Burned Through the Air

Glendora, CA - The Citrus College Football team gave up a season high 475 passing yards, and passing touchdown plays of 70, 76, 23, and 38 yards in Saturday afternoon's tilt with visiting Antelope Valley College. The result was too much for Citrus to overcome, who rolled up 511 yards of total offense (more in total than the visiting Marauders), but had their own issues going 4 of 16 on third down in a 38-30 loss.

Antelope hit Citrus right away, dropping 21 points on the Owls in the first quarter, with two of the scores coming on those 70 and 76 yards pass plays. Citrus would go on to score the next 17 points spanning the entire second quarter and the beginning of the third quarter, when sophomore Brian Meyette hit freshman wide out Mackenzie Sternquist for an 8 yard strike, freshman kicker Carlos Benitez connected on a 30 yard field goal, and freshman running back Devin Floyd carried the ball from eight yards out to make it 17-21.

The Marauders would get their offense back on track shortly thereafter, scoring on a 23 yard pass play to wrap up a nine play 81 yard drive. The Owls responded with a 27 yard touchdown pass play from Meyette to Sternquist that briefly made it 23-28, but Antelope had another big play in them when they connected on the 38 yard strike.

Trailing by 12, the Owls would use a long drive of their own, going 74 yards in eight plays, capped off by a three yard TD carry from Floyd that made it 30-35 with just under 14 minutes to go. On Citrus' next three drives, they would make forays into Antelope Valley territory, but each time they stalled. The first drive saw their attempt to take the lead end when Meyette was sacked for a six yard loss. The second drive ended when Benites missed a 25 yard field goal attempt wide left, and the third derailed after a 15-yard personal foul penalty.

Still, the Owls had a chance to tie the game before it was all said and done. Antelope Valley would push their lead to eight points after a 22 yard field goal with 1:43 to go. Citrus would turn around and move the ball all the way to the AVC 20 yard line. The Owls would go to the end zone four times, but each time the pass didn't make its way into the hands of Citrus receiver.

In the loss, Meyette finished 28 of 49 for 313 yards and pair of touchdowns and one pick. Both touchdowns went to Sternquist who finished with eight receptions for 96 yards. Floyd also had a banner day carrying the ball, 15 times for a total of 139 yards, two touchdowns, and an average of 9.3 yards per carry. On defense, sophomore linebacker Samuel Edwards had seven tackles, and a pair of pass break-ups.

With the loss, Citrus drops to 3-3 and 0-1 in American Division Pacific Conference play. The Owls will be back at home next Saturday when they host Los Angeles Pierce College (1-5, 0-1) for a 1:00 PM kick-off inside Citrus College Stadium.