East County Sports

Cool Gooden’s good timing sparks Griffins’ win

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2015 GROSSMONT COLLEGE FOOTBALL

 

By Bill Dickens

© East County Sports.com

 

EL CAJON (11-8-15) — When Grossmont College’s PAUL GOODEN was a senior at Monterey Trail High in Elk Grove, he played middle linebacker at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds.

 

grossmont griffins“A lot of people told me I was too small to play that position, but I wasn’t afraid then and I’m not afraid now,” said the Griffin sophomore. “I played defense my final two years of high school and took on players a lot bigger than I am.”

 

Perhaps that’s why he’s one of the top National Southern Conference punt return specialists.Screen Shot 2015-11-08 at 8.51.11 PM

 

Gooden has returned 13 punts for 131 yards and a 33-yard touchdown. He’s averaging 10.1 yards per return.

 

“Returning punts is a great way to get on the field,” said Gooden, who also caught touchdown passes of 50 and 14 yards, both from quarterback TOMMY PISTONE, guiding the Griffins to a 33-30 victory over visiting Santa Ana (1-8, 0-5) Saturday (Nov. 7) at Mashin-Roth Field.

 

“When I’m back to receive a punt I use my peripheral vision as much as I can,” Gooden added. “Then I try to relax as quick as I can.”

 

Given that Gooden has garnered 64 pass receiving yards and 56 punt return yards, he declared that Santa Ana was his best game of the year.

 

His timing was good.

 

Screen Shot 2015-11-08 at 8.49.40 PM“My mom Lydia Gooden came down from Sacramento to see me play for the first time in two years,” he said proudly.

 

This was no one-man show, however, as the Griffins were obliged to survive 16 penalties for 176 yards compared to Santa Ana’s 3 for 22 yards.

 

Sophomore running back THOMAS McDONALD shredded the Santa Ana defense for 144 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Santa Ana was a physical defense and McDonald was a physical runner.

 

Trailing throughout the day, Grossmont (3-6, 1-4) took its first lead with 8:40 remaining when Pistone hooked up with Texas’ big LEVI BOYD (6-5, 240) for an 81-yard gain that set up a second scoring pass to Gooden. Boyd outran three Santa Ana defenders for the longest game of his career before being taken down at the Dons 14-yard line.

 

“That was a hash play,” Boyd said. “They were in a cover 3 and we had everybody go vertically up the field. When the safety went across the hash, Tommy (Pistone) put the ball right there. Then the race was on.”

 

The Griffins tacked on a 2-point conversion when Pistone hit MARSHALL FAULK, JR. in the endzone, giving Grossmont a 26-23 advantage.

 

Grossmont defender KURTIS BROOKS returned a 25-yard blocked punt to extend Grossmont’s lead to 33-23 with 3:16 remaining. Prior to that clutch play by Brooks, the Griffins had had two touchdowns nullified by penalty.

 

The Dons put together a swift scoring drive capped by a crucial 15-yard TD pass to Dorion Barnett from Thomas Becerra, slicing Grossmont’s advantage to 3 points with 1:44 remaining.Screen Shot 2015-11-08 at 8.50.04 PM

 

JEMEIL JACKSON came up with a critical play when he picked off a victory clinching pass from Becerra at the Grossmont 43-yard line with 40 seconds remaining.

 

“We were in a cover 2,” said Jackson, a Monte Vista product. “I think they thought we might be in a cover 3 at that time, but that wasn’t the case as their slot receiver came across the middle.”

 

“Milli,” as Jackson is known to his teammates, intercepted a pass at the 43-yard line to seal the Griffins’ victory.

 

“I’ve been struggling most of this year,” he said. “We were in a cover 2 and I think they expected it, and I beat him. When the ball came my way I jumped up and grabbed it.”

 

Tackling machine linebacker NICK GALATIS recorded 8 tackles. Defenders COLE KIDD had a blocked punt, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery for Grossmont as well as 4 tackles. PERRY AFATO blocked a punt out of the endzone for a safety. Arnold logged 7 tackles, a fumble recovery, batted down a pass and registered a sack. RUEBEN LEASAU had 6 tackles, and big ANTHONY DAVIS notched 5 tackles, a quarterback hurry and a sack.

