The Long Beach City College football team has nearly completed its climb back to the top. The team won conference championships in 2016 and 2017 before losing hold of the crown in 2018. Saturday night, the Vikings clinched at least a share of a conference title with a thrilling 32-24 win on the road over College of the Canyons.
Next Saturday night against Ventura at home, the Vikings (7-2) will try to win the conference outright. A win would not only give them that honor, it would also put LBCC into the state playoffs, according to head coach Brett Peabody.
LBCC led 26-10 in the fourth quarter and looked headed for a win. But Canyons scored with eight minutes left and got the two-point conversion to make it a one-score game. Canyons would score again with 2:49 left, but missed the two-point conversion that time.
LBCC quickly scored on a bruising run from Talaun Patton, but when the extra point was failed, it put them in a bad spot–still up eight, but now kicking it back to Canyons. A long kick return initially looked like it was a touchdown, but the officials ruled the Canyons returner out at the six. Two plays later, LBCC grabbed an interception and then kneeled out the clock to win it.
Derrach West threw for two touchdowns, both to Zack Leets, and ran for another. Leets had seven catches for 150 yards and the pair of scores.
Linebacker D’Anthony Jones had an incredibly special game. He had a team-high eight tackles, along with two sacks and three interceptions.
The Vikings’ championship game at Vets on Saturday will kick off at 6 p.m.
