Quarterback Jarred Evans ran for 111 yards and two TDs Saturday night as SBCC piled up a season-high 244 rushing yards in a 36-18 football win at Glendale.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the visiting Vaqueros (4-5, 3-3 American Pacific Conference). Collin Keoshian led Glendale (1-7, 0-6) with 184 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also threw a 32-yard scoring pass on a halfback option with five minutes to play.
Santa Barbara led 21-0 at halftime, thanks to TD runs of 37 and 4 yards by Evans and a 92-yard interception return by Olefemi Odaibo with 6:12 to go in the second quarter.
The first two Vaquero scoring drives measured 64 and 92 yards. They used 16 plays on their second TD march and converted two fourth downs. The second one, on fourth-and-7 from the Glendale 39, was the longest play of the drive — a 27-yard pass from Evans to Steven Jerome.
SBCC was 45 percent on third-down conversions and 100 percent on fourth-down tries (3-3).
The Vaqueros took the second-half kickoff and drove 78 yards in nine plays. The big blow was a 46-yard Evans-to-Stevens connection that moved the ball to the Glendale 30. Five plays later, Kevin Denis scored from a yard out behind strong blocks from Cassidy Lykken and Wade Norberg. Denis ran 18 times for 62 yards.
SBCC went 71 yards in 10 plays at the end of the third quarter and extended the lead to 34-0 on a 9-yard run by Mike Peterson. The PAT kick was blocked.
Evans completed 9-of-14 passes for 158 yards with one interception. He’s produced eight touchdowns (5 rush, 3 pass) in the last three games.
“Our game plan was better tonight,” said Evans, who averaged 11.1 yards per rush. “We practiced better and we executed better. Coming off three straight losses was hurtful. We knew if we wanted to be a .500 team, we had to come here and beat Glendale, then prepare for West L.A.”
Evans said the offensive line has become more disciplined in the last few weeks.
“They were amazing,” he said of the offensive line. “I don’t think they (Glendale) were looking for me to run a lot. Coach fit that into our offense a little more and allowed me to get out in the open and do what I do.”
Santa Barbara won the yardage battle 406-378 while running 19 less plays. The Vaqueros averaged 7.0 yards per play.
Linebacker Morgan Nevin, the state leader in tackles, had 14, including 2.5 for loss. Jackson Weed, returning from an injury, had a season-high 10 tackles. Mitch Nelson added seven tackles and returned a blocked PAT try for a 2-point conversion after Glendale’s first TD early in the fourth quarter.
SBCC tied the all-time series 21-21-1 despite committing 18 penalties for 208 yards.
After building a 36-6 advantage with 11:26 left in the final quarter, SBCC surrendered two TDs in the last five minutes.
“A lot of guys played well and we were able to move the ball downfield,” said coach Craig Moropoulos. “Jarred played well and Steven Jerome did a nice job outside.
“The defense did a nice job until the last quarter, which seemed like it took forever.”
The Vaqueros play their final game on Friday when they host West L.A. at 7 p.m.