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SANTA ANA vs. GROSSMONT at Grossmont
11/7/2015 at 1:00
Santa Ana 
30
Grossmont 
33

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SCORING 1 2 3 4 FINAL
Santa Ana (2-7)  7  7  0  16  30
Grossmont (3-6)  0  5  6  22  33
Mashin-Roth
PRD TIME SCORING SUMMARY SANTA ANA – GROSSMONT
1 02:49 Santa Ana – M. Williams 49 yd pass from A. Piscitelli. (Jonah Mack kick is good).
Drive: 3 plays, 47 yards in 0:54.
7 – 0
2 11:44 Grossmont – Jordan Reece 47 yd field goal. 7 – 3
2 03:08 Santa Ana – Dorion Barnett 17 yd pass from Thomas Becerra. (Jonah Mack kick is good).
Drive: 4 plays, 41 yards in 1:35.
14 – 3
2 01:34 Grossmont – Team safety 14 – 5
3 07:17 Grossmont – Paul Gooden 50 yd pass from Tommy Pistone. (2pt conversion rush by TEAM failed).
Drive: 2 plays, 54 yards in 0:28.
14 – 11
4 13:32 Santa Ana – William Hanley 28 yd run. (Jonah Mack kick is good).
Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards in 1:56.
21 – 11
4 13:32 Santa Ana – Team safety 23 – 11
4 11:07 Grossmont – Thomas McDonald 42 yd run. (Jordan Reece kick is good).
Drive: 3 plays, 56 yards in 1:15.
23 – 18
4 08:40 Grossmont – Paul Gooden 14 yd pass from Tommy Pistone. (2pt conversion pass by M. Faulk Jr is good).
Drive: 3 plays, 95 yards in 1:09.
23 – 26
4 03:16 Grossmont – Kurtis Brooks 25 yd punt return for TD. (Jordan Reece kick is good). 23 – 33
4 01:44 Santa Ana – Dorion Barnett 15 yd pass from Thomas Becerra. (Jonah Mack kick is good).
Drive: 6 plays, 68 yards in 1:24.
30 – 33

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SANTA ANA STATISTICS GROSSMONT
20 FIRST DOWNS 15
9
5
6
Passing
Rushing
Penalty
6
8
1
21% (4 of 19) THIRD DOWN EFFICIENCY 13% (2 of 15)
0% (0 of 0) FOURTH DOWN EFFICIENCY 25% (1 of 4)
283 TOTAL OFFENSE 377
82
3.5
Total Offensive Plays
Average gain per play
71
5.3
210 NET YARDS PASSING 223
22-46
4.6
2-17
1
Completions-Attempts
Net yards per pass play
Sacked: Number-Yards
Had intercepted
15-34
6.6
2-24
2
73 NET YARDS RUSHING 154
36
2.0
Rushing Attempts
Average gain per rush
37
4.2
13-363 PUNTS: Number-Yards 6-271
27.9 Average 45.2
44 TOTAL RETURN YARDS 174
0 0
5-52
2–8
Punt Returns: Number-Yards
Kickoff Returns: Number-Yards
Interception Returns: Number-Yards
7-105
6-69
1-0
3-22 PENALTIES: Number-Yards 16-176
3-1 FUMBLES: Number-Lost 3-2
2-24 SACKS: Number-Yards 2-17
2–8 INTERCEPTIONS: Number-Yards 1-0
32:46 TIME OF POSSESSION 27:14

