A huge first half, and then a strong fourth quarter finish, propelled City College of San Francisco past previously unbeaten American River on Saturday, 40-26, not only giving the Rams their first win, but also taking down one of the top programs in the state.
Quarterback Zach Masoli (Riordan) threw for 242 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns, two through the air and two on the ground, as the Rams built a 24-point lead in the second quarter before holding off a rally by ARC.
Masoli got things started in the first three minutes of the game, when he hit Khalil Hudson (Inderkum) for a 65-yard touchdown pass. Less than two minutes later, following an American River fumble, Masoli capped a four-play, 30-yard drive with his own six-yard scoring run to make it 13-0.
ARC finally responded on its next drive, as the Beavers drove 75 yards in 14 plays, capped by Hunter Rodrigues’ 27-yard touchdown pass to Devin Brocchini (Whitney). That momentarily cut the CCSF lead to seven points, at 13-6, but the Rams extended the lead again on their next drive.
Masoli directed every play of the ensuing eight-play, 69-yard drive, either through the air or with his own legs, culminating with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Floyd (Foothill) for the 20-6 lead. Disaster struck again for the Beavers on the following possession, as ARC lost another fumble, giving the ball to the Rams on the American River 22-yard line as the first quarter came to an end. Six plays later, Greg Thomas (Petaluma) drilled a 22-yard field goal to extend the CCSF advantage.
ARC drove across midfield on the ensuing drive, but the Rams’ defense held and forced a punt, getting the ball back to the offense at their own 15-yard line. A mixture of Masoli passes and Floyd runs promptly marched the ball to the ARC two-yard line, where Floyd punctuated the drive with his second score of the game, making the score 30-6 in favor of CCSF.
American River cut the lead to 30-12 at the half, as Rodrigues (Whitney) hit Ryan Robards (Elk Grove) for a 14-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, triggering a string of 20 straight points for the Beavers. A 19-yard touchdown run by Evyn Holtz (Rocklin) on ARC’s first drive of the third quarter was followed by a 27-yard touchdown pass from Rodrigues to Brandon McCarter (Whitney), cutting the lead to 30-26 with 1:44 remaining in the third quarter.
The American River defense kept the momentum on the side of the Beavers, forcing a CCSF punt on the next possession, and when Rodrigues connected with Robards for a 21-yard gain to the ARC 49, it appeared as if the Beavers would come back to take the lead. A fumble on the next play, however, was recovered by Anthony Porter (Mission-SF), who returned the ball to the American River nine-yard line.
Two plays later, Masoli carried the ball in himself, extending the lead to 37-26, just over a minute into the fourth quarter. Midway through the fourth, following a short punt, CCSF put the game away when Thomas added his second field goal of the game, this time from 36 yards out.
Floyd led all ball carriers with 51 yards on the ground, while Hudson led the Rams receiving corps with four catches for 96 yards. Robards had seven catches for 88 yards to lead ARC.
CSM holds off Fresno City
Cameron Taylor’s three-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter capped a 91-yard scoring drive for San Mateo, allowing the Bulldogs to hold off a late score from Fresno and escape with the 21-19 win.
Taylor (Hillsdale) finished the game with 90 yards on the ground, while Damani Sistena (James Logan) added 52 yards on eight carries, and quarterback Shawn Akina (Saint Francis) had 43 yards rushing, including a third-quarter touchdown run.
Jamarri Jackson (Christian Brothers) added a 54-yard interception return late in the second quarter for CSM, giving the Bulldogs a 7-5 lead at the half.
Fresno closed the lead to two points on the drive after Taylor’s touchdown run, but the San Mateo stood strong after that. After a late Bulldogs’ drive ended on the Fresno five-yard line, the defense held one last time, punctuated by a game-ending sack from Koti Vaisima (Clayton Valley), his second sack of the game.
Grisby run lifts LMC past Gavilan
Namontte Grisby’s four-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds remaining lifted Los Medanos College past Gavilan, 29-25, in a back-and-forth affair at LMC on Saturday, keeping the Mustangs unbeaten this season.
Gavilan led 17-15 at the half, but Sohail Mohsini (Heritage) connected with Jelani Davis (American) for a 52-yard touchdown pass, less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, to give LMC a 22-17 advantage. Gavilan retook the lead, though, when Erik Ornduff (Live Oak) hit Trevor Hobbs for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 2:21 remaining. That merely set up the game-winning 82-yard drive for the Mustangs, however.
Grisby (Pittsburg) led LMC with 53 yards on 10 carries, while Mohsini passed for 237 yards and two scores. Davis had six catches for 102 yards.
Devin White (McClymonds) ran for 68 yards on 10 carries for Gavilan, while Ornduff threw for 224 yards and three scores, but with two interceptions. Antione Tanner (Antioch) had both interceptions for the Mustangs’ defense.
Laney rolls past Feather River
Laney racked up 451 yards of offense, as the Eagles rolled past Feather River, 47-13.
Noah Suszckiewicz (Berkeley) threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns, Marcel Dancy (West-Tracy) ran for 94 yards and two touchdowns, and Ahmari Davis (Logan) added 68 yards and score on the ground, as Laney led by 20 points in the first half and cruised from there.
Armani Turner-Jenkins (Berkeley) added a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Laney defense, which has three interceptions in total.
