Comets edge Canyons; Jaguars allow 63

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: September 26, 2022

Palomar's Dorian Richardson carries on Saturday night. / Hugh Cox

2022 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Palomar 31, Coll. of the Canyons 24 (OT)

ESCONDIDO — Palomar College running back Dorian Richardson scored three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in overtime, pacing the Comets past visiting College of the Canyons, 31-24, in Saturday’s (Sept. 24) non-conference game at Escondido High School.

Palomar (3-1 overall) blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter but held the Cougars off the scoreboard in the extra period to escape with the victory.

Canyons (2-2) opened the scoring, but Palomar ran off 24 consecutive points to seize control. However, the Cougars answered with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, then kicker Ty Morriison booted a 25-yard field goal with 0:07 left in regulation.

Richardson scored from the Canyons-3 to tie the game early in the second quarter, then scored from the 3 early in the second half for a 21-7 cushion.

However, a key point came minutes later when Canyons stopped Palomar depp inside the red zone, so the Comets settled for a 28-yard – Landon Ogles field goal. The boot left the Cougars just close enough to force overtime.

Richardson, not the regular back who specializes in goal line situations, carried just seven times for 11 yards, yet scored three touchdowns. The OT TD came on a fourth-down conversion.

Canyons answered with an OT first down, but quarterback Bryce Dickson was sacked on first and third down by, respectively, Palomar’s (Eric Russell (7-yard loss) and Nate Frankfather (17 yards).

Finally, on fourth down, Dickson was again forced to scramble and run out of bounds after a 7-yard gain, yet still needing 20 additional yards.

The leading Palomar ball-carrier was quarterback Kiah Reid (9-49), while gaining 162 yards on 17-for-28 passing.

SUMMARY
COMETS 31, COUGARS 324 (OT)
Coll.of the Canyons (2-2)..   7  0  0 17 0 - 24
Palomar College (3-1).........0 14 10  0 7 - 31
C - Anthony Spearman 33 run (Ty Morrison kick)
P - Dorian Richardson 3 run (Landon Ogles kick)
P - Ka'alei Apana 11 pass from Kiah Reid (Ogles kick)
P - Richardson 1 run (Ogles kick)
P - FG Ogles 28
C - Spearman 3 run (Morrison kick)
C - Bryce Dickson 1 run (Morrison kick)
C - FG Morrison 25, 0:07 left
Overtime
P - Richardson 1 run (Ogles kick)

Cerritos 63, Southwestern 24

CHULA VISTA – Southwestern College had a season-best offensive output but Cerritos College scored six touchdowns through the air but added a pair of interception returns for touchdowns in a 63-24 win over the host Jaguars at DeVore Stadium on Saturday night.

Southwestern had over 400 yards of total offense after really struggling to get moving in the first three games of the season, which were all losses.

The surprising part may have been that the Jaguars passed for 354 yards. Former Helix quarterback Daniel Amon threw a pair of touchdown passes.

Jaguar receivers Jo’Vahn Young and Xavier Alvarado were on the receiving end of the scoring throws. The pair combined for 11 receptions for 200 yards.

Casjuan Mason rushed for the touchdown for Southwestern (0-4).

Julian Acosta added a 40-yard field goal for the Jags.

Southwestern trailed 63-10 entering the fourth quarter.

The win improves the Falcons’ record to 4-0 for the first time since 2010, while the 63 points were the most since a 68-49 victory over Palomar College in 2019. The Falcons are looking for their first 5-0 start since they went 8-0 in 2009.

After freshman free safety Evan Rodriguez stepped in front of an Ethan Henry pass and raced it back 37 yards for a touchdown, Cerritos held a 35-3 lead early in the third quarter.

After the defense held the Jaguars (0-4), the offense took over at the Southwestern 40-yard line. Freshman running back Marcus Minor broke off a 36-yard run on the first play from scrimmage before backup freshman quarterback Aiden Sanchez connected with freshman wide receiver Michael Bruner at the back of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown. Sophomore kicker Moz Bojorquez converted one of his nine extra points for a 42-3 advantage.

On the next possession by Southwestern, sophomore cornerback AJ Hernandez picked off a Henry pass and went untouched 20 yards into the end zone for the second Falcons interception for a touchdown.

To make matters worse, the Jaguars fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Cerritos had the ball at their opponent’s 13-yard line. On the second play of the drive, Sanchez, who threw three touchdown passes in relief, hit freshman wide receiver Dillon Laurer from 12 yards out and put the Falcons in front, 56-3.

The lopsided score allowed the coaching staff to go deep into its bench. After the Jaguars scored their first touchdown of the game, Cerritos came right back and started in plus territory after sophomore Travys Davis returned the kickoff 52 yards to the Southwestern 44-yard line.

A pair of Minor rushes were sandwiched a 16-yard reception by Bruner. Sanchez finished his night by finding freshman tight end Emmanuel McNeal (Long Beach Millikan HS), who went up above the Southwestern defenders and pulled down a 13-yard touchdown pass.

Sophomore starting quarterback Jordan Simpson played the first half and got the scoring started with three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown before making way for Sanchez. Simpson finished the night 10-of-16 for 225 yards, while Sanchez was good on 6-of-8 passes for 65 yards, with the two combining for six scoring passes.

Sophomore running back Davon Booth had the night off, with Minor (74 yards) and Davis (67 yards) leading the ground game.

Freshman wide receiver Jaceon Doss caught a pair of long touchdown passes from Simpson in the first half, with the first going for 66 yards and the second for 30 yards, as he pulled in four passes for 103 yards. Freshman Tyron Bates may have only caught one pass, but it went for 69 yards and a touchdown.

It was a collective defensive effort for the Falcons, with five different players turning in four tackles, with freshman free safety Chandler Nixon adding a 38-yard interception to go with his four stops. Freshmen Ronal Tebu, Jr. and Samson Tupuola each had half a quarterback sack to combine with their four tackles, while the defense combined for four quarterback sacks on the night.

The 63 points allowed by Southwestern were the most since yielding 65 toCollege of the Desert in 2007.