Santa Ana

Grossmont

PASSING C-A YDS TD INT
Thomas Becerra 18-35 154 2 1
Anthony Piscitelli 1-1 49 1 0
Jason Habash 3-10 7 0 0
PASSING C-A YDS TD INT
Tommy Pistone 9-15 182 2 2
Michael Carrillo 6-18 41 0 0
Christian Brooks 0-1 0 0 0
RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD
William Hanley 17 73 4.3 28 1
Scottie Jordan 8 11 1.4 4 0
Thomas Becerra 5 9 1.8 12 0
Arthur Tuason 1 1 1.0 1 0
Justin Dankert 1 -1 -1.0 0 0
Jason Habash 2 -10 -5.0 6 0
TEAM 2 -10 -5.0 0 0
RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD
Thomas McDonald 18 144 8.0 42 1
Nehemiah Brown 5 16 3.2 8 0
Jamarcus Federick 7 15 2.1 9 0
Sergio Bailey 1 4 4.0 4 0
Alex Templeton 1 1 1.0 1 0
TEAM 1 0 0.0 0 0
Tommy Pistone 2 -6 -3.0 1 0
Michael Carrillo 2 -20 -10.0 1 0
RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD
Dorion Barnett 8 122 15.3 32 2
Matthew Williams 6 72 12.0 49 1
Anthony Piscitelli 2 13 6.5 9 0
Kevin Ventura 2 12 6.0 11 0
Taj Ashmeade 1 -2 -2.0 0 0
Scottie Jordan 3 -7 -2.3 11 0
RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD
Levi Boyd 1 81 81.0 81 0
Paul Gooden 2 64 32.0 50 2
Quadarius Fair 5 24 4.8 14 0
Sergio Bailey 2 18 9.0 14 0
Thomas McDonald 1 18 18.0 18 0
Christian Brooks 3 16 5.3 10 0
Tyler Guice 1 2 2.0 2 0
KICKING FG LG XP PTS
Jonah Mack 4/4 4
KICKING FG LG XP PTS
Jordan Reece 1/2 47 2/2 5
Tommy Pistone 0/0 0
Marshall Faulk Jr 0/0 0
TEAM 0/0 0
PUNTING NO YDS AVG LG TB -20
William Hanley 1 52 52.0 52 1 0
Jakob Arrellano 3 115 38.3 46 0 1
Robert Laibach 6 196 32.7 37 0 0
Jonah Mack 0 0 0 0 0
TEAM 3 0 0.0 0 0 0
PUNTING NO YDS AVG LG TB -20
Alex Templeton 6 271 45.2 65 1 3
KICKOFFS NO YDS AVG TB OB
William Hanley 1 66 66.0 0 0
Jonah Mack 5 297 59.4 0 0
KICKOFFS NO YDS AVG TB OB
Alex Templeton 1 40 40.0 0 0
Jordan Reece 6 326 54.3 2 0
KICKOFF RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
AJ Barnett 1 24 24.0 24 0
Marcus Swanigan 3 21 7.0 11 0
Scottie Jordan 1 7 7.0 7 0
KICKOFF RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
Christian Brooks 5 69 13.8 24 0
TEAM 1 0 0.0 0 0
PUNT RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
PUNT RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
Paul Gooden 4 56 14.0 33 0
Kurtis Brooks 0 25 25 1
Perry Afato 2 18 9.0 0 0
Cole Kidd 1 6 6.0 0 0
INTERCEPTION RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
Daron Minnix 2 -8 -4.0 0 0
INTERCEPTION RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
Jemeil Jackson 1 0 0.0 0 0
FUMBLES NO LOST
Thomas Becerra 1 0
Marcus Swanigan 1 0
Justin Dankert 1 1
FUMBLES NO LOST
Christian Brooks 1 0
Michael Carrillo 1 1
TEAM 1 1
DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
# SANTA ANA SOLO AST TOTAL SACKS-YDS TFL-YDS FF FR-YDS INT-YDS BRUP BLKS QBH
9 Elijah Herrera 9 0 9 2 – 2 1
25 Jose Mora 4 2 6 1 – 17 1 – 17 1 1
33 Patrick Campbell 4 2 6
39 David Gutierrez 2 3 5 0.5 – 3 0.5 – 3
22 Levi Stillman 2 2 4
43 Rion Santamaria 2 2 4
3 Jeremy Maxwell 2 1 3
29 Jesus Nodarse 3 0 3
50 Andy Franco 3 0 3 2 – 8 1
51 Cameron Henry 2 1 3
53 Andres Ramirez 2 1 3 1 – 1
23 Marcus Swanigan 0 2 2
37 Daron Minnix 1 1 2 2–8
57 Deionte Haywood 1 1 2 1-0
1 Anthony Piscitelli 1 0 1
2 Emmanuel Otoo 1 0 1
4 Jason Habash 1 0 1
27 Rodney Latham 0 1 1
35 Will Nicholson 0 1 1 0.5 – 4 0.5 – 4 1
56 Cody Gores 0 1 1 1
61 Isiah Togia 0 1 1
94 Anthony Casillas 0 1 1
97 Robert Laibach 0 1 1
TM TEAM
TOTALS 40 24 64 2 – 24 7 – 35 1 1-0 2–8 2 3
# GROSSMONT SOLO AST TOTAL SACKS-YDS TFL-YDS FF FR-YDS INT-YDS BRUP BLKS QBH
45 Jordan Arnold 4 3 7 1 – 16 1.5 – 17 1-0 1
47 Rueben Leasau 4 3 7
1 Maurice Carnell IV 4 2 6 2
30 Airric Parker 5 1 6 1 – 2
55 Nick Galatis 3 3 6 0.5 – 0
90 Anthony Davis 4 0 4 1 – 1 2 – 4
23 Miles Steed 2 1 3 1
35 Armando Smith 2 1 3 1 – 20
41 Cole Kidd 3 0 3 1 1
57 Lance Leota 2 1 3 1 – 2 1
4 Derrell Whitaker 1 1 2
44 Phillip Diaz 1 1 2 0.5 – 1
51 Victor Washington 1 1 2
6 Kurtis Brooks 1 0 1
8 David Lewis 1 0 1 1
11 Jordan Reece 1 0 1
32 Dominic Juarez-Lewis 1 0 1
39 Perry Afato 0 1 1 2
53 Josh Harrison 0 1 1 0.5 – 1
85 Paul Gooden 1 0 1
TM TEAM
58 Billy Cummings 1
29 Jemeil Jackson 1-0
TOTALS 41 20 61 2 – 17 8 – 47 1-0 1-0 6 3 2

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