The Chabot College football team took advantage of numerous breaks in its National-Valley Conference opener against perennial power Fresno City.
The host Gladiators turned three miscues into 14 points en route to a 27-13 win over the Rams.
Amu Aukusitino had a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown as Chabot (2-4, 1-0) scored 21 points in the final four minutes of the first quarter and never looked back in its second straight win after four consecutive losses.
"Opening conference play with a win against a team like Fresno was huge for us," Chabot coach Danny Calcagno said. "We've typically played stronger in the the second half of our schedule.
Sophomore receiver Alan Busey, who looks to be 100 percent after a hamstring injury kept him out early in the season, caught a pair of 27-yard touchdown passes for the Gladiators.
Also, 5-foot-8 freshman running back De'Angelo Stubbs, an Irvington High graduate, battled for a game-high 88 yards on 32 carries.
"(De'Angelo) isn't the biggest guy out there but he has a lot of heart and that showed tonight," Calcagno added. "Our offensive line did a great job in opening some holes for out offense."
The Gladiators defense dominated most of the game after giving up an average of 27.8 points coming in. Chabot forced four turnovers and freshman lineman Aaron Andrews (Granada) had another sack and now has 8.5 on the season.
"Even with the rain we did so much better swarming to the ball and gang tackling," Andrews said. "We were able to make some plays where our offense could take advantage, and that was the key."
Early on both teams had trouble holding onto the ball in the stormy weather until the Gladiators defense made the first critical play on the night.
Facing a third-and-4 from their own 41, Rams signal-caller Anthony Monken tried to set up a screen to Briquez Alvies, but Aukusitino read the play perfectly, intercepting the pass and returning it 40 yards for a Gladiators 7-0 lead.
The Gladiators then recovered their ensuing pooch kickoff at the Rams 30. Two players later, quarterback Jack Moroney (Amador Valley) lofted a pass down the right sideline that was tipped by Fresno's Craig Williams, but the deflection went right to Busey in the end zone for a 27-yard scoring pass and a 14-0 Chabot advantage just 28 seconds later.
Alvies got Fresno (3-3, 0-1) on the board on a 3-yard sweep after Zimmerman hit Ian Charles for a 61-yard connection with 1:05 left in the first.
Chabot quickly responded as Moroney capped a quick 64-yard drive in five plays drive, once again finding Busey in the end zone for his fourth touchdown reception of the season.
The rest of the game belonged to the Gladiators defense as they forced a fumble and two three-and-outs to close out the half. Overall the Gladiators gave up just 289 total yards.
Kicker Ivan Flores kicked field goals of 29 and 42 yards for Chabot. The Gladiators continue conference action on Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at San Joaquin Delta College.
-- Tony Gonsalez
