Tough defense ignited the City College football team giving head coach Reggie Bolton his first win this season beating Pasadena City College Saturday and breaking a year long losing streak.

“The defense is a unit, not just one person, we do it together” said defensive tackle Casey Tiumalu. “We just need to put the ball in the hands of the offense and just keep ballin’.”

Tiumalu, along with high school teammate lineman Mark Fuimaono, have been causing a ruckus in opponents’ backfields.

Saturday the offense came alive. Quarterback Justin Lucas hit tight end Lear Kruse for the early lead, and the first touchdown of the season.

“We handled the ball very well, the running game took off,” said Bolton. “We controlled the time of possession, which allowed our defense to stay rested.”

With the game tied 7-7 in the fourth quarter Ferrari Welsh intercepted a ball and took it back for six.

After being penalized for excessive celebration, the extra point was missed yet it didn’t matter at that point of the game.

The two-headed rushing attack of Reggie Frazier and Tony Wallace started to show some bite, setting up Lucas to throw the strike into the end zone.

“We got to run the ball effectively,” said Bolton. “A solid running game sets up the pass.” The season has just begun, and a win means progress for the players and coaching staff.

“With the game on the line, the offense made plays that allowed us to win,” Bolton said. “Hopefully that will get things rolling.”

After the monumental win, the Vaqueros quickly forgot their 11-0 season opening loss to Orange Coast at La Playa Stadium on September 3.

The combination of penalties and turnovers plagued the Vaqueros, giving away priceless points and field position to the visiting Bucs.

“Penalties and turnovers killed us,” said Bolton whose team is young consisting of 65 freshmen on a team of 89.

After the opening loss, Coach Bolton rallied his troops on the field and told them to listen. Orange Coast College was celebrating.

“Remember this feeling,” said Bolton. “This is our field. I want you to think about that.”

The players thought about it all week and came out against Pasadena with passionate vengeance.

The win broke a ten game losing streak stretching all the way back to last year. But most important of all, it injected a boost of confidence in a team that was heading down a familiar road.

City College defense has been an impenetrable shield of red only allowing ten points in two games.

The Vaqueros start conference games this Saturday, 4p.m. at La Playa stadium. They will play Allan Hancock College, the sixth ranked junior college team in the nation.