Sophomore
quarterback
Jeffrey Fischer (Lakewood HS)
hit sophomore wide receiver
Joshua Robbins (La Mirada HS)
for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 8:09 remaining
in the fourth quarter for the eventual
game-winning touchdown, as the Cerritos College
football team posted a 32-24 Southern California
Football Association National Division Central
Conference win on Saturday night. On the ensuing
extra point, back-up quarterback
David
Neff (John Glenn HS)
connected with sophomore tight end
Anthony Recinos (Norwalk HS) for
a two-point conversion. With the win, the
Falcons improved to 5-2 on the year and 2-1 in
divisional play, while the team reached the
five-win plateau for the first time since their
7-4 campaign in 2003.
Cerritos will
now return home to host College of the Desert in
a 7:00 p.m. game on Saturday. The meeting with
the Roadrunners will be the first between the
two teams.
Utilizing
their aggressive running style, the Falcons were
able to chew up yards in bulk, as they scored on
their first four possessions of the game. The
same could be said for the Tigers, who stayed
with Cerritos with each step, as the two teams
traded touchdowns in the first half and went
into the break deadlocked at 21. The difference
was the offensive line and Fischer, who
completed 19-of-22 passes for 191 yards and
three touchdowns.
The Falcons
eventually took a 24-21 with 3:50 left in the
third quarter, as freshman kicker
Pedro
Puga (La Habra HS)
converted a 30-yard field goal. The drive was
highlighted by a 10-yard reception by Robbins on
third-and-nine. The Tigers (2-6, 0-4) came right
back and tied the game on their next possession
with a 41-yard field goal from Austin Glenn with
14:14 left in the fourth quarter.
The first
break of the game appeared to come when freshman
kick returner
Tavoy
Moore (Gahr HS) fumbled
the ensuing kickoff with Riverside recovering
the ball at the Tiger 44-yard line. The duo of
sophomore defensive end
Ryan
Davis (Artesia HS) and freshman
linebacker
CJ
Harris (Long Beach Wilson
HS) sacked Riverside quarterback Coy Glass on
the first play, while sophomore linebacker
Junior Tivao (Paramount HS)
tackled Anthony Spencer for a two-yard loss on a
pass play on the next play. Riverside was forced
to punt after a penalty and a pass completion
left them short of a first down.
On 2nd and 10
at the Falcon 26-yard line, freshman running
back
Tylik
Carter (Long Beach Jordan HS)
broke off a 39-yard run on a draw play, while
Fischer raced for nine yards on a
fourth-and-five right before the game-winning
touchdown pass to Robbins. Riverside was once
again forced to punt in their next possession,
but tried a fake punt with James Calhoun
attempting a pass to Jacob Slouka. However,
sophomore safety
Joshua
Lomeli (La Mirada HS) was
there to knock the ball away, ending the threat.
Cerritos did
get within field goal range again for Pugo, but
he missed a 43-yard attempt with 2:26 left in
the fourth quarter. Riverside had two more
possessions in the game, but could not gain any
ground on the confident Falcon defense.
Before leaving
the game with an injury, Carter amassed 129
yards on just 14 carries, while the team had 196
on the night. Fischer spread out the offense by
completing passes to six different receivers,
with Robbins leading with way with six
receptions for 71 yards and a score. Sophomore
Sheldon
Smith (Culver City HS)
also found the end zone in the second quarter
and finished with five catches for 58 yards,
while Recinos caught a 2-yard touchdown pass.
The aggressive
defense was led by freshman defensive back
Eric
Russell (Gahr HS), who had
11 tackles and an interception, while freshman
linebacker
Michael
Moody (Sonora HS) posted
eight stops and an interception. He also ended
the game with a sack, which he did in the
Ventura College game. The Falcons had nine
tackles for loss, with sophomore defensive
tackle
Johnny Tivao (Paramount HS)
leading the team with two, while he finished
with seven tackles.
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