In front of Netflix cameras, MJC opens season with win over defending state champs
Four minutes into Friday’s season opener against the defending state champions, Modesto Junior College was trailing 13-0.
Laney had a four-play, 75-yard drive to score and then the Pirates fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which led to another touchdown.
Besides being the opener, Netflix picked Laney this season as the focus of its show, Last Chance U, a documentary series that follows around a community college football team for an entire season.
Yet, under the glare of the lights and the focus of Netflix cameras (the show airs in 2020), the Pirates kept their cool, rallying for a 33-20 victory.
“Our guys didn’t even flinch,” Pirates coach Rusty Stivers said. “There was no panic. They just played football.”
MJC seemed at home in the spotlight.
“It’s temporary joy,” Stivers said. “It’s just the first game and we are still in preseason.”
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Danny Velasquez (Turlock) had 190 passing yards and a touchdown and 23 carries for 89 yards and three touchdowns.
After Velasquez scored on an 8-yard run to cut the lead to six, MJC scored on a fake field goal attempt in the second quarter to take a 14-13 lead.
Sophomore quarterback Brett Neves (Downey) connected with sophomore tight end Rory Hanson (Modesto Christian) for 21 yards and the touchdown.
“That play really got us going,” Stivers said. “It was the spark that started us on offense.”
After Laney took a 20-14 lead with a little over 11 minutes left in the third, MJC scored 19 unanswered points.
Velasquez evaded defenders and hurdled over one for a touchdown and MJC ran the ball efficiently in the second half, thanks to something Stivers hadn’t done since he started calling plays in 2006.
“We were using fullbacks and tight ends at the same time to block,” he said.
“It was a highly-competitive game with lots of distractions,” Stivers said. “But they just played ball and didn’t get riled up with the extra attention.”
The Pirates host Sierra at 6 p.m. next Saturday.
This story was originally published September 7, 2019 at 12:06 AM.
