Vaqueros unable to salvage win, 39-36

Typical Glendale Community College football.

The Vaqueros started the 2005 season like they only knew how,

providing thrills and heartaches, disappointments and satisfactions

and so much more.

But on the day Glendale College christened its new field, the

Vaqueros couldn’t provide their fans with a victory.

Glendale College erased a 16-point deficit in the final three

minutes, but Southwestern College’s Ryan Bowling easily made a

39-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to lift the Jaguars

to a 39-36 triumph Saturday night at Sartoris Field.

“I’m disappointed that with the opening of our stadium, we

couldn’t walk away with a win,” said Vaquero Coach John Cicuto after

Glendale College played its first on-campus football game in the

program’s 77-year history.

The Vaqueros -- coming off a 4-6 campaign that had its share of

unbelievable moments and fantastic finishes -- almost prevailed, as

they had an opportunity to win with less than 30 seconds to play.

After Southwestern punted to give the ball to Glendale College at

its own 23 with a minute to play, Vaquero quarterback Steve Martinez

orchestrated a drive to the Jaguars’ 46. But the Vaqueros failed to

gain three yards on three consecutive plays, allowing the Jaguars a

final chance to win.

On Southwestern’s first play, sophomore quarterback Robert Riggs

-- who threw four first-half touchdowns and ended up going 17 of 24

for 280 yards -- connected with Kevin Pike on a 32-yard play down the

middle. Bowling stepped in and calmly made the field goal to send the

Vaqueros to their fourth season-opening loss in the past five years.

“We didn’t give up, but you have to play well for four quarters,”

Cicuto said.

For all his efforts, Martinez -- who had 260 yards passing,

including 119 to Donnelly, who caught 11 passes -- wasn’t the one to

play the role of the hero at the end.