The Week Ahead for AHC Athletics: Women's Soccer Goes for Two in a Row, Football Hosts Bakersfield in Conference Opener
The women's soccer team will battle a familiar opponent on Tuesday when the Bulldogs play at Cerro Coso. Hancock blanked the Coyotes 3-0 last weekend during a tournament hosted by College of the Sequoias. The non-conference match kicks off another busy week for Hancock athletics that includes the football team's conference opener at home against Bakersfield and a men's soccer home match Friday against Santa Monica.
WOMEN'S SOCCER (1-5)
This Week: Tues. 9/23 @ Cerro Coso, 3 p.m.
The women's soccer team will go for its second-straight win on Tuesday against Cerro Coso (0-4). The Bulldogs defeated the Coyotes 3-0 last Friday for their first win of the season. Freshman Kaitlin Campbell (Orcutt Academy) scored twice and Berenice Miguel (Santa Maria HS) added another for the Bulldogs. Mercedes Zepeda, Jennifer Justice (Lompoc HS) and Rachel Naugle (Graceway Private School) each had one assist. Sophomore Courtney Crowe (Nipomo HS) started her third game in goal and recorded 10 saves for Hancock.
Campbell is tied for 18th in the state with five goals to lead the Bulldogs. Miguel has scored twice for Hancock.
Earlier last week, Hancock fell 5-1 at home to West Hills-Lemoore and dropped a 3-2 decision to open tournament play against the hosts from College of the Sequoias.
FOOTBALL (1-2)
This Week: Sat. 9/27, vs. No. 14 Bakersfield College, 4 p.m.–Righetti H.S. – Youth Football Night
The Bulldogs finished non-conference play with a huge 26-24 win at undefeated Chaffey College, the 10th ranked team in California, last Saturday. Hancock trailed 17-16 to start the fourth quarter, but took the lead for good on a 72-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Curry Parham (St. Joseph HS) to Zak Karsh (St. Joseph HS) and added to the lead with a 45-yard field goal from Jose Morales (Lompoc HS).
Parham completed 17 of his 30 passes for 221 yards and two touchdown passes. Karsh caught three pases for 94 yards, while Tristen Jeffries hauled in three passes for 47 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Lauina Futi led the Hancock ground game with 83 yards and seven carries. Wesley Williams (St. Joseph HS) added 49 yards on 13 carries at fullback. Logan Sprouse (Atascadero HS) was a defensive star with two interceptions, three pass breakups and six tackles. Willie Iribarren (Lompoc HS), a sophomore linebacker, led the team with 15 tackles, while Tavian Robinson had two sacks.
Bakersfield is coming off a 31-19 loss at home to Long Beach, which is ranked No.2 in Southern California and No.6 in the state this week. The Renegades allowed 479 yards of total offense and lost two fumbles in the loss. Sophomore running back Xavier Williams leads BC with 236 rushing yards for an average of 78.7 yards per game. Sophomore Marquise Johnson has 17 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown, while Derrick Vickers, a freshman, has 16 catches for 211 yards and four touchdowns.
Bakersfield, which is ranked No.14 in Southern California this week, has played three Top 20 opponents this season starting with a 51-3 loss to then-third ranked Riverside, which was the top ranked team in the state last week. The Renegades topped Golden West, which was ranked 18th in California last week, 44-35. Quarterback Tarek Yaeggie threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
Bakersfield has won 10 of the last 11 meetings with the Bulldogs and leads the all-time series 18-5, including a 17-14 win last season. The Bulldogs last beat the Renegades in 2011.
Notes: Willie Iribarren leads the state with 42 total tackles and 14 tackles per game; Curry Parham ranks ninth in the state with 7 touchdown passes; Jose Morales is tied for fourth in the state with 25 points and is tied for third with six field goals. Logan Sprouse is tied for fourth in the state with three interceptions.
MEN'S SOCCER (0-2, 0-5-1)
This Week: Tues. 9/23 @ Glendale Community College*, 7 p.m.
Fri. 9/26 vs. Santa Monica*, 4 p.m.
The men's soccer team will look to score its first win of the season this week in two Western State Conference games. Both of the Bulldogs' opponents this week are also seeking their first victories of the year. The Bulldogs play at Glendale Community College (0-1-1, 0-4-3) on Tuesday night. Glendale has been outscored 19-4 this season. Hancock returns home to host Santa Monica (0-1-1, 0-5-2) on Friday at 4 p.m. Maurice Morton and Jonathan Navas, both sophomores, lead Santa Monica with two goals apiece.
Hancock opened conference action last week by dropping two tight contests by identical scores of 2-1 to L.A. Mission and Santa Barbara City College. Against Mission, the Bulldogs struck first in the 15th minute when Adrian Diaz (Cabrillo HS) scored his team-leading second goal of the season. Pedro Arias tied it for Mission seven minutes later before he scored the game-winner in the 76th minute.
The Bulldogs also took an early 1-0 lead against SBCC on a 16th minute goal from Jorge Marin (Pioneer Valley) that was assisted by Pedro Salcedo (Pioneer Valley) . However, the Vaqueros tied it in the 20th minute before scoring what proved to be the game winner in the 26th minute. Hancock goalie Joel Diaz (Nipomo HS) made eight saves.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL (4-4)
This Week : Fri. 9/26 @ College of the Desert, 2 p.m.
Sat. 9/27 @ San Diego City College Tournament
The women's volleyball team will look to bounce back on the road this week. The Bulldogs did not win a set in three matches last week. They fell at home to Bakersfield 3-0, despite 12 kills and 19 digs, both team-highs, from Brianna Farley (Cabrillo HS).
Hancock plays at College of the Desert (6-1) in Palm Desert on Friday afternoon. Hancock lost 3-2 at home to the Roadrunners. Farley paced the Bulldogs with 21 kills in the first meeting, while Gabrielle Lecates added 19. Taylor Adair and Kayla Safarik had 21 kills apiece for Desert. The Roadrunners enter the meeting on a four-match winning streak.
The Bulldogs' four victories this season are the most in the single-season since Hancock went 9-14 in 2010.