Shooting Themselves in the Foot

Santa Clarita, CA -- The Citrus College Football team did almost everything right when they took on College of the Canyons on Saturday night. With the Cougars coming off an upset of defending State Champs Mt. San Antonio College last weekend, the Owls knew their task would be tall. Citrus would compile 12 more first downs than the Cougars, 131 more yards of total offense, and completed over 50% of their third down attempts, while holding Canyons to a 20% conversion rate. The Owls shot themselves in the foot though with five total turnovers, four through the air and the other putting the ball on the ground in a 33-20 loss.

Things couldn't have started off better for the Owls as they scored on just their second drive of the game. Freshman Brian Meyette hooked up with sophomore Brayton Newton from nine yards out to take an early 7-0 lead. Citrus would threaten again on their next drive but back to back sacks after getting down to the Canyons 10 yard line set up a tough 47 yard attempt for freshman kicker Axl Mendoza that sailed wide left.

After the missed opportunity on their previous drive, the Owls put some points on the board on their very next drive when Mendoza connected on a field goal, this time from 32 yards out. That would be the last score for the Owls until the third quarter, and the last time they would lead in the game.

Canyons would get on the board late in the second quarter when the Owls defense, which has been fairly stout so far, gave up a 74 pass and catch for a touchdown. Nine plays later, things took a turn for the worse for Citrus when Meyette fumbled on the Canyons 11 only to watch as the Cougars picked the ball and took it to the house to take the lead 14-10.

In the second half, Citrus would pull to within one after Mendoza drilled a 41 yarder early in the third quarter, but Canyons promptly turned around and marched 75 yards in 10 plays to pull back ahead 21-13. A field goal by the Cougars on their next possession would extend their lead to double-digits 24-13 with 6:39 left in the third, and then 27-13 after another field goal midway through the fourth.

Still, Citrus had a chance to crawl back into the game. Meyette would lead the Owls 75 yards on 14 plays to pull within a touchdown at 27-20 after a one-yard plunge by sophomore Steven Garcia with 4:04 left to play, but on the ensuing kick-off Canyons took the ball 98 yards into the Citrus end zone to essentially ice the contest. Meyette would finish 34 for 66 for 353 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore Robert Gonzalez carried the ball a team high 18 times for 84 yards, averaging 4.7 yards a carry. Freshman Zachery Fields proved to be Myette's favorite target with 8 catches for 101 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Dillon Fink once again led all Owl tacklers eight, including a half a sack and a pass break-up. Sophomore Brandon Hayashi had five, a sack, and a forced fumble.

With the loss, Citrus drops to 0-2 on the year. The Owls will try and find themselves on the right side of the scoreboard when they return home next weekend to take on Golden West College. Kick-off is set for 6:00 PM.