A Good Balance

Glendora, CA - After losing their third straight game last week, the Citrus College Football team knew they had to right the ship this past weekend when they hosted Los Angeles Pierce College. The Owls did exactly that, striking a good balance with an offense that averaged 5.3 yards per play and totaled 48 points, and a defense that held their opponent to a lone field goal and less than 200 yards of total offense in a 48-3 victory. 

 The first two drives for LA Pierce didn't bode well for the Owls as the Brahmas totaled 148 yards of rushing over the course of their first two drives alone. Citrus bent but didn't break over the course of those first two drives holding the Brahmas to the lone field goal, a 27-yarder with 14:20 to go in the second quarter. 

After that the Owls defense settled in and that coupled with mistakes by the Brahmas saw Citrus hold Pierce to -60 yards rushing over the remainder of the contest. The Citrus College defensive line, played a large part in that effort as they combined for 46.9% of the Owls tackles on the afternoon.

Trailing 0-3, the Citrus College offense kicked it in to high gear in the second quarter. The Owls ground and pound the Bramas, using 11 plays and 5:18 to move 64 yards for their first touchdown, a five yard run by freshman Devin Floyd. Their next possession was much of the same, with sophomore Lawon Carney getting a four-yard TD run, after the Owls got the ball deep in the red zone on a botched punt snap attempt by LA Pierce.

The Owls would score once more before the break, getting a four-yard TD run from Daniel Williams with 38 seconds to go in the half. In the third, Floyd found pay dirt again, this time from nine yards out. The fourth, saw Citrus find the end zone on three separate occasions, the first on a 12 yard pass from sophomore quarterback Brian Meyette to sophomore wide receiver Henry Tarin. 

The second came mere seconds later when a fumble forced Demontez Carlton made it's way into the hands of sophomore linebacker Ryan Rodriguez who picked it up at the Pierce 26 yard line and rumbled all the way to the end zone. The last of the game, would come on a keeper by sophomore back-up quarterback Zachary Labar from five yards out. 

In the win, Meyette finished 10 of 16 for 125 yards, no picks and the one touchdown. Floyd carried the ball 15 times for 81 yards and two TD's, and Tarin caught a team high three balls for 38 yards and the score. Defensively it was sophomore end Jared Brito who had a game high 14 tackles, including a forced fumble. Freshman linebacker Zach Lewallen added 10, a sack, two tackles, for a loss, and a forced fumble.

With the win, Citrus improves to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in WSC play. The Owls will hit the road to take on Santa Barbara City College this Saturday at 4:00 PM.