Another painful loss for MJC – this one in OT

The Chabot College Gladiators sprinted onto the muddy field and threw themselves onto the muck, sliding and screaming like well-refreshed sophomores at a frat party.

Their delight was understood. They had just stolen into this wet Saturday night with a 35-28 overtime victory over a Modesto Junior College football team that led 21-0 at halftime. Modesto never trailed until Christian Batiste’s 8-yard burst provided the decisive points.

The Pirates (2-6, 1-2) watched Chabot’s celebration in shock, moments after quarterback Trey Cooper was sacked on fourth down to end it. Somehow and some way, Modesto fumbled, juggled and kicked away a game that appeared to be in its hands.

“One of the hardest losses yet,” assessed MJC coach Sam Young, who’s seen his team fall in the final seconds three times this season (twice in succession). “You could point to a lot of things.”

Modesto remained in control 28-7 midway in the third quarter when receiver Mike Milbourne, running a post pattern in full stride, tipped the ball to himself to complete a brilliant 30-yard reception.

Chabot (4-4, 2-1) answered immediately, however, on an 84-yard kickoff return for a TD by Devijon Smith in another special teams breakdown that has sabotaged MJC all season. Thus encouraged, the Gladiators found new energy.

They marched 80 yards and closed to within 28-20 on a 1-yard dive by H-back Jaramie Augafa with 12:03 left. Still, MJC – with Anthony Cota (32 carries, 175 yards) gashing the Chabot defense – marched toward the game-clinching points.

But the Pirates’ confidence was shaken when Thomas Langley pushed a 23-yard field goal to the right with 2:56 to go.

Five plays later with only 1:15 left, Chabot quarterback Jose Ferreira took full advantage of blown coverage and tossed 31 yards to a quite-alone Smith for the touchdown. The Gladiators then pulled even on a double-reverse pass from Smith to Ferreira. The reeling Pirates could not recover in the extra period.

“Give Chabot credit. They established their running game enough in the second half enough to throw effectively,” Young said. “And they carried their momentum into the overtime.”

True enough, but Young didn’t need to be told that the game was more lost than won. Earlier, Modesto adapted to the sloppy conditions – a cloudburst an hour before kickoff turned the field into a mess between the hash marks – and built a first-half lead.

Cooper, the fourth MJC starter at quarterback this season, completed 13 of 21 passes for 200 yards and touchdowns to Jordan Levu, Zach Moreno and Milbourne. That said, the slippery conditions guaranteed mistakes by both teams. Modesto’s chances vanished after a shotgun snap sailed over Cooper’s head, all but sealing MJC’s fate in OT.

“It was slick,” MJC linebacker Jeremiah Walters said. “You had to be precise on your moves to stay on your feet.”

The loss eliminates the Pirates from Valley Conference contention and plunders all hopes for a bowl game. They’ll dig deep to finish the season at Fresno and home against Delta.

“We can’t prepare and play with a broken heart and we can’t let one game define us,” Young said. “We have to find a way to continue on.”

This story was originally published November 2, 2014 at 9:03 PM with the headline "Another painful loss for MJC – this one in OT."