Comets meet ranked Falcons in home finale

2018 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL

 

By Tom Saxe

Special to EastCountySports.com

 

SAN MARCOS (11-02-2018) – Palomar, ranked No. 23 in the state in the JCAB Coaches’ Poll, will host another powerhouse on Saturday at Escondido High’s Chick Embrey Field at Wilson Stadium.

The opponent: one of the nation’s best rushing teams, No. 12-ranked Cerritos.

The Comets will be playing their final home game of the 2018 season. Kickoff for the Central Conference game is slated for 6 p.m. as coach Joe Early’s squad continues its bid to qualify for post-season play in the Southern California Football Association’s National (State Playoff Eligible) Division.

Palomar is coming off a tough loss on the road to State No. 10-ranked El Camino College 42-35 last Saturday night in Torrance.

“We’ve got another big challenge ahead of us,” Early said. “We can’t let the loss to El Camino determine how we play Saturday. Cerritos is the top rushing team in Southern California, so our defense will be really tested, again. The offense needs to help out defense out and score points, and our special teams have to be solid.

“We’re an interception away in two of our losses, to Ventura and El Camino, from being 6-2 on the season.”

Cerritos’ running game features Rhamondre Stevenson, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound sophomore from Centennial High School in Las Vegas who rushed for 215 yards last Saturday in a 36-14 victory over another ranked team, Mt. SAC.

Palomar’s offense features red-shirt freshman quarterback Connor Curry, one of the state’s most dangerous offensive threats both in the air and running the ball.

Defensively, the Comets have been led by linebacker Chris Calhoun, a freshman out of Mission Hills High School.

 

PROBABLE PALOMAR LINE-UPS

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Connor Curry (6-2, 200, Fr., Evangel Christian HS, Shreveport, LA / Ouachita Baptist University)

-or-

Shea Morales (6-4, 210, Fr., Carlsbad HS)

Running Back

Shevell Sterling (5-10, 190, Fr., Grossmont HS)

Fullback

Arnold Yoder (6-1, 260, 260, So., Toledo HS, Toledo, WA / USMC)

Receivers

Logan Gamble (6-6, 200, Fr., St. Anthony HS, Long Beach / Cal)

Malachi Russell (6-0, 160, Fr., El Camino HS)

Mikel Barkley (5-11, 165, Fr., Temecula Great Oak HS)

Bryce Walker (6-0, 180, So., Bartram Trail HS, Jacksonville, FL)

Zack Morel (6-2, 193, So, Vista HS)

Slot Receivers

Devin Nilson (6-0, 187, So., Carlsbad HS)

Johnny Armentrout (5-10, 175, Fr., El Camino HS)

Johnny Arzola (6-0, 195, So., Oceanside HS, Dixie State)

Tight End

William Gonzalez (6-4, 230, Fr., Murrieta Valley HS)

Left Tackle 

Quinton Maxwell (6-3, 340, Fr., King HS, Detroit, MIIsaa)

Left Guard

Francisco Rodriguez (6-4, 300, Fr., Sicks HS, Tampa, FL)

Center

Anthony Escalante (6-2, 240, Fr., Rancho Buena Vista HS)

Right Guard

Braydon Lindholm (6-6, 290, Fr., Moses Lake HS, Moses Lake, WA)

Right Tackle

Will Eoff (6-6, 290, Fr., Vista Murrieta HS)

DEFENSE

End

Isaac Tuia (6-1, 295, Fr., Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV)

End

Jordan Duson (6-1, 240, Fr., Oceanside HS)

Tackle

Koa Evalu-Robinson (6-3, 275, Fr., Lahainaluna HS, Maui, HI)

Tackle 

Nick So’oto (6-2, 300, Fr., Parkway HS, Bossier, LA / Northeastern State)

Linebacker

Spencer Kaoanga (6-1, 220, Fr., Oceanside HS / Air Force Prep)

Linebacker

Chris Calhoun (6-1, 210, Fr. Mission Hills HS)

Cornerback

Jihad Hightower (5-9, 171, Fr., Creekside HS, St. Johns, FL)

Cornerback

Louie Flores (5-10, 180, Fr., Mission Hills HS)

Safety

Jay Craft (5-11, 180, Fr., Cherry Creek HS, Cherry Creek, CO / Kansas State University)

Safety

Giovanni Herrera (5-10, 1195, Fr., Mira Mesa HS)

Safety

Josh Bernard (5-11, 205, So., Oceanside HS)

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kickoffs, PAT’s, FG’s)

Mark Meador (5-8, 147, Fr., Del Norte HS)

Punter

Jacob Stepanek (6-3, 205, Fr., Temescal Canyon HS, Lake Elsinore)

Holder

Jacob Stepanek

Long Snapper

Edwin Vorachack (5-10, 175, Fr., Escondido HS

Kickoff Returners

Lamar Raboteau (5-8, 165, Fr., Mira Mesa HS)

Damon Wigand (5-10, 180, Fr., Mission Hills HS)

Punt Returners

Devin Nilson

Johnny Arzola

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