After defeating Phoenix College Nov. 13, the Pima Community College football team was finally able to bury two losing streaks that have lingered throughout the season.

The Aztecs (3-8, 1-7 Western States Football League) were able to tame the Bears for a second time this season with a 35-14 victory during a rare day game at Tucson Electric Park.

“It’s a long haul,” head coach Patrick Nugent said. “We were in a lot of football games and our kids played their butts off all year long, just couldn’t get a win. I’m just glad these guys can go out on a winning note.”

Andy Garcia

With the victory, the Aztecs snapped their seven-game overall losing streak and their 50-game WSFL losing streak.

“It’s what we’re trying to do at Pima,” Nugent said. “We’re trying to believe in accomplishments. It’s been a long battle taking over a program that was really low. We had a win at the beginning of the year to get their losing streak over and now we got a league win that’s no longer on our stats. Now we can move forward and get better here at Pima.”

Pima beat Phoenix 17-14 in the first game of the season, snapping its 29-game losing streak as well as its 48-game losing streak to college teams.

Except for a 63-2 win over semi-pro Verde Valley in 2007, Pima had not won since 2004 before the first win over the Bears.

In the Nov. 13 conference game, freshman quarterback Zander McKean connected with sophomore receiver Scott Campbell on the first snap for a 53-yard touchdown pass to give Pima the early advantage.

Zander McKean

Pima’s defense and special teams were key factors in the win, providing points. The Bears scored one touchdown each half.

Pima defenders had three interceptions. Sophomore linebacker Ernesto Escarcega returned one pick 37 yards for a touchdown just before the half ended. Sophomore cornerback Nick Carlson and freshman defensive back Adrian Brahler each had an interception as well.

On special teams, the Aztecs blocked two punts. Carlson had one block and returned the other blocked punt for a touchdown.

“We’ve been writing it up,” Carlson said after the game. “(Special teams) coach (Christian) Vitale sent me off the edge. They’ve been sending me through the middle all season. Came off the edge, just got free and blocked it. That’s how we draw it up.”

On the offensive end, the Aztecs finished with 309 total yards of offense. McKean threw three touchdowns and went 11-14 for 138 passing yards.

The receiving game was led by Campbell, who caught two passes for a total of 66 yards.

The team gained 171 yards on the ground and was led by freshman signal caller McKean, who rushed for 59 yards on 14 carries.

“It’s really good that we won a game because we had our doubts,” Garcia said after being asked about breaking the WSFL streak. “It’s a good thing we had the whole Tucson community behind us. It’s really good that our coaches were there every step of the way.”

Andy Garcia, left, Tranton Kamins, center and Pat Nugent

Garcia said that despite injuries and ineligibility issues, nobody on the team gave up. He said players still went to practice knowing that they might or might not play and that getting three victories on the season was good for them.

Sophomore defensive back Ricky Solomon finished the season ranked No. 12 in the National Junior College Athletic this year and garnered 67 return yards.

Nugent hopes the recent wins will help give the football program legitimacy.

“We got to get on the trail recruiting come Monday (Nov. 17) and hopefully kids believe in our program now and know what we’re trying to do,” Nugent said when asked about next season.

“We got a really good freshman class that we’re excited about. Now we got to add to it and come out hard, work all year and get better.”

ATHLETIC VOICE: Football on the right track

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxStKwXJtZw

aztecpress@pima.edu

Don’t tell people associated with the Pima Community College Aztecs’ football team that seven is a lucky number because they might give you a mean glare.

The Aztecs (2-8, 0-7 Western States Football League) lost their seventh game in a row after they were edged by Eastern Arizona College by one point on Nov. 6 by a score of 14-13.

“It’s frustrating,” head coach Patrick Nugent said. “Nobody expected us to be where we’re at. Hopefully this week we can end that streak.”

In week two, in a non-conference game, Eastern spanked Pima 42-14 in Tucson.

PCC has not won a WSFL game since Oct. 30, 2004 when it beat Arizona Western College 62-20. In 2004, they were called the Pima Storm.

