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JC ROUNDUP: Bobcats hold despite Mesa’s 95-yard punt return

2024 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL

 

East County Sports staff report

Saddleback 26, San Diego Mesa 24

Jalil Tucker

KEARNY MESA – A school record-tying 95-yard punt return by Jalil Tucker moved 5th-ranked San Diego Mesa back into position to register a wild comeback victory, but 14th-ranked Saddleback held on for a 26-24 win in National Conference South Division football action Saturday (Oct. 5) at Merrill Douglas Stgadium.

The visiting Bobcatsd mounted a 17-0 halftime lead, but Mesa fought back to within 23-17.

A Saddleback field goal pusher the margin to 26-17, then a late Bobats punt would pin Mesa inside its own 10-yard line with just over a minute remaining.

However, Tucker, a sophomore out of Lincoln High, raced the distance for the touchdown with 1:04 left, trimming the deficit to two points following the PAT kick.

The Olympians attempted on onsides kick, but Saddleback recovered the ensuing kickoff before finishing off the contest in vicvtory formation.

The second-half rally started on a 22=yard field goal by Robert Petrich (Granite Hills)O, followed by a Jax Leatherwood touchdown pass of 3 yards to Conor Lawlor.

With 9:04 left in the fourth, Leatherwood found Dazure Paggett on an 11-yard pass for his second TD toss before the wild, final fireworks.

Leatherwood completed 21-of-41 passes for 223 yards without an interception.

On the ground, Mesa’s Santiago Salas (60 yards) and Danny Davis (47) pushed the Olympains to more than 100 rushing yards.

On defense, Tucker also registered an interception for the lone turniver for the ballgame. Mesa’s top tacklers were Christian Mota (including 1.5 sacks) and Jayden Cortell. BOXSCORE

The punt return

With the ball at the Saddleback-43, the Bobcats punter, a right-footer, attempted to coffin the corner out of bounds. However, the ball went to his right side (a much harder kick to accomplish) and stayed about 10 yards from the sideline.

Tucker, expecting the punt to the opposite side of the field, raced toward the Saddleback sideline, allowed the ball to bounce at the Mesa-7, then while facing his own end zone, grabbed the ball at the Mesa-5 and spun toward his own team’s sideline, going back to the Mesa-1 before turning up-field.

Tucked found a pair of blockers right away, then cut across the field at the Mesa-20 where he found a hole and broke loose in front of the Bobcats bench. His only other obstacle was a slight straight-arm of the punter to score.

Saddleback officials noted that the play may be reviewed and ruled a 96-yard score (instead of 95) because of the position of the ball and not Tucker.

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Palomar 44, Grossmont College 3

FLETCHER HILLS – Once again, credit the Grossmont College defense by keeping the Griffins in another ballgame, but when your unit remains on the field for upwards of 10 minutes or mooe per quarter, the results became predictable.

With an offense mustering a mere 158 total yards and final posting a single field goal in the fourth quarter, visiting Palomar coasted to a simple 42-3 triumph Saturday (Oct. 5) at Mashin-Roth Memorial Field.

The Comets (2-3 overall, 1-1 NCSD), suffering ttheir own set of problems this season, were disappointed on just two counts — both on special teams.

Following their fourth touchdowns, an extra-point kick sailed wide, leaving Palomar with a 27-0 halftime lead.

Then in the final period, Grossmont placekicker Camden Vance booted a 41-yard field goal to ruin the shutout bid.

Short fields and plenty of possession time allowed the Comets to mount 559 yards in total offense — more than 400 better compared to Grossmont — for a 42-0 advantage through three periods.

Palomar stayed with a ground attack throughout, gaining five rushing scores. Included apair by Christian Hall, who went in from three yards out for a 21-0 lead, then opened the second half with a nifty 34-yard burst to cinch the victory.

The top defenders for the Griffins were safety Adrien Chargualof (Lincoln), the leading tackler with 7 stops; and linebacker Keanu Pettiford (Steele Canyon, 6 tackles), Meanwhile lineman Jordan Gash registered an interception.

Grossmont (1-4, 0-2 NCSD) gains a bye for next week, then returns to National Conference South Division action on Oct. 14 at state-power Riverside. BOXSCORE

— Compiled by Nick Pellegrino

Fullerton 49, Southwestern 14

FULLERTON – The Fullerton College Hornets raced to leads of 35-7 by halftue, then 49-7 after three periods to waltz p;ast the lowly Southwestern Jaguars. BOXSCORE

Read More HERE.

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