would eventually put together a 60-yard scoring march capped by Floyd punching in a two-yard TD rush at the 2:41 mark.

In the fourth, the Griffins scored 10 straight points to close within four, 42-38, with 7:25 remaining. But the Huskies responded with a 36-yard FG by K Ethan Rodriguez to push their lead back out to seven, 45-38. with 2:11 left.

Grossmont had been taking advantage of ELAC losing their two starting DBs, connecting on deep throws to power their offense on the day. With the Griffins starting their potential game-tying drive from their 28-yard line, ELAC had to make sure to not let anymore receivers get behind them. A 10 and then 15-yard complete crossed Grossmont into Huskies' territory at the 47, but they would get no further. On second-and-10, with 53 seconds left, QB Trenton Giles launced a pass almost 20 yards downfield that was intercepted by DB DJ Shanks at the ELAC 30 and returned 27 yards to the Grossmont 43. A couple of East kneeldowns put the win in the books.

HUSKY BITS

• East LA put up 403 yards of offense with a balanced attack: 242 in the air, 161 on the ground.
• ELAC's ground gain averaged 5.2 yards per rush. Floyd scored TDs on all three of his rushing attempts, including his 61-yard romp, for a total of 66 yards.
  • Floyd also found the endzone on a highlight-reel worthy 57-yard punt return, in which he hurdled an oncoming defender on the far sideline before cutting inside to finish racing downfield.
• Floyd's return was only one of two special teams' touchdowns on the afternoon. In the first quarter, WR Maurice Newton returned a kickoff 95-yards to tie the game at 14 with the extra point.
• Starting QB Harris went 16-31 for 242 with a touchdown and an interception.
• DL Dre Towns had six total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3.5 TFLs and an interception. ELAC had six sacks on the day.
• Despite allowing 359 passing yards, the defense only gave up 18 pass completions on 53 attempts.

UP NEXT:

ELAC returns to campus to prepare for their home opener at Weingart Stadium next Saturday to host Allan Hancock College. Kickoff at 4pm.