This preseason, the El Camino College football team defeated Bakersfield College with a game-winning field goal, cruised to a 67-point victory against Los Angeles Harbor College and completed a fourth quarter comeback against Moorpark College that resulted in a rout.
The Warriors (4-1) enters a bye-week as they prepare for their first conference game of the season on Saturday, Oct. 19 against San Diego Mesa College.
ECC has a four-game win streak, capped off by a comeback win against Moorpark College (1-4) on Saturday, Oct. 6 where they outscored the Raiders 27-0 in the final quarter.
Heading into the fourth quarter down 28-21, the ECC Warriors scored touchdowns on every offensive drive in the quarter to complete the comeback. Warriors’ quarterback Jerman Gatoy had over 300 total yards (288 passing yards), completing 14 of 21 passes, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
“Jerm[an] is definitely a playmaker,” ECC Warriors’ offensive lineman Christian Islas said. “He’s dynamic, he can run the ball and he was also making throws. He was just playing ball.”
Warriors’ wide receiver Demoni Sanchez had three catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns in their win over Moorpark College. Robert Ferrel added four catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
“Our wide receiver core hustles to the ball,” Islas said. “Robert [has impressed all season], he’s a playmaker and is eye-opening.”
The Warriors’ defense didn’t give up a touchdown and held the Raiders offense to only 52 total yards in the fourth quarter. The defensive unit had two sacks and forced three turnovers.
“The defense held it down dominating Moorpark’s offense,” Warriors’ wide receiver Brayden Deocampo said. “The defense really stepped up and created sparks for the team to dominate in all phases of the game.”
However, as the team prepares to play San Diego Mesa College (4-1) at Murdock Stadium, Warriors’ head coach Gifford Lindheim said the Olympians will be a huge test for them.
“We need to get healthy, be good at all three phases of the game and pay attention to detail,” Lindheim said.
The Warriors began its season with a lopsided 55-17 loss to the Riverside City College Tigers but have won four straight g since. San Diego Mesa started its season with a four game winning streak but lost to the Tigers during the team’s last game on Sunday, Oct. 6.
Over The Olympians’ last four games, their offense is averaging 44 points per game. Wide receiver Antwoine Ware leads his team with 473 receiving yards in five games this season.
“The team needs to be able to carry the same level of intensity on both sides of the ball,” Deocampo said. “[We need] to take everything one week at a time.”
Both ECC and San Diego Mesa are coming into the game with identical records and with only five conference games. This first game is ‘very important’ and could go a long way in determining who wins the conference, Lindheim added.
“It’s going to be one practice, one play, one game at a time,” Lindheim said. “We can’t win the conference championship without winning the first game.”
Lindheim said he is pleased with the way the team ended the preseason, winning four straight games while outscoring opponents 165-61 over that span.
“[We] want to win the conference championship,” Lindheim said. “We are committed to fighting for what we want.”
