Publish Date: Nov 16, 2014
Conference champs! Salinas' Hartnell College also wins bowl bid
By George Watkins gwatkins@thecalifornian.com
4:16 p.m. PST November 16, 2014
On the same day Hartnell College held its Hall of Fame induction ceremony, its football
team gave a Hall of Fame performance of its own.
The Panthers overcame a rocky first half and a 16-3 deficit with an inspiring second-half
comeback in front of one of their largest home crowds in years to knock off previously
unbeaten West Hills, 24-16, Saturday at Rabobank Stadium.
"I couldn't be more proud of our kids,'' Hartnell coach Matt Collins said while standing
on the field that was filled with family, friends and fans snapping photos like mad
of their newly crowned team of champions. "We talk about family and playing together
when it counts, and tonight we did just that.''
Hartnell finished the regular-season with its first 9-1 record since 1992, and with
it came an invitation to the Nov. 29 Living Breath Foundation Bowl at Rabobank Stadium.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. It'll be the first time since 1990 the Panthers have played bowl
games in back-to-back years.
Hartnell will play Contra Costa in what will be the first bowl game to be played in
Salinas since at least 1980. Contra Costa is 9-1 and champions of the Pacific-7 Conference.
The Comets' only loss came to West Hills in Week 2, 50-21. They've won eight straight
since and have averaged 50 points per game in their last five contests.
That should be a welcome challenge for the Panthers, who blanked the state's third-ranked
offense for the final 38 minutes of Saturday's thriller that wasn't decided until
the final 28 seconds of the game.
Needing a touchdown and two-point conversion to force overtime West Hills reached
the Hartnell 10-yard-line where it faced a fourth-and-do-or-die situation.
The 36th West Hills pass of the night was tossed to the left corner of the end zone,
but there to break it up was 5-10, 175-pound freshman Nias Martin of Baltimore, giving
away nearly six inches and at least 30 pounds to the intended receiver.
"I had in my mind this guy is 6-4, 200 and something pounds,'' said Martin. "I knew
the play was coming. It was the last play. Fourth down. Thirty seconds left. Why not
throw it to the big guy.''
All Martin did was live up to the nickname he'd been given by his teammates.
"It was a clutch moment and my team calls me Mr. Clutch,'' Martin said. "Size doesn't
really mean anything. It's the heart.''
It was also the fourth straight year Hartnell has won or shared a conference crown.
But this might have been the toughest to get and most rewarding of them all.
Four times the Panthers overcame fourth-quarter deficits this year, and three of those
came in the final four must-win games of the season.
But trouble came calling early for Hartnell on Saturday.
A snap that sailed over the Hartnell punter's head led to the first West Hills touchdown,
and an unsportsmanlike penalty on fourth down kept a Falcons drive alive that ended
with another touchdown and 13-0 lead.
Hartnell had a first-and-goal from the West Hills 4-yard-line late in the first half
but had to settle for a field goal.
But the most damaging play appeared to occur with just seconds left in the first half
when West Hills scored on an apparent touchdown pass that could have extended its
lead to 20-3. However, the West Hills receiver intentionally somersaulted into the
end zone, which nullified the score and resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty.
West Hills ended up kicking a field goal for a 16-3 halftime advantage.
As it turned out, Hartnell had them just where they wanted.
"You could see the way the kids played coming out of the second half with their backs
to the wall against a really good football team, that this was the perfect storm for
doing what we did,'' Collins said.
Hartnell blocked a 23-yard field goal on its first stand of the third quarter, and
on its first offensive play Sherrod Hawkes bolted 50 yards to the West Hills 31. Three
plays later Hawkes scored from 13 yards out to cut the margin to 16-10.
"I was just trying to turn the game around for my team -- get them back together.
It had to be right from the start,'' Hawkes said.
It was Hawkes' 16th rushing touchdown of the season -- tied for second best in the
state. Hawkes finished with 166 yards on 16 carries with 117 of those yards coming
in the second half.
"The unsung heroes, that's our offensive line, and they played terrific'' Collins
said.
The Hartnell defense kept the pressure on by forcing a bad snap on another West Hills
punt, then stopped the Falcons cold on downs late in the third quarter that was key
in helping the Panthers take the lead.
Starting from the Hartnell 31-yard-line Michael Turner hooked up with Eppy Henrigues
for 27 yards; Hawkes took off for 23 more, then Turner hit Dominic Miller on a perfectly
thrown 19-yard touchdown strike.
With 2:05 left in the third quarter Hartnell took the lead, 17-16.
"We build on momentum,'' Collins said. "We build on each other. We feed off each other's
success. That's kind of what this team is all about.''
West Hills threatened again, but Hartnell recovered a fumble 23 yards from the goal
line.
Until its final desperation drive of the game, the first six West Hills drives of
the second half -- a team that averaged 47 points per game -- ended with a blocked
field goal, fumble, muffed punt, another punt, an interception and the grandaddy of
them all, a blocked punt by Brandon Neverdon that was scooped up by Henrigues and
returned 23 yards for a touchdown and 24-16 lead with 10:22 to play.
On the ensuing kickoff West Hills reached the Hartnell 28, but a pass that floated
over the middle was picked off by Justin Rocamora in full stride. Rocamora read the
play so well it appeared as if he was the intended receiver.
"We all know the recipe for success is having 11 guys do their job at the same time,''
Collins said. "It was nice to see the offense spark and do some good stuff, but tonight
was the defense's night.''
To read more, click the link:
http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/local/2014/11/16/salinas-hartnell-college-wins-title-bowl-game/19144979/
Athletic Team:
Men's Football
