BIG PLAYS THE DIFFERENCE IN FOOTBALL'S BOWL-GAME LOSS TO REEDLEY

FRESNO-- Three big plays made the difference as the Allan Hancock College football team was defeated by Reedley College in the Producers Dairy Bowl, 30-23 at Ratcliffe Stadium in Fresno on Saturday.

Hancock, which closed out its 2004 season with a 6-5 overall record, allowed the Tigers to score on two 55-yard pass plays and a kick-off return in the narrow post-season loss. The Bulldogs took early advantage of a fumble by Reedley quarterback Terry Mayo on the Tigers' first offensive play. The next play after AHC's Marcus Little recovered at the Tiger 28-yard line, tailback Anthony Melton broke through for the game's first score with 11:42 remaining in the first quarter.

Mayo responded on the ensuing possession, connecting with wide receiver Albert Daniels on a 55-yard touchdown pass and run that tied the score just 40 seconds later. The two teams settled into a defensive struggle for the remainder of the half, with each scoring a field goal for a 10-10 tie at the break. Hancock's three-pointer was a 25-yarder by Victor Velasco with just eight seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Velasco gave AHC the lead back at 13-10 with 9:35 remaining mark in the period on a 28-yard field goal. Big play number two followed for Reedley, as Mayo connected with wide receiver Eddie Scott for another 55-yard touchdown pass and a 17-10 lead. Early in the fourth quarter Mayo and Scott teamed for an eight-yard TD. The Bulldogs blocked the ensuing point after, which was scooped up by Todd Ford and returned 85 yards for a rare defensive two-point conversion and a 23-15 Reedley advantage.

On Hancock's next possession, Melton again burst through the line of scrimmage from near midfield and pulled AHC within two on a brilliant 48-yard touchdown run. After two procedure penalties, quarterback Blake Sartini evened the score at 23-23 by hitting Derek Sedin from 13 yards out for a two-point conversion. On the ensuing kickoff, however, Reedley's Cornelius Brown settled the issue with the Tigers' big play number three, a 92-yard kickoff return that sealed the win.

Melton, a freshman from Delano, was the game's most productive player, rushing for a career-high 173 yards on 23 carries and scoring two touchdowns for AHC. Freshman Drew Williams added a tough 86 yards on 24 carries for AHC. For Reedley, Mayo was the headliner, completing 11-of-19 passes for 159 yards and two TDs.

As a team, Hancock outplayed the co-champions of the rugged Valley Conference, finishing with 364 total yards and 22 first downs to the Tigers' 200 and 12. Head Coach Chris Dutra, who guided AHC to a third bowl-game appearance in his fourth year, will put a wrap on the Bulldogs' season at the team's annual post-season banquet on Dec. 4.