On Saturday, Nov. 13, the Aztecs wrap up the season by hosting Phoenix College (2-7, 2-5) at 1 p.m. at Tucson Electric Park. Pima snapped its 29-game losing streak by beating the Bears in Phoenix to open the season in non-conference play.

Eastern took control of the November game in the first quarter by scoring all of its 14 points.

The Aztecs pulled within seven by halftime to make the score 14-7.

In the third quarter, Pima had a holding penalty called against it that took away a long touchdown run.

In the final two minutes of the game, Pima scored a touchdown to pull within one.

Instead of kicking the extra point after the touchdown and tying the game, Nugent decided to have his offense go for the lead by going for a two-point conversion.

The Aztecs’ attempt was unsuccessful after sophomore tight end Trenton Kamins caught the pass but was called out of bounds.

“There was tension the whole game,” freshman offensive lineman Daniel Ballesteros said. “They called back two touchdowns from bad reffing. At the end of it all, the pass to Kamins was in but the refs called it out.”

In the game, freshman quarterback Zander McKean took charge of the offense. He threw two touchdown passes and had 161 passing yards.

Sophomore receiver Scott Campbell led the team in receiving yards with 79. Sophomore running back Auburá Taylor had Pima’s other receiving touchdown in the game.

On Oct. 30, Pima was able to keep pace with Snow College in the first half but was eventually bullied in the second half. The Aztecs fell to the Badgers in Ephraim, Utah, by a final score of 47-11.

The Aztecs played well in the first half. After the first quarter, the score was 10-7 in favor of the No. 13 Badgers. Snow won the WSFL title by blowing out Phoenix on Nov. 6.

Neither team scored in the second quarter, so Pima still only trailed by three at halftime.

The second half started out well for the Aztecs. They made it 10-9 after forcing a safety.

After that, the fireworks were over for Pima. The team surrendered 37 points to the Badgers in the second half.

Pima just managed to squeeze out two more points for the rest of the game after they returned a blocked field goal attempt by Snow and took it to the end zone for the score.

Freshmen quarterbacks Zach Schira and McKean each threw two interceptions and Pima fumbled the ball three times.

In the game, the Aztecs had 201 total yards of offense with 93 passing yards and 108 rushing yards.

McKean and Schira threw a combined 24 passes in the game and completed 10.

Taylor led the Aztecs’ ground attack with 50 rushing yards on nine carries.

Sophomore running back Ronald Hopper led the team in receiving yards with 39.

Defensively, Pima gave up 288 total offensive yards to Snow. Sophomore defensive back Michael Holloway had the Aztecs’ sole interception of the game.

Zander McKean drops back to pass as his offensive line and Anthony Hughes protect him against Western. Photo by James Kelley

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Watch as Narciso talks about his goals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMW0YmI_ioU

The Pima Community College men’s soccer team’s bid for Nationals ended at top-seeded Arizona Western College on Oct. 30.

The No. 12 Aztecs lost 2-0 to No. 9 Western in Yuma in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 1 Tournament Final.

Western, the top seed in the tourney, scored goals in the first and second halves. Sophomore goalkeeper Miko Gastelum made five saves for PCC.

Pima finishes the season 17-6.

The Matadors will now host the West District Playoffs for a spot in Nationals.

Donny Toia

Despite a final score of 47-11, the Pima Community College football team put up a good effort on the road Oct. 30 against Snow College.

Pima (2-7, 0-6 Western States Football League) was handed its sixth straight loss by the home team from Ephraim, Utah.

The Aztecs played well in the first half. After the first quarter, the score was 10-7 in favor of the No. 17 Badgers.

Neither team scored in the second quarter, so Pima still only trailed by three at halftime.

The second half started out well for the Aztecs. They returned a blocked field goal attempt by Snow and returned it to the end zone for two points to make the score 10-9.

After that, the fireworks were over for PCC. The team surrendered 37 points to the Badgers in the second half.

Pima would manage to get just two more points for the rest of the game.

Zander McKean

The Aztecs turned the ball over seven times. Freshmen quarterbacks Zander McKean and Zach Schira each threw two interceptions and Pima fumbled the ball three times.

