College football: Lobos open season with a 72-point uprising in beating Chabot
MONTEREY — The waves of heat that could be felt coming off the turf did not necessarily have to do with temperatures in the mid 80’s on the field.
That burning sensation under players’ cleats had more to do with Monterey Peninsula College putting together an historic first half in which it scored on eight possessions in erupting for 56 points.
By the time the Lobos put the fire out, the reigning three-time American Golden Coast Conference champions set the tone for what it hopes will be a sign of things to come after a 72-20 win over Chabot at MPC.
Dating back to last season, MPC has won five straight games, with the 56-point first half believed to be the highest point total for a half in school history.
“That was a lot of fun,” MPC coach Ronnie Palmer said. “The offense came out with a lot of fire. There was excitement with a vibe of new players. We put some pieces together.”
In what Palmer called the worst practice of the season on Wednesday, players responded with arguably their best practice 24 hours later, setting the stage for the Lobos highest point total during the Palmer era.
A former linebacker at the University of Arizona, Palmer is 4-0 in season openers since taking the reins at MPC in 2021, having outscored the opposition 172-50.
“I did not know that,” Palmer said.
Having been dropped a division after going 4-26 over the last three seasons in the National Bay 6 Conference, the Gladiators have suffered 14 straight losses dating back to 2022.
Despite having made three straight bowl appearances and having gone 15-1 over the last three years in conference play, MPC did not even earn a vote for honorable mention in the first JC Athletic Bureau Top 25 poll.
“I honestly don’t look at the polls,” Palmer said. “I don’t know if it added juice. I’d say no. We were just excited to play our first game. If you have a pulse, you should be excited.”
Outside of the fantasy type numbers the Lobos put up, their depth was an eye opener as two different quarterbacks rotated in and out in the first half, combining for six touchdowns either through the air or on the ground.
“There is a lot of competitive juices flowing in practice,” Palmer said. “Iron sharpens iron. It’s more about quality than quantity this fall. There is a place for everyone in our system. There will be film to watch where we can learn from.”
Former LSU quarterback Eric Gibson connected with Division I prospect Devin Ellison three times in the first half for touchdowns, while Miekael Brooker had a touchdown pass and two punishing runs into the end zone.
Gibson and Ellison both spent last year at MPC as redshirts.
“Devin is special,” Palmer said. “He’s a talented individual. He was out here every day last year. He was our scout team receiver. He made our DBs better. The eligibility issues weren’t his fault. He’s out to get his this year.”
Coming out with an up-tempo attack, the Lobos moved the ball at will. The only time the offense was stopped came on their opening possession when they fumbled at the 1-yard line.
For all the offensive fireworks through the air that Gibson and Brooker showcased, Kieryus Boone found the end zone twice on the ground, darting 55 yards for one touchdown. He also caught a touchdown pass in the onslaught.
That depth that Palmer raved about before the season was on display on the defensive side as he rotated players in and out. Pacific Grove graduate Noah Garry and Hollister product Jayden Friedt each had picks to set up touchdowns.
Garry was beast at linebacker, anchoring a unit that forced six turnovers, including a pick six from Nick Tsaboukos, staking MPC to a 72-13 lead with 11 plus minutes left in the game.
“I think both sides feed off each other’s energy,” Palmer said. “I’m in the moment. So, I look at us as a team. Special teams was big as well today. Sometimes defense sets up scores. We get a turnover and two plays later we’re finding the end zone.”
The celebration will be brief as the Lobos will get reacquainted with Los Medanos next Saturday in Pittsburg. The two teams haven’t played each other since 2021, when MPC posted a 35-12 win.
The Mustangs opened the season with a 31-16 decision over conference rival Cabrillo.
“It’s a very talented bunch,” Palmer said. “They throw the ball all over the place. They had the best passing offense in our level last year. And they are 1-0.”
