Owls Win First Conference Title Since 2006

The top two teams in the American Metro League squared off Saturday night with No. 19-ranked Citrus College coming out on top 42-21 over Glendale College.

With the win, the Owls earned at least a share of the AML championship – their first conference championship since 2006 – and kept their unbeaten record intact at 9-0, 4-0 in conference. The Vaqueros fall to 5-5 on the year and 3-1 in the AML.

Citrus finished with 474 yards of total offense, including 304 net passing yards. Defensively, the Owls kept the Vaqueros run game very much in check as Glendale finished in the red with -18 net yards rushing. Isaiah Loera led Citrus with six tackles, while Jailen "JJ" Edwards, Jacob Cisneros, Joshua Garcia, Chandler Carthan, Evan Richardson and Michael Bulan all had sacks in the game.

Adam Urena officially became the Owls' record holder for most touchdown passes in a single season after tossing three against the Vaqueros. The sophomore now has 30 touchdown passes on the year, which is the most in the State.

It was back-and-forth action early in the game as the Vaqueros seemed to have a response for every Owl touchdown.

Defense got Citrus on the board first after Drew Merrill blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown less than five minutes into the game. Glendale responded with a touchdown of its own before Urena threw a touchdown pass to Jesse Carmona for nine yards.

Once again, the Vaqueros evened the game up, but an Elijah Finney touchdown seconds before the first quarter expired.

It put the Owls up 21-14 at halftime as neither team could break through in the second quarter. That scoreless streak carried through the third until Glendale scored with less than a minute left in the frame.

The Owls had had enough and went into overdrive in the fourth, scoring three unanswered touchdowns to seal the 42-21 victory. Alex Vazquez scored one of the touchdowns, while Jonathan Guerre scored the other two.  

Citrus has the chance to win the title outright in its final game of the regular season, taking on LA Southwest next Saturday on the road at 6 p.m.