JC FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Citrus Coach Given Warm Homecoming by Glendale

Glendale College provided no hats or noisemakers when former Vaquero assistant John Rome made his head-coaching debut for Citrus College in a nonconference game Saturday at Glendale High, but the Vaqueros didn’t skimp on the gifts at Rome’s homecoming party.

Glendale gave Citrus a 14-10 victory, its first in an opener since 1981 and its first over Glendale since the series resumed in 1992.

“As much as we wanted to win our first game, I am happy for him,” Glendale Coach John Cicuto said of Rome.

Glendale gained more yards than the Owls, 308-194, but started the gift-giving on its first possession. Neal Sowter’s pass to Wayne Vaughn on a fake punt gained only one yard, giving Citrus the ball on the Vaquero 39-yard line.

The Owls scored eight plays later on Wharlest Jackson’s one-yard run.

Danny Allan’s 31-yard field goal in the second quarter and Ramone Archie’s five-yard scoring run in the third gave Glendale a 10-7 lead.

The advantage could have been bigger, but twice after Glendale moved inside the Citrus 20, Allan missed field-goal attempts, from 25 and 34 yards.

Citrus scored the winning points with 5 minutes 32 seconds left in the game when freshman quarterback James Free engineered a 10-play, 65-yard drive. Jackson, who carried only five times for 11 yards, capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run.

Free completed 12 of 20 passes for 115 yards with one interception.

Archie gained 90 yards in 23 carries. Greg Marquez completed six of 13 for 88 yards with one interception, and Aryan Hart, who split time with Marquez, completed six of 10 for 64 yards with one interception.

Kevin Kefvonbaker had five receptions for 46 yards.