Football -- Citrus College’s Football team has risen to the top of the Western States Conference heap with their 3rd consecutive win since opening league play with a 30-6 win over Compton College. Since opening WSC play the Owls have relied on a steady diet of rushing and passing on the offensive end. That rushing attack has been led by Leonard Mason who has ran 424 yards since WSC play began. Tonight the Owls showed an all-around game dominating on defense and on offense in the win.
At the start of the game it seemed as if Compton might give the Owls a challenge as they took their opening drive 59 yards on 9 plays. Compton did a good job of moving the ball, but couldn’t convert when it mattered settling for a 34 yard field goal from Andrew Aguila.
For the third straight week in a row the Owls scored a touchdown on their opening drive in under two minutes as they marched down the field on a 3 play 57 yard drive capped off by a 15 yard completion from quarterback Bryan Waggener to wide receiver Charles Lewis for the touchdown. The drive took a total of 56 seconds. The extra point attempt was blocked giving the Owls a 6-3 lead in the 1st quarter.
From their, the Owls defense stepped up, not allowing another Compton score until the fourth quarter. The defense, which has only given up 23 points at home this season, dominated the Tartar’s rushing attack holding them to -9 yards rushing on the day.
On the offensive side the Owls rode the arm of Waggener and the legs of Leonard Mason, as they would go on another scoring drive in the beginning of the 2nd quarter when Leonard Mason got his second touchdown of the day on a 4 yard scoring run. Kicker Kirk Cabana had no problems on the extra point attempt putting the Owls up 13-3. The Owls would strike once more in the 2nd quarter when they drove 85 yards on 15 plays ending with another 4 yard touchdown run for Leonard Mason his 2nd of the day. The Owls would go into the half with a 20-3 lead.
It was much of the same story in the 2nd half for the Owls. In the 3rd quarter both teams gave the ball back and forth until with just over two minutes to go the Owls got a field goal from Cabana who drilled a 34 yard attempt to put the Owls up 23-3.
In the 4th quarter the Tartars would get their last score when they drove 7 plays and 46 yards, getting another field goal from Aguila this one from 36 yards. The field goal would make the score 23-6.
After the Owls offense went four and out, the Tartars would get another chance to score starting on their own 41. When Compton quarterback Kyle Parrish completed a 23 yard reception to Bruce Peters the Tartars found themselves with 1st and goal on the Owls 1-yard line. That’s when the Owls defense had their most impressive showing of the day when they stopped the Tartars dead in their tracks.
On 1st and goal on the 1 Parrish fumbled the ball on the snap, but recovered it on the 2 yard line. On 2nd down Derric Driscoll was stop in his tracks by Blair Chavez and Nick Williams for a loss of a yard. On 3rd down Parrish decided to keep the ball but was again thwarted when he tackled on the 2 yard line this time by Demarcus Flanagan. The Tartars would go for it on 4th and goal from the 2 yard line, but would be denied as Caleb Flores and Williams tackled Parrish on the 1 yard line, turning the ball over on downs to the Owls.
After arguably their most impressive defensive stand of the day, the Owls then had their most impressive drive as they took the ball 99 yards on 15 plays to the end zone. The drive, which took up 7 minutes and 46 seconds, was capped by yet another Mason touchdown this time from 10 yards out.
In the win Mason was spectacular rushing for 166 yards on 28 rushes for 3 touchdowns and a 5.9 yards per carry average. Bryan Waggener was no slouch as he tossed for 227 yards and 1 touchdown. Nick Williams led the way for the defense registering 5.5 (4 solo, 3 assisted), including 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack on the day. Jason Assauna had a good game as well recording 4 tackles (2 solo, 4 assisted) and 2 pass break-ups.
With the win the Owls improve to 3-2 on the season and 3-0 in Western States Conference play. The Owls will have a bye next week (Oct. 7th), but will return to action on Saturday October 14th when they travel to meet up with College of the Canyons for a 7:00 pm match-up.
Box Score