Reedley Football Defeats Contra Costa At Home

Two high scoring community college football teams will meet this Saturday night in Los Altos Hills as the 3-0 Reedley College Tigers go on the road to face the 3-0 Foothill College Owls.

Kickoff is set for 7 pm.

The Tigers are now averaging a state-best 50.3 points per game after rolling to a 66-7 victory over the 0-3 Contra Costa College Comets on Saturday afternoon at Reedley High's Sal Gonzalez Field.

The 66 points were the third-highest single team total in the 33 games played in California last weekend. Only El Camino (70) and Sierra (69) scored more.

Foothill is averaging 31.7 points per game, following three wins over future Tiger opponents. The last two wins, over Hartnell and San Jose, have come by identical scores of 34-7. The Owls are led by quarterback Cam Rottier, who passed for 379 yards and four touchdowns in the win over San Jose.

Reedley now has 13 wins in its last 14 games.

After the first two weeks of the season, Reedley and Foothill are one and two in the Northern California American Division rankings.

Against Contra Costa, the Tigers ranked 16th in the state by the JC Athletic Bureau, jumped out to a 38-0 halftime lead and were never threatened. The Tigers opened the scoring on the games fourth offensive play as freshman Tevin Fordham (Tampa, FA) intercepted a Jaylen Tregle pass and went 32 yards untouched for the game's first touchdown.

Then sophomore running back Jamon Chambers (Tacoma, WA) took over. In the first half alone, Chambers had nine carries for 158 yards with touchdown runs of 24, 48, and 40 yards. Chambers even blocked a punt with help from Jesus Garcia with a little over four minutes left in the first half to set up a 20-yard field goal by Jorge Rosales (Arvin).

Quarterback Bubba Hickson (Suwanee, GA) also scored on a short touchdown run and threw a 24-yard scoring pass to Andy Pierre-Antoine (North Miami FA) early in the third quarter. Later in the same period, Hickson went to Tur Woods (Inglewood) for a 4-yard scoring pass.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Drew Zaubi (Crestwood, KY) found a wide-open Jaime Ramirez (Dinuba) for a 68-yard touchdown. Elijah Hawkins (Los Angeles) made it 66-0 with a 28-yard score.

The Tiger defense held Contra Costa to minus-12 yards rushing in the first half and finished with 29 net rushing yards. The Comets didn't get into Tiger territory until late in the third quarter. Tico Nah (Federal Way, WA) had back to back sacks in the final period Forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Tigers. But three plays later, the Comets got on the board as Ohajai Murray returned a pass interception 91 yards for six points with 7:29 remaining.

Reedley outgained the Comets 559-78 and had 27 first downs to only four for the visitors.

"We are playing well in all three phases," said Reedley head coach Eric Marty after the game. "In a game like this, it gives you such an advantage because you are making positive plays on special teams, then the defense runs out there and makes a positive play. Then there is another positive play on the punt return and then all of a sudden, your offense is in a good position."

Marty said that the Tiger defense has been great through the three games. "We are continuing to try and find consistency on offense. But it is tough when you have a lot of new pieces as we were such a veteran group last year. We lean on our backs and offensive line, as we did today."

The coach added that you never know what a team will look like in the first three games. "We are excited. Obviously, in hindsight, we have been able to roll to some strong victories. But we are really excited about the challenge ahead."

Marty had high praise for Chambers, who sat out the second half against Contra Costa. "He is just the consummate football player. He is dynamic and a team player. He will just jump in there on special teams."

When told that the sophomore ran for 158 yards, Marty responded by saying, "He could have run for 400."

Reedley will be on the road for the next two weeks. When you add in a bye, the Tigers won't be home again until an Oct. 19 Homecoming game with Gavilan (1-2). After that contest, the RC Athletic Department will hold a fundraiser dinner at the college cafeteria.

 

 

By: Will Goldbeck

 

 

 

 

Pick Six

 

 

 

 

 

68 Yard TD

 

 

 

Blocked Punt

 

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