The Southwestern College Jaguars appear to have their work cut out for them after falling, 45-14, in their Central Conference/East Division football opener at College of the Desert on Oct. 8. The loss snapped the Jags’ four-game winning streak.
Southwestern (4-2 overall, 0-1 in conference play) led 14-10 after the first quarter on the strength of a 41-yard scoring run by Beau Bickel (Galena) and a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brett Nelson (St. Francis) to Berkley Lutu (Somoana).
The Roadrunners had opened an early 10-0 lead on a 49-yard touchdown run by Jai Steib and a 27-yard field goal by Brett Symonds.
COD would score the game’s final 35 points to rout the visitors in a game played under hot weather conditions. The temperature at the 6 p.m. kickoff was 98 degrees.
The Roadrunners piled up 21 points in the second quarter to lead 31-14 at halftime.
Jai scored a total of three touchdowns in the game while COD signal-caller Charles Fortis threw for one score and rushed for another. Tyewan Johnson also scored on a touchdown run to round out the victor’s scoring column.
Bickel rushed 20 times for 85 yards while Nelson completed 10 of 25 passes for 110 yards with two interceptions and one sack.
Brandon Egbert caught three passes for 28 yards while Marquise Deadwiler had three catches for 23 yards and Robert Savoy had two catches for 28 yards.
Nathan Drumm (Bonita Vista) punted seven times for a 37.1-yard average, with a longest punt of 53 yards.
Patrick Jarin (Eastlake) led SWC’s defense with 12 tackles.
Steib rushed 17 times for 181 yards while Fortis passed for 110 yards with one interception and one sack.
Riverside (6-0) and Golden West (3-3) also opened with conference victories last week. Golden West defeated Santa Ana, 30-17, while Riverside defeated Orange Coast 61-17.
The Jaguars host Orange Coast (2-4, 0-1) Saturday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m.
Honor roll
Patrick Mitchell, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound freshman running back from Morse High School, carried the ball 28 times for 108 yards and a 30-yard touchdown in Southwestern’s 20-10 victory over Mt. San Jacinto on Oct. 1 to earn Pacific Coast Athletic Conference honorable mention honors.
Southern California Football Association Rankings
(Oct. 17 poll results)
1. Saddleback (6-0)
2. El Camino (6-0)
3. Riverside (6-0)
4. Mt. San Antonio (5-1)
5. (tie) College of the Desert (5-1)
5. (tie) Allan Hancock (5-1)
7. Fullerton (5-1)
8. Bakersfield (3-3)
9. Moorpark (4-2)
10. Golden West (3-3)
11. L.A. Harbor (4-20
12. Palomar (3-3)
13. Cerritos (3-3)
14. Pasadena (3-3)
15. College of the Canyons (3-3)
16. Citrus (3-3)
17. Santa Ana (3-3)
18. Southwestern (4-2)
19. Ventura (3-3)
20. Chaffey (3-3)
