College Football

For the first half of the season the Glendale Community College football team's mantra has been improvement from week to week. There's certainly been progress, as the Vaqueros' two wins so far have already matched the team's win total of the previous two seasons combined, but it's on the heels of back-to-back losses that Glendale enters its bye week with a record of 2-3 and 0-2 in the Pacific Conference American Division. Still it's with a glass-half-full attitude that the Vaqueros are approaching the week in which they've had a chance to heal up while reflecting on the past five weeks and looking ahead to the home stretch of conference games, as even the team's losses have offered glimpses of things to build on. "We have felt that even though we had a two-game slide, we felt that those teams were the top two team in our conference," said Glendale Coach Rome, whose team has opened conference with losses to Antelope Valley and defending-champion Santa Monica by a combined 15 points.

Instead of going to a NCAA Division II football program, Tyler Marona decided to start his college football career at Pasadena City College out of St. Francis High. "There were people and coaches all over the place telling me I shouldn't do that, [junior colleges] aren't an option," said Marona, a defensive lineman who hoped he'd garner some Division I interest after his freshman season. The former Golden Knight also started questioning if he made the right decision around winter break when he hadn't heard from any Division I schools, and about three weeks ago Pasadena City College Coach Fred Fimbres sat down with Marona and his parents in an attempt to reassure them.

TODAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL  Glendale Community College at Allan Hancock College, 6 p.m.   GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL  Crescenta Valley and Hoover in Crescenta Valley Tournament, TBA  Webb at Flintridge Prep, 11:30 a.m.  Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in Redondo Tournament, TBA   CROSS-COUNTRY  Flintridge Prep in Prep League finals at L.A. Pierce College,...

Seeking to snap a string of five consecutive losing seasons, the Glendale Community College football team accomplished that feat this season backed by a bevy of talented players on both sides of the line of scrimmage. It resulted in the Vaqueros going 6-4, 4-3 in the American Division Pacific Conference to tie for third place and securing their first winning campaign since 2007, when they competed in the Western State Conference's South Division. Glendale's rise could be partly attributed to the contributions made each game by Noche Nwofer, Marquise McGuire and Jaelin Rising-Barnwell, all of whom were bestowed with state recognition, with Nwofer adding the biggest honor, as he was named an All-American, as well.

In the span of a couple of weeks, Glendale Community College freshman linebacker Marcus Tappan transformed from one of the program's biggest returning players into an athlete in search of a departing flight. The La Salle High alumnus verbally committed to the University of Cincinnati on Friday after receiving an offer only days earlier. “I like the coaches, [Cincinnati Coach] Tommy Tubberville and [associated head coach] Robert Prunty really showed their interest,” Tappan said.

It didn't take long for Andy Reid to have a substantial impact in turning around the Kansas City Chiefs. Reid, a former Glendale Community College football player who is in his first season as head coach of the Chiefs after holding the same position the previous 14 years with the Philadelphia Eagles, saw Kansas City wrap up a playoff spot Sunday with a convincing 56-31 road victory against the rival Oakland Raiders. The Chiefs last appeared in the postseason in 2010. The Chiefs (11-3)

The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene. REID, CHIEFS LOOK TO REGROUP After beginning the season 9-0, the Kansas City Chiefs, who are coached by former Glendale Community College football player Andy Reid , have encountered a three-game losing streak. The recent struggles have coincided with the Chiefs falling out of first place in the AFC's West Division. Two of those defeats have come against the division-leading Denver Broncos, including a 35-28 home loss Sunday.

D'Angelo Blake and Noche Nwofer have seen the transformation of the Glendale Community College football team unfold nicely. The sophomores have been a major part of the team's resurgence in their quest to help put Glendale on the brink of a possible playoff game. Blake and Nwofer will look to help complete the job when Glendale meets host L.A. Pierce in a crucial Pacific Conference American Division contest at 7 p.m. Saturday. Glendale, which clinched its first winning season since 2007 with a 24-17 division road victory against Santa Barbara on Nov. 9, is 6-3, 4-2 in the division.

SANTA BARBARA - Ten minutes after the conclusion of Glendale City College's American Division Pacific Conference football game, Vaqueros Jose Sanchez, Carlos Gonzalez, Anthony Acevedo and Manuel Garabedian playfully tackled head coach John Rome to the ground. The gesture figured natural since Glendale's defense tallied seven sacks, forced three turnovers and had taken down all other comers in a come-from-behind 24-17 road victory Saturday evening over Santa Barbara City College. “This is special to us because we're trying to change a culture,” said Rome, who was helped up back to his feet by his players.

With a victory in either of its final two games, the Glendale Community College football team can record a winning season for the first time since 2007. For the Vaqueros to achieve a winning mark, they must do so going through the teeth of their schedule. Glendale will start its journey when it meets host Santa Barbara in a Pacific Conference American Division game at 6 p.m. Saturday. Should Glendale (5-3, 3-2 in the division) lose to Santa Barbara (6-2, 3-2), it would have one last opportunity against host L.A. Pierce on Nov. 16 to pick up a winning record for the first time since it went 6-4, 5-2 in the Western State Conference South Division.