SANTA BARBARA, CA – Staying true to the same recipe for success it has relied on all season, the SBCC football team (10-1) set a new single-season record for wins with a dominant 44-23 Beach Bowl victory over College of the Desert (8-3) on Saturday at La Playa Stadium.
Sophomore runningback Brandon Smith was named the 2022 Beach Bowl Game MVP, carrying 25 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Vaqueros to their second-ever bowl game win and first since 1982.
"It was just awesome," an ecstatic head coach Craig Moropoulos began after the game. "Again, as with all the rest of the 10 wins, it was our offense, defense and kicking game. It was just a really outstanding win for us. Desert was a great football team, but I'm just flat out very proud of our guys."
For just the second time in the last seven years, Santa Barbara had two 100-yard rushers, as Mekhi Norfleet crossed the threshold for his first time as a Vaquero with a career-high 109 on 14 attempts. He ended his All-APL year with a touchdown in three straight games and seven for the season.
"It all starts with the offensive line," Moropoulos continued. "We got Josiah Roa back and involved in the offense after missing four games with an injury. With those guys up front, our two runningbacks just showed what they were all about, the physicality that they run with and just moving those drives along. [Quarterback] Alex Johnson played well and the receivers did well, so it was a very good output from our offense."
With the ground game firing on all cylinders, APL Offensive Player of the Year Alex Johnson wasn't asked to do too much, completing 7-of-13 through the air for 73 yards. He was effective using his legs once again though, finding success on several sneaks and running one in from four yards out late in the game. That was his 16th overall touchdown this year, extending SBCC's single-season record to 42 rushing TDs – nine more than the program's previous high of 33 set in 2016.
But, the star of the show was Smith, who capped off his incredible year in the Vaquero backfield with several more electrifying, game-changing moments. He became the first player in program history with two 200-yard rushing games, finishing the year with 1231 yards on the ground, just four shy of Jerry Hughes' single-season record set way back in 1970. He also found the end zone three times to set a new individual program record with 16 rushing touchdowns.
After a solid start by Desert led to a field goal, the Vaqueros leaned on Norfleet during their opening drive, which saw him rack up 24 yards on five touches including the game's first touchdown from two yards out. Smith would get involved on the next possession as kicker Joe Bowman connected from 28 yards out to make it a 10-3 game. The Vaqueros marched back into the red zone on their next drive, but Johnson had his 3rd-and-long pass picked off on an underthrow to the back right pylon.
Despite a valiant effort from Offensive Player of the Game Cesar Vela, Santa Barbara's defense put together a masterful performance, particularly in the first half. The Vaqueros held the Roadrunners to 3-of-14 on third down, forcing two turnovers. Following Johnson's interception, SBCC forced a quick three-and-out and a third consecutive Desert punt which was taken back 31 yards by Kayden Chan to give the home side instant scoring position at the opposition's 28. SBCC ran it five straight times and Smith found the end zone from three yards out for his first of the day.
The Roadrunners found success with a hurry-up offense towards the end of the opening half, getting within one score at 17-10 after Vela evaded the rush and threw a two-yard score with two seconds left. He finished with 252 yards on 25-of-42 passes and two touchdowns.
At the outset of the second half, SBCC received to start what would be a highly significant, tone-setting drive. The Vaqueros ran it on eight of nine plays, including on a pair of 4th-and-1s. Johnson snuck the first one for two yards, and four plays later, Smith broke through the left side of the line and into the open field for a 42-yard touchdown to make it a two-touchdown game once again.
With the score still 24-10 early in the fourth, Smith helped ice the game, breaking out of arm tackles and escaping for another gamebreaking 47-yard TD, his third of the day.
"To be honest, I thought that we would be able to run the ball effectively and that was our goal for the game," Moropoulos said. "Our defense had to really rise up against their offense and they did. Our special teams was again really, really good. Some of our returns got us in great field position. I was really proud of the way everybody executed their assignments."
Linebacker Amir Brown was awarded Beach Bowl Defensive Player of the Game honors as he flew around the field for a game-leading 11 tackles, including one solo stuff in the backfield for a loss of three. Defensive lineman Koby Sarna had two tackles in the backfield, including the game's only sack for a 12-yard loss. Linebackers Kai Singleton and Aneterea Lealao were excellent as well with seven tackles apiece.
"Obviously Amir Brown is outstanding, but it's just the defense as a whole," said Moropoulos. "Their offense was very good and their quarterback is outstanding. He kept plays alive, but our guys just rose up when they needed to, and with a championship type team, that's what you have to do in those kinds of situations. Our defense did, so I'm very proud of their effort."
In his 16th year with the team, and just days after winning his first ever APL Coach of the Year award, Moropoulos becomes SBCC's first head coach ever to win 10 games in a season. The Vaqueros will eventually carry their program record 10-game win streak into the start of the 2023 season, but for now, their focus will be on appreciating the incredible accomplishments of their record-breaking 2022 campaign.
REWRITING HISTORY IN 2022
• Most wins (10)
• Highest win percentage (.909)
• Consecutive wins (10)
• Points in a season (499)
• Scoring average (45.4)
• Single-game points (86 vs. LA Southwest on Sept. 24)
• Single-game rushing yards (260, Brandon Smith at Glendale on Oct. 1)
• Team rushing touchdowns (42)
• Rushing touchdowns (16, Brandon Smith)
• 200-yard rushing games (2, Brandon Smith)
• Program's 300th win (45-7 at Orange Coast on Sept. 10)
• 2nd Bowl Game win, 1st since 1982
• 12th Conference Championship, 1st since 1991
• 2nd-most single-season rushing yards (1231, Brandon Smith)
• 3rd-most single-game team rushing yards (356 at Glendale)
• 3rd-highest yards per punt average (40.4, Brandon Bowers)
