At the end of the game between the San José City College Jaguars and the Merced College Blue Devils, Jaguars head coach Jim Winkler gathered his players in the end zone and told them, “Good teams find a way to win.”
Given how the Jaguars have dominated their last four games, the Blue Devils gave the Jags a run for their money. It wasn’t pretty, but they found a way to win (21-14) their fifth straight contest achieving their best record in recent memory.
In the first quarter, the Jaguars took an early lead with a 12-yard touchdown run by Jesse R. Lajes. The extra point by Matt Mirton was good, giving the Jaguars a 7-0 lead.
SJCC Football Head Coach Jim Winkler and his staff have guided the Jaguars to the best start in years with a 5-1 record so far. Photo by Oscar Lopez
In the second quarter, the Jaguars extended their lead with a spectacular 100-yard interception return for a touchdown by Aisosa Amas. Owen Lagos’ extra point was good, making the score 14-0 in favor of San Jose.
However, the Merced fought back and scored two touchdowns in the second quarter. Jabari Phillips ran for an 8-yard touchdown, followed by a 9-yard touchdown run by Malachy Harts. Jason Mendoza kicked both extra points, tying the game at 14-14.
The third quarter remained scoreless for both teams, with neither able to convert their offensive opportunities into points. The defenses on both sides stepped up and prevented any scoring.
In the fourth quarter, San José regained the lead with a 14-yard touchdown run by Lajes. Mirton’s extra point was good, giving the Jaguars a 21-14 lead. The Blue Devils tried to mount a comeback but could not score, resulting in a victory for the Jaguars.
Statistically, the Jags had the advantage in several categories. They had 22 first downs compared to Merced’s 19. The Jaguars had a total offense of 334 yards, while the Blue Devils had 320 yards. On both sides, the rushing games were big, with San José running 194 yards and Merced 154.
It was a closely matched competitive game. Ultimately, the Jaguars found a way to win with their strong defensive performance and timely scoring plays. Jaguars improve to 5-1, moving into second place behind undefeated Hartnell in the CCCAA American Gold Coast Conference. The Jaguars are back on the road against Gavilan on Oct. 21 at Christopher High School.
