FOOTBALL OUTLASTS SANTA BARBARA IN SHOOT-OUT

SANTA MARIA-- Rushing for over 500 yards, the Allan Hancock College football team held on to defeat Santa Barbara City College, 56-35 in a wild affair at Righetti High School.

Hancock (2-1, 1-0 WSC No.) had three running backs go over 100 yards in the game, led by Corey Stollmeyer (So., Morro Bay), who rushed for 191 yards on 16 carries. The last 57 yards came on a run with :59 left in the game, that iced the victory. Stollmeyer started the scoring with a 12 yard scamper, after AHC took the opening kick-off 69 yards on eight plays. Andre Cirino (Fr., Staten Island, NY) added 162 yards on 15 plays and sophomore Shaun Stewart (Queens, NY) ran for 117 yards with 19 carries. For the game, the Bulldogs rushed for 504 yards on 54 carries.

For most of the game, SBCC was able to answer each touchdown by Hancock with one of their own. After AHC scored on the first possession, the Vaqueros tied it at seven with a 28 yard TD pass. Hancock took the lead again in the second quarter when Stewart scored from three yards out. Three minutes later, a 40 yard pass from Santa Barbara tied it up again. With 1:04 left in the half, Cirino bulled his way into the end-zone from 12 yards out, and AHC led at the break, 21-14.

The Vaqueros tied the game on the opening drive of the second half on a 22 yard pass. Then Hancock scored twice to take a lead they would never relenquish. QB Jonathon Dally (So., Righetti HS) scored on a 17 yard bootleg run and Cirino scored with a spectacular 39 yard run, after bouncing off of several defenders.

In the fourth, both teams traded touchdowns, SBCC with a 56 yard pass play and Hancock on a one-yard TD run by FB Michael DeRose (Fr., Arroyo Grande HS). With 1:42 left in the game, Santa Barbara QB Nicholas Acciani threw his fifth touchdown of the game on an 11 yard bullet into the end-zone, to pull the Vaqueros within, 42-35. On the second play after AHC recovered an on-side kick, Stollmeyer, trying to get three yards for a first down, found himself in the clear for the game-clinching score. Stetson Thronas (Fr., Kauai, HI) finished the scoring 30 seconds later when he blitzed, blindsided the QB forcing a fumble, picked up the ball and ran in from 28 yards out.

Dally threw only one pass in the game, which he completed for six yards to DeRose. Placekicker Sal Gutierrez (Fr., Arroyo Grande HS) was a perfect 8-for-8 on extra point attempts. Vaquero QB Acciani was 29-for-44 for 484 yards, with five touchdowns and two interceptions. His main target was Marcus Rush, who caught 14 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bulldogs will hit the road for two conference games, starting on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Ventura. Kick-off will be at 7:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on AM 1440 in Santa Maria and AM 1410 in Lompoc, with the pre-game show beginning at 6:30.