PASADENA, Calif. - A slow start for Santa Ana Football resulted in a 55-35 loss to the Pasadena City Lancers (1-0) in their 2023 season opener on Friday night. 

The Dons (0-1) faced a 24-0 deficit in the first quarter before finally answering on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Dallen Engemann to Malachi Pierce. 

Pasadena City tacked on another three points on a field goal to end the quarter with a 27-7 lead. 

In the second quarter, PCC extended their lead early on as they scored touchdowns on their first two drives to go up 41-7 at the 5:30 mark. 

But the Dons would not go away easily, responding with a touchdown of their own on the next drive. The duo of Engemann and Pierce connected for a 49-yard touchdown for yet another big play. 

After a couple stops from both teams the Dons broke through again when Engemann found Cannon King for a 53-yard score, cutting the lead to 41-21 about a minute before halftime. 

With the momentum now in their favor, SAC came out of the break and executed on the initial drive. The Dons used 10 plays and went 75 yards with Pierce catching a nine yard pass to conclude the drive to make it a 41-28 game. 

Unfortunately for the Dons, the Lancers finally made some adjustments to weather the storm soon after. PCC only needed one play to score on the ensuing drive to push the lead back up to 19 (47-28). 

The offense for both teams struggled following that until Santa Ana's Jackson Smith broke free for a 76-yard touchdown pass from Engemann to bring the deficit back down to 12 (47-35). 

Pasadena City kept the Dons at bay for the rest of the game as they held them scoreless while adding on a touchdown to end the game with a 55-35 lead. 

Engemann finished the day with 381 passing yards and five touchdowns but was troubled by errant throws with five interceptions on the day. In limited time, Beck Moss went 6-9 for 52 yards in the air.

Malachi Pierce was a standout receiver for the Dons as the freshman from Edison High recorded 138 yards for three touchdowns on five catches. Sophomore receiver Cannon King added five catches of his own while going just over the 100 yard mark with a touchdown. 

On the defensive end of the ball, Cole Miller was making plays all over the field.  The freshman linebacker out of Norco collected six tackles with 1.5 sacks and picked up his first interception of the season. 

Dudley Mesilien and Blaze Iglesias had six tackles a piece while Alijah Sadler and Ethan Orona put up four a piece. In addition, Gabriel Magana totalled three tackles and grabbed his first interception of the year and the fourth of his SAC career.

The Dons will get a chance to recover before hosting LA Southwest College next Saturday, September 9th at 1:00 p.m.