The Aztecs will play their final road game of the season in Thatcher against Eastern Arizona College on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m.

On Wednesday night, the Pima Community College men’s soccer team scored a win for the ages.

The third-seeded Aztecs (17-5) upset the second-seeded and No. 10 ranked Yavapai College 4-1 in the semifinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 1 Tournament at Yavapai.

No. 12 Pima will travel to top-seeded Arizona Western College (17-3-1) on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the Region championship game. No. 9 Western beat fifth-seeded Phoenix College on penalty kicks in the semifinals.

Freshman forward Yaya Kane scored Pima’s first goal off of an assist by sophomore forward Minh Vu. Freshman forward Donny Toia scored the Aztecs’ second goal. Both PCC goals were late in the second half.

After Yavapai cut the Pima lead to one, Toia answered with a goal assisted by Vu. In the 82nd minute, Kane scored PCC’s fourth goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Miko Gastelum played the full 90 minutes in goal, making two saves.

Yavapai’s loss is their first in the playoffs this century. YC had knocked Pima out of the playoffs in Prescott the last five years.

Yavapai has won seven National championships and 19 Region championships. The Roughriders’ only other loss in the playoffs was to Pima in 1999.

Before the 1999 win, Pima’s last Region title was in 1988. That was the year before Yavapai started.

During the regular season, Arizona Western swept Pima. They won 3-2 in Tucson on Sept. 11, as the Aztecs collapsed late in the second half, and won 4-1 in Yuma on Oct. 9.

The winner of Regionals hosts the West District Playoffs on Nov. 5-6, welcoming the champions of Region 9 and 18 to Arizona to play for the right to go to Nationals.

Otero (Colo.) Junior College (15-1-1) won the Region 9 Tournament and North Idaho College is the only team in Region 18. Both are unranked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5vsfpuPW-0

The Pima Community College women’s soccer season came to an end Oct. 26 with a 4-1 loss to Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

Third-seeded Chandler-Gilbert beat sixth-seeded Pima in Chandler in the quarterfinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 1 tournament.

Jade Carr

“The score doesn’t affect how well we played,” head coach Kendra Veliz said. “We got extremely unlucky at one point in the game and the breaks didn’t go our way. So I don’t think the score reflects how competitive the game actually was.”

The Aztecs’ final record was 7-10-1, including their only playoff game.

“I would have liked to have a winning season, but making the playoffs was one of our goals,” Veliz said. “Things just didn’t go our way and now we need to look towards next year.”

Freshman defender Dionae Avendano scored the lone goal for Pima, which came in the second half.

Despite the first round playoff exit, Veliz is confident for next season. PCC had 15 freshmen on its roster

“We had a lot of freshman so I hope that they learned what is to compete in this league and they can be ready for next year,” Veliz said about the possibilities for next season.

The Pima Community College men’s soccer team wasting no time in showing they deserved the long list of accolades they received on Monday.

The third-seeded Aztecs (16-5) routed sixth-seeded Scottsdale Community College 3-0 on Sept. 25 in the quarterfinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 1 tournament.

Pima head coach Dave Cosgrove, who won Region 1 Coach of the Year, said the Aztecs settled down in the second half after struggling in the first. They also had to deal with substantial wind.

“For a while there it looked like we never were going to score, but once we got the first one, it came a little bit easier,” Cosgrove said. “I think it was, especially with the second half, a fair result.”

Freshman forward Donny Toia broke the deadlock in the 60th minute off an assist by Region 1 Player of the year and sophomore forward Minh Vu. Freshman defender Kolby Jacobson scored the second goal off a throw-in by sophomore defender Matt Kappas.

Freshman forward Yaya Kane scored the third goal on a SportsCenter type play where he dribbled right through the SCC defense. Freshman goalkeeper Miko Gastelum scored the shutout with five saves.

Kane said the goal by Toia served to “help us to open the game.”

The Aztecs now face a rough road to the championship though. They’ll face community college soccer super power No. 12 Yavapai College (15-4-1) on the road in the semifinals.

Second-seeded Yavapai has won seven national championships and boasts an almost perfect record at home in the postseason.

