A good offense ran roughshod over a good defense Saturday night.

Glendale's defense had allowed an average of just 276 yards a game going in. Hancock's offense, averaging 419 yards a game before kickoff at Righetti High School's Warrior Stadium, had 274 yards by the end of the first quarter.

The Bulldogs also had 28 points by then. The Vaqueros had none. Hancock rolled to a 55-27 Northern Division win on Halloween and wound up with 505 yards of total offense.

"That was our best first quarter of the year, no doubt about it," said Hancock offensive tackle James George. He and the rest of the Bulldogs line opened some massive holes for Hancock's running backs as the Bulldogs rolled to a 49-13 halftime lead.

Bulldogs wide receiver Marquelo Suel, Hancock's Player of the Game, caught seven passes a total of 150 yards. He caught touchdown passes of 56 yards from starting quarterback Gunnar Jespersen and four yards from backup Greg Draper. That last score, with 1:22 left in the third quarter, put the Bulldogs ahead 55-13.

Fullback Mario Jones has spent a lot of time opening holes for Hancock's tailbacks. He had some glory Saturday night. He burst to a score from 21 yards out, then smashed through three would-be tackles for a 17-yard scoring play after catching a Jespersen pass.

"That was nice," Jones said after getting to the end zone twice himself after helping others get there so often this year.

Glendale dropped to 0-4, 3-5. Hancock (4-1, 8-1) rolled to its third straight convincing win. "Every game is like a playoff game for us now," Suel said afterward.

That will be especially true next Saturday night. The Bulldogs play their regular season finale at Ventura (3-1 in the Northern Division after a 34-0 loss to first-place Bakersfield Saturday).

If the Bulldogs win, they do no worse than second place in the division and should clinch a state playoff berth. If they lose, their post-season prospects are uncertain.

Hancock coach Kris Dutra and his players like the position their team is in after the Bulldogs ran for 283 yards and Jespersen passed for 218 more against Glendale.

"We're all clicking, the line, our quarterback, our defense - everybody," said George.

Dutra said, "We seem to be peaking at the right time. This group is a very special group of guys. They are extremely fun to coach."

Linebacker Brennan Locker helped Hancock's defense keep the Vaqueros' offense, despite 135 yards and two touchdowns from hard-running Glendale back Will Youngblood, from being a factor until the outcome had been decided.

The outcome was decided in the first quarter.

Suel made a leaping catch for a 50-yard gain to the Glendale nine on the third play of the game. That set up Ryan Anglin's nine-yard touchdown run the next play.

Anglin ran through a big hole for a 64-yard touchdown run shortly thereafter. Jespersen and Suel hooked up for their 56-yard scoring play with just 5:19 gone in the game. Dan Kekoanui scored Hancock's last first-quarter touchdown on a seven-yard run.

"They were playing man-to-man," pass coverage, said Suel. Jespersen still found gaps in Glendale's coverage.

"It feels like Gunnar and I have been playing together for five years, and it's been less than one," said Suel. "The chemistry between us is that good."

Suel, a sophomore from Fort Wayne, Ind., said Jespersen, a sophomore who graduated from Atascadero High School, "is the best quarterback I've ever played for."

Anglin made it a three-touchdown night for himself with a three-yard run in the third quarter. Anglin, Hancock's rushing leader, totaled 115 yards on 18 carries.

Hancock ran for a lot of its yards behind George, guard Dante Moses and center Tyler Vogt. Moses went down with what looked like an ankle injury in the second half.

"He might be available next week," said Dutra. "We can do other things besides run, though. It's nice to have some depth there."

The Bulldogs came up with two Glendale turnovers, including one fumble. Daniel Webb intercepted a pass.

Eight penalties against them in the first half hardly slowed the Bulldogs. Hancock was penalized just twice in the second half.

It was a rough night all around for the Vaqueros. A Glendale assistant coach was ejected in the second half and escorted from the premises.