By Matt Dziak / Asst. Sports Editor
Catch me (Jasmeet Singh / Photo Editor)
By Matt Dziak / Asst. Sports Editor
The long anticipated arrival of the Riverside City College football team’s season opener finally came and passed with a dominating 53-6 victory over the San Bernardino Valley College Wolverines.
The Tigers took to the gridiron, with high expectations after a 10-1 season last year, led by coach Tom Craft and came into the game ranked No. 8 in the state for junior colleges.
Sophomore quarterback Dalton Livingston picked up where he left off last season, completing 16 of 31 passes to six different receivers for 332 yards and four touchdowns.
The spread offense was too much for the Wolverines’ man coverage to keep up with as the Tigers outgained the Wolverines by over 300 yards.
Sophomore wide receiver, Sadale Foster, who was named conference player of the week, scored three times twice on quick slant routes and gained a total of 125 yards on five catches.
Livingston was able to connect with Foster for a 79-yard touchdown, as he was able to get a great block downfield and cut back, pulling away from the lax secondary and giving the Tigers a 16-0 lead.
“We wanted to execute all around the board,” Foster said. “That play happened to come up and I played it out just right and Dalton stuck it on me.”
The defense was just as stellar as the offense in its execution of the game plan holding the Wolverines to 260 yards of total offense and held the Wolverines to an average of less than 3-yards a carry.
The only points the Tigers conceded came on a forced fumble that was recovered by the Wolverines’ Otis Edwards who ran in from the 2-yard line.
Wolverine quarterback, Daniel Farley, was under duress by the front seven the entire game and his jersey saw its fair share of grass stains in need of some Tide detergent. Farley was sacked five times by the Tigers, and three times in a row on one drive, forcing a punt from the Wolverines’ end zone.
“We go into a rhythm with our no huddle; defense did a great job pressuring (San Bernardino’s) quarterback and the line of scrimmage,” Craft said. “We committed a lot of people to the line of scrimmage.”
The defense also forced two fumbles and had three interceptions, one that set up the offense with great field position, and another by defensive end Will Smith, who returned an interception for a touchdown from the line.
Smith also had a blocked punt and nine tackles, earning himself conference defensive player of the week.
The special team was a bit shaky with botched snaps on several field goal attempts but redeemed itself with Smith’s blocked punt that gave the Tigers offense a first and goal.
“There are some areas where we can clean up: special teams, defense and offense but I was pleased with the effort and I think the guys played really well,” Craft said.
The Tigers pulled ahead 59-0 in the third quarter before giving their starters a much deserved rest after a near flawless execution of the game plan.
The Tigers home opener will be on Sept. 24, against the two-time state champion Mt. San Antonio College. The Tigers’ tailgate party will be before every home game on the practice field and is free to the public.
