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The Grossmont Griffins' football team has been leading the
charge of various Grossmont athletic teams and individuals
into the post-season playoffs.
In the first playoff game the Griffins beat Glendale College
41-10 at their home field. Next, they faced unbeaten El
Camino, the No. 1-ranked community college team, not only in
California, but in the nation.
El Camino, flashing its reputation, jumped out to a 19-0
lead, but it was just the Griffins playing their usual first
half. As has happened several times this season, the
Griffins took awhile to catch fire, but when they did, they
shocked El Camino, 52-43, with a balanced offense, led by
quarterback Reilly Murphy and running back Derrell Hutsona,
and an aggressive defense.
The upset earned the Griffins a spot in the Southern
California championship Dec. 3 opposite College of the
Canyons, the only team to defeat Grossmont this season.
That was a 22-32 game in September. The Cougars, 12-0 this
season, were the state community college champions last
year.
In a cold and windy night game in Santa Clarita, the
Griffins bested the Cougars with a 29-24 victory to give
them a shot at the state championship Dec. 10 in Fresno
versus City College of San Francisco, another perennial top
contender.
In the game for the state championship the Griffins led from
the start. Their defense, although weakened by injuries,
held off a final charge by City College of San Francisco
offense in the final minute to hold onto the 41-38 lead at
the end of the 4th quarter. The Griffins are now ranked No.
1 nationally by JC Gridwire!
And that's not all: the Grossmont men's water polo team won
the Pacific Coast Conference championship and Coach Brian
Harvey was named conference coach of the year. The Griffins
dropped out of the state playoffs with a 17-8 first-round
loss to top-seeded Golden West.
The women's soccer team also won a PCC championship before
losing a playoffs match to L.A. Pierce, 1-0. Grossmont
finished the season with a 20-4 record, its best in 11
years. The team was ranked eighth in Southern
California. In statewide rankings, they are fourth in
offense and seventh in defense. Howard Hawver is the head
coach.
In women's cross-country, Grossmont's Terry Izaguirre
qualified for the state meet in Fresno and finished 65th in
a field of 200.
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