For most student-athletes that compete at the community college level, they experience something that is highly rare both academically and athletically. While being challenged in the classroom and learning to balance the high demands of education and athletics, student-athletes hit their respected paying field amongst the top competition in the state. The primary goal is the transfer to a top-notch, four-year institution that can offer a solid education and allow them to play on a grand stage. For five former Long Beach City College Viking football players, that peak has finally been reached.

Five former Viking football student-athletes were a part of high-profile, Division-I bowl games over the past weeks that included Josh Fatu (University of Southern California), DeQuan Hampton (University of Southern California), and Matt Boesen (Texas Christian University), London Iakopo (University of Louisville), and Keanu Hill (University of Tulsa).

Fatu and Hampton both saw action in the historical 2017 Rose Bowl, as they helped aid a come-from-behind, 52-49 victory over the No. 5 Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions. Hampton was targeted once, while Fatu saw time on the defensive side of the pigskin.

Fatu finished the season with 21 tackles, one sack, and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Hampton scored a pair of touchdowns on the year that complimented seven grabs for 73 yards in 13 games played.

Boesen, the former Southern California Football Association (SCFA) Central Division Defensive Player of the Year, lined up on the defense end of the field and assisted on one tackle in the 2017 Liberty Bowl. TCU fell to University of Georgia despite holding a two-point, third-quarter lead. Boesen finished the season with 29 tackles, six sacks, and eight tackles for loss. Furthermore, he forced two fumbles.

Iakopo was part of Louisville's squad prior to suffering an injury early in the season. Louisville suffered a 29-9 loss in the 2017 Citrus Bowl.

Hill suffered an injury as well and was unable to compete in the latter half of the season that included a 55-10 victory over the Central Michigan Chippewas in the 2017 Miami Beach Bowl. He finished the season with 20 tackles and one forced fumble.