Reversal of Fortunes

Glendora, CA -- The Citrus College Football team suffered a reversal of fortunes on Saturday afternoon when they played host to Chaffey College. The Owls dominated the first half and went into the break up 20-0. In the second half though, it was all Panthers, as Chaffey outscored Citrus 30-3 in the final 30 minutes in a 30-23 loss for the Owls.

Citrus got things going right off the bat, scoring on their first drive when freshman Ryosuke Machida cleared the crossbar from 30 yards out. Two possessions later, Machida gave the Owls a 6-0 lead when he hit a 28 yarder to cap off a nine play, 51 yard drive for Citrus.

The Owls would be kept out of the end zone until early on in the second quarter. Citrus put together their best drive of the game going 76 yards in 15 plays, before sophomore quarterback Larry Cutbirth carried the ball into the end zone from four yards out to make it 13-0 with 7:23 to go in the first half. Citrus kept it going on their next possession, getting the ball with just 46 seconds left before halftime. Five plays later, Cutbirth found a streaking sophomore Errol Romney from 44 yards away in the end zone to make it 20-0 at the half.

Momentum nearly immediately switched in the second half. Chaffey who had been dominated by the Citrus defense in the first half, got their best drive of the game in their first possession of the half going 65 yards in nine plays to make it 7-20. After the two teams traded drives that went nowhere, the Panthers lit up the board again to make it 20-14 with 1:55 left in the third.

The Owls' offense would finally get things going a little in their first possession of the fourth quarter, but for the third time in the game, Citrus' offense stalled out deep in Panther territory, and again, Citrus had to settle for a field goal, Machida connected this time from 37 yards away to make it 23-14. Chaffey answered on their very next possession making it 21-23 with 8:06 to go.

Citrus got a sustained drive again on their next possession, but a 10 yard completion on 4th and 11 left the Owls a yard shy and giving the ball back to Chaffey on the Panther 27. That proved fatal for Citrus as Chaffey went 73 yards and took a 24-23 with 1:04 to go in the game after a 27 yard field goal.

Cutbirth would try to rally the troops, pushing the Owls to the Citrus 43 yard line, but Cutbirth's next pass from picked off on the Chaffey 44 and taken all the way to the house, sealing the Owls' fate.

In the loss, Cutbirth passed for 357 yards and completed 63% of his passes. Romney caught a game high seven balls for 94 yards. On defense, sophomore defensive lineman Willard "Trent" Williams had a team high 14 tackles, including one for a loss. Sophomore linebacker Dorrin Turner added 13.

With the loss, Citrus falls to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in National Division Central League play. The Owls will take next week off before returning to Citrus Stadium and SCFA play when they host Long Beach City College at 1:00 PM.