“It’s a great environment, they got a great home field advantage and a very good team,” Cosgrove said. “In 20 years they have lost one time in the playoffs up there, so it’s a monumental task, but I think if we play well and our kids take their chances and finish well, we can play with anybody in our conference and in the country.”

During the regular season, the Aztecs and Roughriders split, with Pima winning 1-0 in Tucson on Sept. 6 and Yavapai winning 4-2 in Prescott on Oct. 18. Pima’s last five seasons have ended with losses at Yavapai in the playoffs.

“I feel very confident, because we beat them at home and we lost to them over there, but I think we dominated over there,” Vu said. “I feel confident about playing them again.”

Vu was named first team All-ACCAC and All-Region 1 first team, joined by Kane on both all-star squads. Toia and freshman defender Eric Glad were named to the second team of the All-ACCAC.

Donny Toia

Vu also won the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference scoring title with 39 points, 15 goals and nine assists. Vu, an All-American last year, said winning player of the year was “exciting.”

“I think it’s the body of work, not only this year but over the last two years he’s been just dynamic like for us,” Cosgrove said. “He scores big goals, he steps up in the biggest environments. So I think it is well deserved and to be honest I wasn’t surprised.”

The Aztecs closed out the regular season Oct. 23 with a 2-0 win at Phoenix College.

“As a team we felt very confident coming in,” Vu said. “We got the big win against Phoenix and we wanted to play at home, and we got the big win. We are taking it one game at a time.”

The win avenged an earlier 2-1 home loss to on Oct. 16 Scottsdale, they lost 2-1 at West Campus.

“I think we took our chances in the second half,” Cosgrove said Oct. 25. “The last time we played them, we had the same amount of quality chances and we didn’t make them.

“This is the time of year if you do that then you are going to lose, but today we got that first one. Then once we got the second one, it got very comfortable for us and obviously the third one just put the icing on the cake.”

Regionals:
Semifinals: Wednesday, Oct. 27
Championship: Saturday, Oct. 30 at higher seed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5vsfpuPW-0

The Pima Community College men’s soccer team fell short of a playoff bye but got the next best thing.

The third-seeded Aztecs (15-5) will open the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 1 tournament by hosting sixth-seeded Scottsdale Community College on Monday at 2 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

Pima split with the Fighting Artichokes during the regular season. Pima beat SCC 1-0 in Scottsdale on Sept. 18 but the Fighting Artichokes won 2-1 in Tucson on Oct. 16.

Yaya Kane

Regionals
Quarterfinals: Monday, Oct. 25
Semifinals: Wednesday, Oct. 27 at higher seed
Championship: Saturday, Oct. 30 at higher seed

Despite a late-season swoon, the Pima Community College women’s soccer team extended its season with a win over a playoff bound team.

The sixth-seeded Aztecs (7-10-1) clinched a spot in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 1 tournament by beating Phoenix College 3-2 on Oct. 24. Pima will travel to third-seeded Chandler-Gilbert Community College on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

Pima got swept by the Coyotes during the regular season. CGCC beat the Aztecs 2-1 both times.

Celeste Carrera

Regionals
Quarterfinals: Tuesday, Oct. 26
Semifinals: Thursday, Oct. 28 at higher seed
Championship: Saturday, Oct. 30 at higher seed

The Pima Community College football team has lost three games in a row, but that includes a close call to an undefeated team and a deceiving score against the preseason No. 1 ranked team.

The Aztecs (2-4, 0-3 Western States Football League) lost their third consecutive game after being beat 32-13 by the No. 8 Arizona Western College Matadors on Oct. 9 at home. Pima was close early on, but Western pulled away in the second half.

“That’s a great football team we just played, and I thought our kids gave every ounce of effort they could,” head coach Patrick Nugent said after the game. “We just fell a little bit short tonight.”

The Aztecs struck first after sophomore defensive back Michael Holloway intercepted the ball and took it 11 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

The first half ended with Pima trailing 18-7.

