Glendale Spoils Mesa Homecoming, 35-24

  Mesa, AZ - A fourth-quarter rally by previously winless Glendale sent the Mesa Homecoming crowd home unhappy Saturday in a 35-24 loss to the Gauchos.

  The T-Birds (4-3, 2-2) took a 24-21 lead into the final period but were unable to stop GCC (1-6, 1-2) which scored 21 unanswered points after MCC grabbed a 24-14 lead in the third period of the WSFL contest.

  Late in the third quarter Glendale's Taylor Flame scoed on a one-yard run to draw the Gauchos within 24-21 and begin the scoring run. 

  After an interception of a Christian Lopez pass by Rashie Hodges, GCC took the lead to stay, 28-24, on a third and nine pass from Akil Abdullah to Jared Beamon. The Gauchos then stretched their lead to 35-24 with 7:34 to play when Abdullah raced across from three yards out after another interception.

  The night began well for MCC which took a 10-0 lead just five minutes into the game.

  First, Aaron Aros connected on a 37-yard field goal after a Mesa interception. Then, when GCC could go nowhere on its next possession, Eric Marsh recovered a block punt in the end zone to give MCC a quick, 10-0, margin.

  Glendale battled back as Abdullah scampered 30 yards to cut the deficit to three, but the T-Birds quickly answered as Lopez connected with Sonnie Richardson with just six seconds left on the halftime clock to find Mesa ahead, 17-7. 

  After the break, GCC scored first on a five-yard TD by Addullah on its first possession. This time MCC answered on a thrilling, 17-yard run by Lopez that put MCC back on top, 24-14. However, those would be Mesa's final points.

  The T-Birds get a week off to re-group before hosting Scottsdale at John D. Riggs Stadium on Oct. 28.