A tough loss for the LBCC Vikings at home facing the Santa Ana Dons almost serves as an example of their season in a microcosm. Four weeks into the 2008 campaign, the Vikes were 3-1, and preparing to start Southern Conference play with a two-win streak’s momentum at their back. Then they lost four straight, including the game tonight, falling to 3-5 on the season, and 0-4 in conference play.
The game against the Dons started positively—as usual, the Vikings drove down the field with ease on their first drive scoring a touchdown and looking wholly unstoppable. Then, as usual, they began to stall. “I think we’ve scored on every opening drive this season,” LBCC coach Mike Reisbig said. “And then after that, we kind of peter out. I’m not really sure what it is—if I could put my finger on it, it wouldn’t be happening anymore.” Still, on the strength of the Darren “Crockett” Tubbs TD that capped the opening drive, and a 69-yard touchdown pass from Josh Powell to Chris Williams, LBCC took a 14-9 lead into halftime.
Coming out of the locker room, the Vikings had momentum—they’d stopped a Dons drive at the goal line to end the first half—but were lacking their biggest offensive weapon—receiver Stephen Burton took a helmet to the face after his own helmet popped off on a play in the second quarter, and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Powell, missing his favorite target, turned to Williams, who had four catches for 37 yards on the third-quarter drive that gave LBCC a 20-9 lead. After that, the wheels came off.
A 68-yard touchdown pass pulled the Dons back into the game, making it 20-15. Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Powell was intercepted by Dons LB Blake Poole, who took the interception to the house, giving Santa Ana a 21-20 lead. Powell threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Williams a few drives later, but had it called back because he’d stepped over the line of scrimmage—the next play, a bad snap to the punter gave the Dons the ball just 35 yards away from the end zone. On the sturdy shoulders of stud running back Craig Leyton (who had nearly 100 yards on 19 carries, and broke an average of two tackles every time he touched the ball), they took a 28-20 lead. On the next drive, Tubbs fumbled and the Dons recovered, soon making it 35-20 with another Leyton TD. The scoring stopped there—the Vikings threatened again late, but Powell’s would-be TD was picked off in the end zone.
LBCC was outscored 26-6 in the second half, and the Dons had 20 points off three LBCC turnovers; the Vikings also committed 6 penalties for 67 yards in the second half, and gave up four sacks in the fourth quarter. Chris Williams finished with 6 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown, Tubbs and fellow back Travell Washington combined for 102 yards on 23 carries, and Powell ended the night with 234 yards on 20/27 passing, but with three picks to just one TD.
Coach Reisbig says that as the Vikings finish the season, “We have a lot of mistakes to fix. And we’re letting emotion creep into it—too much emotion is a problem in the second half of a football game.”
Members of the 1995 National Championship squad (including a few current coaches) reunite for the Homecoming celebration prior to the game.
