No. 5 Mt. SAC Outlasts No. 8 Cerritos in 21–17 Season Opener

3C2A Football: Standings l Scoreboard

Walnut, Calif. – The temperatures were in the upper 90s, but that didn't stop a large crowd from packing Hilmer Lodge Stadium on Saturday evening as the No. 5–ranked Mt. SAC Football team opened their 2026 season with a Top-10 matchup against No. 8 Cerritos College.

And the two teams delivered.

The Mounties jumped out to an early lead, controlled much of the game offensively and then came up with the plays they needed down the stretch to secure a hard-fought 21–17 victory over the Falcons.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Mt. SAC wasted little time getting started, marching 67 yards on nine plays on their opening possession. Jamel Sly provided the finishing touches, breaking loose for 20 yards before scoring on a 15-yard run to give the Mounties a 7–0 lead.

Cerritos responded with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jeremiah Calvin to Michael Ashford, but Mt. SAC answered right back. Facing third-and-12, JP Mialovski connected with Jordyn Harris for a 21-yard touchdown, capping a 10-play, 69-yard drive and putting the Mounties back in front, 14–7.

The pace slowed in the second quarter as both defenses settled in. The Falcons cut the lead to 14–10 on a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter, while an interception in the end zone halted a late Mt. SAC scoring opportunity and kept the margin at four heading into halftime.

The Mountie defense immediately made their presence felt coming out of the break. On Cerritos' first play of the third quarter, Tamir Williams forced a fumble that Solomon Tripline recovered at the Falcons' 31-yard line. Mt. SAC was unable to capitalize, however, as a 47-yard field goal attempt went wide.

Then the Mountie offense methodically worked 63 yards on 11 plays, taking more than seven minutes off the clock before Mialovski connected with Harris for a 7-yard touchdown and a 21–10 lead.

But the Falcons weren't finished.

On third-and-15, Charles Clinton II went airborne to haul in a 22-yard touchdown pass from Calvin, tumbling into the end zone as the Falcons pulled within four once again, 21–17, with 12:07 remaining.

Mt. SAC responded by driving all the way to the Cerritos 2-yard line, but a fumble gave the Falcons possession with 7:29 remaining and a chance to take the lead.

But the Mountie defense wasn't having it.

Mt. SAC pushed Cerritos backward on the ensuing possession, holding the Falcons to just four yards on three plays and forcing a punt.

With 4:54 remaining, the Mounties took possession at their own 40—and Cerritos never got the ball back. The biggest play came on third-and-7 with 2:28 left, when Elijah Tehe broke free for 17 yards and a first down, allowing the Mounties to run out the clock and secure the 21–17 victory.

Mialovski finished 24-of-32 for 190 yards and two touchdowns, with Harris serving as his favorite target. Harris caught eight passes for 68 yards and accounted for both of Mt. SAC's receiving touchdowns.

On the ground, Tehe averaged 10 yards per carry, finishing with 70 yards on just seven attempts, while Sly added 68 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Together, the duo accounted for 138 of Mt. SAC's 160 rushing yards.

Defensively, Nathan Maggiore led the way with seven tackles and two tackles for loss, while Ofa Falekaono added six tackles and a tackle for loss.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Total Offense: Mt. SAC 374 | Cerritos 243
• Rushing Yards: Mt. SAC 160 | Cerritos 51
• Passing Yards: Mt. SAC 214 | Cerritos 192
• First Downs: Mt. SAC 26 | Cerritos 12
• Third-Down Conversions: Mt. SAC 9-of-14 (64%) | Cerritos 5-of-11 (45%)
• Time of Possession: Mt. SAC 33:12 | Cerritos 26:48

(Mt. San Antonio Athletics)

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL CONFERENCE 
NON-LEAGUE GAMES  
Butte 27, Foothill 3
Diablo Valley 24, Santa Rosa JC 10
Fresno 22, Sierra 18
Laney 37, Monterey Peninsula 23
Modesto 21, American River 7
Redwoods 41, San Jose 21
Reedley 9, De Anza 6
San Francisco 17, Sacramento City 16
San Mateo 49, Sequoias 7
Coalinga 41, Siskiyous 30
Shasta 40, Feather River 13
Chabot 80, Cabrillo 13
Contra Costa 26, Gavilan 8
Los Medanos 27, Merced 7
San Joaquin Delta 20, Hartnell 17

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION  
NATIONAL DIVISION NON-LEAGUE GAMES
Allan Hancock 54, Los Angeles Valley 21
Bakersfield 40, Santa Ana 14 
Chaffey 40, Citrus 23
El Camino 61, Santa Barbara 7
Fullerton 31, Moorpark 24
Golden West 31, Mt. San Jacinto 0
Mt. San Antonio 21, Cerritos 17
Palomar 19, Ventura 6
Riverside 41, Long Beach 7
Saddleback 19, Pasadena 11
San Diego Mesa 44, East Los Angeles 6
Southwestern 27, Canyons 0

AMERICAN DIVISION NON-LEAGUE GAMES
Grossmont 57, Compton 6
San Bernardino Valley 30, Antelope Valley 24
Santa Monica 26, Los Angeles Southwest 0
Victor Valley 36, Glendale 12