Gladiators to host DVC on Saturday!
After averaging 34 points over five nonconference games, the Chabot College football team, featuring freshman dual-threat quarterback Chayce Akaka, has every reason to feel confident heading into Bay 6 Conference play this week.
But there's still a lot of heavy lifting remaining.
Chabot (4-1) will open against East Bay-rival Diablo Valley (2-3) at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 at Gladiator Stadium.
Fresh off a bye week, Chabot has impeccable balance on offense, averaging 221.4 yards rushing and 229.8 passing.
The DVC Vikings are coming off a 38-30 victory over winless San Joaquin Delta. DVC's Rai-Shyan Alexander and Ray Jackson combined for more than 300 yards rushing and two TDs in the victory.
There are no soft touches in the powerful Bay 6, which had four teams ranked in the top 5 of the CCCSIA state poll on Oct. 1: No. 6 Laney, No. 7 CCSF, No. 10 Santa Rosa, College of San Mateo, ranked No. 11. and No. 15 Chabot.
The Gladiators, who have their best record through five games since 2010, are also ranked 11th in the JC Athletic Bureau poll of coaches.
Akaka is ranked No. 2 in the conference in passing yards with 218.0 and touchdown completions with 13. He also ranks seventh in the conference in rushing yards with 267 (53.4 per game). Chabot's Povone Veimau is eighth in rushing with 257 yards.
Traveon Auzenne is No. 5 in the conference in receptions with 24 and in average receiving yards with 73.8, but he tops the Bay 6 with seven TD catches (tied for No. 2 in the state). Chabot's Chris Washington is No. 1 in the conference in kick return yards with 152, averaging 30.2 over five attempts.
On defense, Chabot's Devon Vaenuku is No. 5 in the conference in average tackles per game, 7.2. He's fourth in total tackles with 36, one spot ahead of Le-Anthony Grey (30 tackles). Chabot is allowing an average of just 106.0 yards rushing per game.