CC: Olympians stop Gauchos after half

ECS staff writer

KEARNY MESA —- Throughout the 20th Century, San Diego Mesa College was known as the school with All-America quarterbacks. During one particular five-year span, the Olympians saw four signal-callers — Steve Fairchild (twice), Matt Kofler, and Tony Riccidulli — cited among the nation’s best by J.C. Grid-Wire.

Not anymore, as Mesa is quickly transforming to one of the CCCAA’s leaders on defense.

For the third time in six starts this season, Mesa shut out its opponent in the second half, including Saturday’s (ct. 16) 31-14 decision over visiting Saddleback College of Mission Viejo in a National Conference/Southern Division ballgame at Merrill Douglas Stadium.

In capturing its division opener, Mesa (5-1 overall) is tied for second place with Fullerton, both a half-game behind front-running Golden West (5-1, 2-0), which smashed Southwestern, 45-0.

Even at 14-all at halftime, the Olympians’ first drive of the second half resulted in a go-ahead, 32-yard field goal by Dominic Camacho.

That’s when Saddleback hit a wall on offense, thanks to defender Julian Sanderlin, a sophomore out of Grossmont High, who recorded back-to-back big plays.

Sanderlin, a defensive lineman, registered an interception, returning the ball for a short 3-yard touchdown and a 24-14 cushion.

The next Gauchos drive ended on a third-down sack by Sanderlin, forcing a punt.

Two drives later, Mesa quarterback Gunnar Gray, found receiver Noah Araujo for a 29-yard score to put away the victory.

In the second half, Saddleback collected just 110 yards against Mesa’s defense, most of it coming after the Olympians held a double-digit lead.

In the first half, Saddleback scored twice within a 2:17 span of the second quarter on a pair of Drew Nash touchdown passes. covering 24 and 58 yards. However, take away both long pass plays and the Gauchos mounted a mere 248 yards for the contest.

However, Nash fumbled on the next drive, with the loose ball recovered by defensive lineman Ezra Christens to set up Mesa at the Gauchos-40. The ensuing 8-play drive was capped on an 8-yard TD gallop by Cael Patterson.

Mesa’s leading tackler was Kuino Makihele with five solo stops, followed by Willie Blanco and Charles Scott with four tackles each.

GOLDEN WEST 45, SOUTHWESTERN 0

CHULA VISTA —- Despite the recent success of Southwestern College football, every once in a while, you lay an egg.

This was the case Saturday (Oct. 16), when Golden West College of Huntington Beach surfed away with a one-sided 45-0 decision over the Jaguars at DeVore Stadium.

For the Jags, it was their biggest setback since dropping the 2015 opener to Grossmont, 52-10. And the school’s first loss by shutout in more than a decade.

The Rustlers (5-1 overall, 1-0 conference), the preseason favorite to capture the National Conference/Southern Division race, limited Southwestern (2-3, 0-1) to a mere 150- yards in total offense.

Golden West mounted a 17-0 halftime lead, then scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to trigger the romp, defeating Southwestern for the third straight season since the programs were realigned into the same conference in 2018.

Golden West quarterback Jake Retzlaff, from Corona Centennial, was impressive. He passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Tanner Branson.

Rustler receiver Nick Kennewell got open for seven receptions for 148 yards and the other TD reception.

Retzlaff rumbled in for one of three Rustler rushing touchdowns.

The Rustlers made a goal-line stop in the fourth quarter to keep the goose egg on the scoreboard.

Southwestern had three quarterbacks see action, including freshman Jaylin Crowell, who was making his debut.

Donnel Frazier had an interception for the Jaguars

Jaheem Williams had seven solo tackles, including one for loss, and a pass breakup for the Jags.

David Hafoka had a sack for Southwestern.