Bowl game ends in disappointment
Corsairs’ loss to East L.A. ends in a brawl
The East Los Angeles Huskies prevailed 42-28 at Saturday’s American Championship Bowl game at Santa Monica College.
The defeat was further soured by a post-game fight that led the police to escort both teams to their locker rooms.
As both teams came over to shake hands after the game, words were exchanged between opposing players, and this led to a full-team brawl.
The fight lasted for around five minutes and led to the intervention of police officers, coaches, and football related staff in order to keep the peace amongst the football players.
Nobody was seriously injured during the commotion.
"We are investigating the incident using video footage and reviewing it with police and school officials. We feel a rush to judgment would be foolish, without gathering all the information of evidence, accepting only one person for a story is not prudent does not benefit no one, rest assured those responsible will face consequences," said Joe Cascio, project manager of athletics at SMC.
The brawl undermined an otherwise successful season and exciting match up between two respective conference champions.
On the season, the Corsairs finished with an 8-3 overall record and a 6-0-conference record.
SMC Head Coach Gifford Lindheim was named Pacific Conference Coach of the Year, while seven Corsair players were named First-Team All-Conference.
SMC quarterback Alfonso Medina, who was 20 for 42 with 248 passing yards, four touchdowns, but also four interceptions, connected with tight end Aaron Boesch early in the first quarter for a 10-yard score, to put SMC on the board first.
The Huskies would respond with a 12-yard run to even the score at 7.
Midway through the first quarter Medina threw his second touchdown pass to wide receiver Kris Comass for 19-yards. Two plays later, the Huskies scored on a 95-yard touchdown pass, tying the game at 14.
Medina would throw his third touchdown pass, in the second quarter, on a 16-yard strike to wide receiver Frank Murray, but the Huskies responded again, this time off a 16-yard run late in the second quarter.
The Corsairs had the chance to take a six-point lead on a pair of field goals, but were unable to capitalize. By the half the score remained tied at 21.
The Huskies were the more dominant team in the second half, scoring on their first two possessions to take a 35-21 advantage. The lead widened after the Huskies scored off a Medina fumble to end the third quarter.
However, the Corsairs looked poised for a comeback in the fourth when Medina threw his final touchdown pass to wide receiver Ralph Gordon. The six-yard pass would bring SMC within two touchdowns, at 42-28.
On the Huskies’ next possession, SMC recovered a blocked punt, only to give the ball right back after a turnover on downs.
The Corsairs had two more chances to score in the final four minutes, but came up short both times, sealing the result for the Huskies.
“We are usually a second-half team,” Lindheim said after the game. “It wasn’t how I wanted my sophomores to go out.”
The scheduled awards ceremony was scrapped due to a brawl that broke out after the game.