Antelope Valley College

The blame didn't fall on the defense. Nor was it placed on the offense. Glendale Community College football Coach John Cicuto was upset at somebody. Who? He didn't say. "Guys started thinking they were pretty good and they didn't do what we told them to do," Cicuto said after his team's 14-7 Western State Conference Southern Division loss to Compton College on Saturday at Sartoris Field. "There were some people making wrong decisions. They were not executing like they were supposed to."

Statistically, Glendale Community College looks like a better football team than Compton College. The Vaqueros have the sixth-ranked offense in the Western State Conference, averaging 371.5 yards a game and Tartars have the 14th-best offense (234). Glendale College's experienced defense is yielding just 273.5 yards per game -- third in the conference -- and Compton College is surrendering 346.5 yards (seventh). But Vaquero Coach John Cicuto realizes that despite his team's advantages on paper, the Tartars have something that his squad doesn't: superb speed.

GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 21, ANTELOPE VALLEY COLLEGE 17 -- Glendale College 0 7 14 0 -- 21 Antelope Valley 0 14 3 0 -- 17 -- SECOND QUARTER GCC-Donnelly 15 pass from Martinez (Zuber kick) 8:45 AVC-Taylor 3 run (Havro kick) 5:03 AVC-Cornelius 1 run (Havro kick) 0:18 THIRD QUARTER GCC-Donnelly 12 pass from Martinez (Zuber kick) 5:45 AVC-Havro 38 field goal 2:34 GCC-Ledford 1 run (Zuber kick) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: Glendale College -- Ledford 18-122, 1 TD (1 yard)

The special teams problems were fixed. The defense didn't allow a passing touchdown for the first time in years. And the offense was more balanced. All of that equated to the Glendale Community College football team earning its first victory of the season. The Vaqueros' defense stifled Antelope Valley College on Saturday and their offense was overpowering on the ground, leading to their 21-17 nonconference road victory. "Everybody was getting together and doing what they had to do," said Vaquero defensive lineman Marco Ramirez, who tallied 12 tackles and three sacks, pressuring Marauder quarterback John Taylor all night long.

The Glendale Community College football team's offense produced 377 yards of total offense. Its defense fared relatively well, holding its season-opening opponent to 35 rushing yards. So, what caused the Vaqueros to drop a 39-36 decision to visiting Southwestern College on Sept. 3? "Special teams," Vaquero Coach John Cicuto said. Glendale College was ineffective on special teams. It had a punt blocked, an extra point blocked and gave up two points when it snapped the ball out of the end zone on an attempted punt.

More Schedules For a team-by-team look at the upcoming season, plus results from 2004, See pages 10-11 Friday Glendale vs. Alhambra at Moor Field, 7 p.m. Thousand Oaks vs. Crescenta Valley at Moyse Field, 7 p.m. Hoover at Mountain View, 7 p.m. Pomona at La Canada, 7 p.m. St. Francis at Arcadia, 7 p.m. Burbank vs. Golden Valley at Canyon Country Canyon High, 7 p.m. Burroughs...

Believe it: The Glendale Community College women's volleyball team would like to become heavy hitters. It's a program that's struggled for many years, culminating in it being shut down in 2002 because the college's athletic department decided the team couldn't field a sufficient amount of players. Things have changed since. Granted, the Vaqueros haven't posted a winning record since the program resurrected. But, they appear to have followed through on their well-conceived plan to recruit from the local talent base.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan For about 27 minutes, the Glendale Community College men's basketball team hung with Antelope Valley College in the championship game of the Vaquero Classic. The Vaqueros moved the ball well and drained open looks, as they exchanged the lead 16 times in a tight and physical contest. But just when it seemed like GCC would retake the lead again, the Falcons went on a short run that gave them all the cushion they needed in a 99-82 victory Saturday at the Vaquero gym. After GCC's Tyler Rose hit a running jumper to pull the Vaqueros within one with 13 minutes remaining, Antelope Valley went on a 14-4 run in a three-minute stretch to open up a 75-64 lead.

Charles Rich Closing out games has been a consistent thorn in the side of the Glendale Community College men's basketball team this season. GCC Coach Brian Beauchemin won't let his athletes soon forget that. Thanks to some clutch defense from Jovan Jester and Caleb Newton, the Vaqueros held on for a 77-73 victory against visiting L.A. Pierce College in a semifinal game of the Vaquero Classic on Friday night. GCC (7-4) will face Antelope Valley College in the championship contest for the second consecutive year at 7 p.m. today at home.