Monterey Peninsula College's defense held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat Santa Rosa Junior College 19-16 on Saturday, Sept. 12, giving the Lobos their first win of the 2026 season.

MPC entered the road game at 0-2 after losses to Laney College and San Jose City College. The Lobos scored all 19 of their points in the first two quarters, then leaned on their defense to survive a Santa Rosa comeback that cut the margin to three in the fourth quarter, according to the Monterey Herald.

Quarterback Dominic Pierini, who ranked second in the state in passing yardage heading into the game according to a Herald preview, connected on two touchdown passes. He hit receiver Korendus Poe on a 10-yard scoring strike in the first quarter to tie the game at 7. Running back Caden Arsenault then put MPC ahead 13-7 with a rushing touchdown in the second quarter.

Pierini found Nico Downie for a 6-yard touchdown later in the second quarter, pushing the lead to 19-7.

MPC held that 12-point cushion into the fourth quarter. Santa Rosa mounted a late push to pull within 19-16, but the Lobos' defense closed the door. Monterey Herald sports columnist John Devine, reporting from the game on X, described MPC as "turning to its defense" to secure the win.

@johnjdevine: "MPC is back in the win column, turning to its defense in a 19-16 win at Santa Rosa"

The victory snapped a two-game skid for head coach Adrian Gallegos' program. Gallegos was named MPC's permanent head coach on May 27 after serving as interim during the 2025-26 academic year. The Lobos went 7-4 in 2025 and had appeared in six straight bowl games heading into this season, according to the Herald's preseason football tour.

Pierini threw for 432 yards in his first college start during the season-opening loss at Laney and added two touchdown passes against Santa Rosa. The MPC roster also includes linebacker Soakai Funaki, the Herald's 2024 Defensive Player of the Year at Monterey High.

When the college announced Gallegos' permanent appointment in a June statement, he said his focus was on building a program around discipline, accountability, academics and championship-level football. MPC's Week 4 opponent and date had not been announced as of Sunday.