www.elvaq.com
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
17
SPORTS
Quarterback Kevin Hunter Carries On Family Tradition By Marlon Miranda
EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR
H
aving both a father and an uncle who were talented quarterbacks could be too much pressure for the average player, but for Kevin Hunter, it made him stronger and motivated him to make his own mark. “By the second grade, I knew I wanted to play as a quarterback. Having my dad and uncle around helped me understand football in a different manner,” said Hunter. “My dad coached the Burbank High School team and my uncle was the starting quarterback at GCC.” The turning point in Hunter’s career came when he played a high school game at the Rose Bowl. A childhood dream became a passion when he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. Hunter’s football IQ and leadership abilities can be seen on and off the field. He can be seen talking to his skilled players on the sideline or coaching up the second string quarterback. He congratulates his offensive line
after every series. Quarterback Coach Kevin Mills knows there is no denying the presence that Hunter brings to a football team. He has been coaching Hunter for one year and has been impressed by his growth. “In one reason he has grown, the way the team believes in him shows his leadership abilities,” said Mills. One of Hunter’s football mentors was Tim Loock, who helped Hunter develop the mental stability he is well-known for on the football field. Loock was an All-League wide receiver for Burbank High who later became a volunteer football coach. As a coach, Loock showed Hunter the way of controlling emotions and staying calm. “I owe a lot of my attitude to Tim Loock. He was always there for me and was always calming me down when I would lose my cool,” said Hunter. GCC head coach John Rome thinks highly of Hunter. Rome knew that Hunter had intangibles that cannot be learned, you can
only be born with them. “He is a fantastic young man. He has an excellent grade point average. With that type of intelligence it is easy to understand why he has great composure,” said Rome. Hunter was having an exceptional season until his injury, which occurred when his pass was intercepted. The defensive player was running back to score a touchdown. Hunter went from quarterback to linebacker and cracked the defensive player. The tackle caused the player to flip in the air, and also left Hunter a twoinch laceration in his liver and a hip contusion. Hunter has missed numerous games since his injury. He will make his return on Oct. 29 against Santa Barbara. His biggest love is football and he dreams of one day being a quarterback in the NFL. Being injured has been tough on Hunter but he has made the best of it by showing up every week and traveling with the team and becoming an extension to the
Photo by Senyeda Rodriguez
KEVIN HUNTER: Serious injuries have waylaid the Vaquero quarterback, but he’s hoping to return strong.
head coach. “In life and in football. No matter what happens, you have to keep everything on a level field.
Always keep your cool and stay composed,” said Hunter. Marlon Miranda can be reached at MMIRAND721@student.glendale.edu
Team Stymied by Injury of Star Quarterback By Marlon Miranda
EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR
T
he Vaqueros remained winless as they fell 35-13 to West Los Angeles College on Saturday at Glendale. Pre-game injuries forced GCC to convert Anthony Carter from wideout to quarterback. “I would say it was a fun experience but it is never fun to lose,” said Carter. Carter completed nine passes for 77-yards and threw one interception. West LA put eight players in the box and forced GCC to throw the ball. Carter, under constant pressure, threw the ball and connected with Timothy Broughton for a 52yard strike. “The coaches did their job, I felt comfortable but I wish I would have played better,” said Carter. Joseph Wiggan scored on a 19-yard run in the middle of the second quarter, giving the Vaqueros the lead. Wiggan ran for 145
yards and a touchdown. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of his last three games. Seconds after scoring a touchdown, GCC wasn’t even done celebrating when West LA ran back the kickoff for a touchdown and retook the lead. Head coach John Rome was livid after the play. “It was the turning-point of the game,” said Rome. “Giving up a touchdown, immediately after scoring, knocked the wind out of our football team.” The Vaqueros didn’t score in the second half, allowing 28 unanswered points. West LA stacked the line with eight players, and on occasion 10. GCC was forced to become one-dimensional due to injuries, and was forced to keep running the ball. Ronnie Marquez, an offensive lineman, felt that the offensive line did a great job protecting and opening up holes for the running backs. They only gave up one sack and had no fumbles. “Inside the trenches we did a
great job, our running game is always solid. We had to depend too much on the run. It made us less effective,” said Marquez. Timothy Broughton had 102 total yards and averaged four yards per carry. He knew he was in for a long night, but he wasn’t discouraged and welcomed the challenge. “They [West LA] knew we had
a new quarterback,” said Broughton. “They were stacking the box. We played a hell of a game. There is no crying; you just have to go out there and play hard.” The Vaqueros’ next game is away against Santa Barbara. Injured quarterback Kevin Hunter has been cleared to play by his doctors. With three games left in the
season, the Vaqueros are looking to finish strong. “With Hunter returning, we will be able to go back to being a multiple dimensional offense,” said Rome. “Defenses won’t be able to stack the line and we can spread the ball around.” Marlon Miranda can be reached at MMIRAND721@student.glendale.edu
Photo by Senyeda Rodriguez
BREAKING FREE: Joseph Wiggan runs for a touchdown to give the Vaqueros a temporary lead.