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Photo by
Juan Velez.
Cerritos Football ended their season
with a bowl lost on Saturday. |
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Faced with their
16th third down situation late in the fourth
quarter, Palomar College quarterback Matt Christian
connected with wide receiver Maurice Patterson for
nine yards and their 11th conversion of the game,
and the Comets ran out the clock in their 38-33 win
over Cerritos College in the Golden Empire Bowl at
Bakersfield College on Saturday afternoon. The
Falcons, who just missed out on advancing to the
playoffs, finished the season 7-4, while Palomar
concluded the season 8-3.
Down 38-27 in the
fourth quarter, Cerritos sophomore running back
Duane Bowen (St. John Bosco HS)
powered his way into the end zone from four yards
out with 6:20 remaining. Bowen, who rushed for a
first down on the previous play, bowled over Nate
Paopao on third down and then David Matu to reach
the end zone. The Falcons chose to go for a
two-point conversion, but sophomore quarterback
Jeffrey Fischer's (Lakewood HS)
pass attempt was incomplete.
Cerritos did force
the Comets to punt for the first time on their
ensuing drive, but the offense could not gain a
first down and had to punt the ball themselves. They
looked to have converted a third down, but Steven
Carroll broke up the pass intended for sophomore
wide receiver
Joshua Robbins (La
Mirada HS), which would have resulted in a
first down.
The Falcons opened
the scoring on their first drive for the 11th time
in 11 games, as freshman kicker
Pedro Puga
(La Habra HS) connected on a 32-yard field
goal. After Palomar matched the Falcon score with a
19-yard field goal from Collin Yost, sophomore
Junior
Tivao (Paramount HS) scored
from a yard out for a 10-3 Cerritos lead. Once
again, Palomar responded when Christian hit
Martavious Lee from 29 yards out early in the second
quarter. It was a 24-17 Comet lead at halftime, but
not before Puga made good on a 37-yard field goal on
the last play of the half.
Fisher and Robbins
connected from eight yards out with 5:35 left in the
third one play after Robbins got to the 16-yard line
on another reception. But on the play, Palomar was
called for a late hit, which put the ball at the
eight-yard line. The Comets went up for good on a
one-yard run by Orenzo Davis with 1:58 left in t he
third and then took their biggest lead of the game
(38-27) on a 35-yard touchdown reception by Lee with
9:52 remaining.
Bowen, who was
named the Offensive Player of the Game, finished
with 120 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries,
while Fischer was 20-for-33 for 219 yards and one
touchdown. Freshman
Michael Willie (Long Beach
Wilson HS) led the team with six receptions for
41 yards, while Robbins had five catches for 53
yards. Christian, who was named the game's Most
Valuable Player, connected on 20-of-29 passes for
253 yards and three scores, with Lee pulling in
eight for 92 yards and two scores. Comet defensive
back Anthony Young, who had 10 tackles and three
pass breakups, was selected the Defensive Player of
the Game.
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