Owls Win Ugly Over Canyons

Glendora, CA -- The Citrus College Football team picked up their first win of the young 2014 season on Saturday night, but it wasn't pretty. The Owls committed 11 penalties for 110 yards and came up with over 70 yards fewer yards of offense than their opponent, College of the Canyons, in what amounted to a 27-24 victory.

Despite all that, the game never really felt close. Citrus got on the board first when freshman Ryosuke Machida capped off a 13 play 58 yard drive with a 34 yard field goal and 4:30 left in the first quarter. Machida struck again early in the 2nd quarter hitting a 35 yarder, after the Citrus defense gave the Owls good field position. 

The Owls' defense would play a key role in Citrus' next score. Sophomore Marquice O'Leary picked off a College of the Canyons pass at the Canyons 47 and took the ball all the way down to the two yard line. On the very next play, sophomore quarterback Larry Cutbirth waltzed into the end zone unscathed to make it 13-0. 

Citrus would keep the Cougars off the board until late in the first half. Canyons worked through a six play 45 yard play that saw the Cougars score on a 23 yard strike. The Owls had a quick answer though, as sophomore Justin Martin took the ensuing kickoff from three yards deep into the end zone and returned 103 yards to the house to make it 20-7 just before the half.

In the second half, things turned south for the Owls. Citrus did notch the first score, another Cutbirth TD, this time from seven yards out, but that would be the last time Citrus scored in the game. Canyons would score midway through the third to make it 27-14, and then get an early field goal in the fourth. The Cougars would crawl right back into the game with another score with just under two minutes to go, but luckily for Citrus the on-side kick attempt that followed rolled out of bounds and allowed Citrus to run out the clock.

In the win, Cutbirth completed 15 of his 27 pass attempts for 154 yards. Cutbirth also carried the ball nine times for a net total of 33 yards and those two scores. Freshman Patrick Smith was the biggest recipient of Cutbirth's throws, hauling in six catches for 89 yards. 

On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Dorrin Turner had a team high 11 tackles (7 solo, 4 assisted), including a tackle for a loss, and O'Leary finished with five tackles, two for a loss, the interception, and a pass break-up. It was sophomore defensive lineman Julian Tyus who really made his presence felt though, as he recorded six tackles, five for a loss, three sacks, two pass break-ups, a forced fumble, and an interception from a third ball he tipped at the line.

With the win, Citrus improves to 1-1 on the year. The Owls will be back out on the road next Saturday when they take on Golden West College at 6:00 PM.