Butte football team beats Fresno to end losing streak

FRESNO >> Joshua Mercer rushed for 157 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries and Alex Laurel also had a touchdown to go with 98 rush yards as the Butte College football team beat No. 5 Fresno City College 38-27 on Saturday night, snapping a two-game losing streak for the Roadrunners.

Zach Kline completed 15 of 21 pass attempts for 130 yards with touchdown passes to Jon Parks and Bryant Isabell, and also rushed eight times for 26 yards with a score for Butte (2-2). The Rams (2-2) dropped their second straight.

A week after their worst loss under head coach Jeff Jordan, a 51-6 drubbing at the hands of San Mateo, the Roadrunners turned in their best offensive performance of the season so far. Butte put together 443 yards of offense, including 313 on the ground at a healthy 5.6-yards-per-carry clip, and did not commit a turnover for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, the Butte defense turned in one of the all-time best performances against the run, limiting the Rams to -2 rush yards on eight sacks while forcing two turnovers. Peter Sagapolutele had a monster game, racking up three sacks, and Sie Doe Jr. also had a pair.

Fresno did find some success through the air, with Christian Rossi and Nolan Sorenson combining for three touchdown passes. Butte led 21-7 in the second quarter and Fresno got as close as 24-21 in the third on Jeremy Smith's 2-yard run, but Kline hit Parks on a 9-yard touchdown pass before sneaking in his touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

http://www.chicoer.com/sports/ci_26621393/butte-football-team-beats-fresno-end-losing-streak

Photo by CRAIG KOHLRUSS — THE FRESNO BEE