Pima would only muster six more points after sophomore running back Auburá Taylor had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

“It was good to finally get back there,” Taylor said. “I ain’t been starting back there all year. Our starter went down. I felt like it would be a big chance to step up there and definitely make a big play and keep the team in it.”

Taylor had 107 total punt return yards in four attempts. He also had four kickoff returns totaling 101 yards.

“I think we can definitely make some big plays,” Taylor said about the team’s overall performance on special teams. “As long as they keep kicking it to me, I’m going to do the best I can.”

Pima’s special teams also prevented AWC from scoring a two-point conversion and blocked two point-after-touchdown attempts.

The Aztecs’ true freshmen pair of quarterbacks threw for 80 passing yards in total, with Zander McKean taking most of the snaps.

McKean went 7-20 for 75 yards. He was picked off once and sacked twice.

Zach Schira completed one pass in six attempts worth five total passing yards. The Matadors intercepted two of his passes and sacked him five times on the other hand.

“We definitely had a chance in that ball game,” Schira said. “They were a hell of a football team. They’re big, they’re strong and they’re fast. We were real close. We got a few breaks here and there. We minimize a couple mistakes, and we’re right in that ball game.”

Ricky Solomon

Pima rushed for 65 total yards with freshman receiver Ty Minkin leading the team with 34 yards in three carries. Sophomore running back Andy Garcia finished second with 28 yards in six carries.

“We moved the ball,” Nugent said. “We just had some mess-ups down in their zones. We just couldn’t put it in the end zone.”

Nugent said he thought the team got some decent yardage, but they just couldn’t score.

Pima had 80 total receiving yards with sophomore receiver Scott Campbell making four catches worth 41 yards.

As of Oct. 11, Western is ranked third in the National Junior College Athletic Association in total team defense.

The Matadors had 366 total yards of offense in the game. AWC is also ranked seventh in the NJCAA in total team offense.

Pima had two interceptions in the game, including one by sophomore defensive back Ricky Solomon, who leads the team this season with four.

On Oct. 2, the Pima football team overcame an early 14-0 deficit to Scottsdale Community College but couldn’t hold on to their brief lead on a rainy night.

The Aztecs fell to the then undefeated Fighting Artichokes 26-20 at home. Scottsdale quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter but PCC soon answered back.

“Another tough loss two weeks in a row,” Nugent said after the SCC game. “We gave up points early.”

Pima freshman running back Damion Bracy scored a 33-yard rushing touchdown to get Pima on the board in the second quarter. The Fighting Artichokes struck back instantly though.

Scottsdale blocked the extra point attempt and returned the ball 90-plus yards for two points to give the Fighting Artichokes a 16-6 lead.

The last time Pima played SCC at home, in 2009, the Aztecs missed three extra points and the Fighting Artichokes won on a last second field goal 35-32.

SCC was driving down the field in the last minute of the first until sophomore linebacker Justin Kitchen got an interception.

“I just read it and cut across in front of him and picked it off,” Kitchen said. “I tried to return it like Reggie Bush.”

In the third quarter, McKean threw an 86-yard touchdown pass to Campbell. This time the extra point was good, and the third quarter ended with Scottsdale leading 16-13.

“We battled back. It was a great comeback for our guys to get out,” Nugent said.

In the fourth quarter, Pima took its first lead after Schira threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Minkin. The score was 20-16 after the extra point.

Zach Schira

Scottdale came back by scoring a touchdown and a field goal that put them up 26-20.

“We gave up a bad touchdown in the fourth quarter,” Nugent said. “We just can’t figure out a way to find a win. We just got to keep battling.”

In the game, Pima had 277 total offensive yards, with 159 passing yards and 118 rushing yards.

McKean and Schira again split time behind the center. McKean went 3-10 for 94 passing yards while Schira went 4-10 for 63 passing yards.

Schira lead the Pima rushing game with 62 yards in eight carries. Bracy finished the game with 37 rushing yards in three carries.

Campbell led Pima in receiving with 99 yards in four catches.

On the defensive end, Pima allowed 415 yards.

Pima’s Solomon had two interceptions and six solo tackles. Kitchen also had four solo tackles.

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