JOSH LAKEY | STAFF WRITER
The RCC Tigers had a two game winning resurgence following their first loss of the season against Fullerton College on Oct. 12. The first of the two wins came on the road against the El Camino College Warriors on Oct. 19 with a 48-25 victory followed by a hard fought last second touchdown win over the Citrus College Owls on Oct. 26 in Wheelock Field which resulted in a 51-50 final score.
This was the second time the Tigers came up big verses the Owls. Last season, despite having the top offense at the time, the Tigers didn’t score a single offensive touchdown but still managed a 21-18 win over the Owls in overtime.
Head Coach Tom Craft eluded to this game in comparison saying “very similar type of deal, but this year was much more offensively one sided on both ends.”
The Owls were led by quarterback Larry Cutbirth, who played a stellar game throwing 33 passes of which 23 were completed and throwing a Citrus College setting record six touchdown passes. Running back Emmanuel Pooler contributed 120 rushing yards on 15 attempts with his longest run of the night being a 44 yard rush in the first quarter.
Wide receivers freshman Raphael Barr and sophomore Scott Calles were huge for the Owls, with Barr catching five balls for 122 yards with three touchdown catches and Calles, who managed to catch a last minute touchdown pass from Cutbirth giving the Owls a 50-44 lead with 1:03 left to go in the game, finished with five catches for 68 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Despite big production from the Owls offensive players, the Tigers remained resilient offensively.
Running back Denzel Foster, who ranks second in the Central Conference in rushing yards, produced 21 attempts rushing for 127 yards with three touchdowns on the ground for the Tigers.
Quarterback Skylar Howard (who also currently ranks number one in central conference in completions and touchdowns) went 19 completions on 27 passing attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
His second touchdown pass thrown was the game changer and inevitably game winner, setting up receiver Marquis Thompson for a nine yard touchdown making the score 50-50 and Von Ross’ point after touchdown kick attempt good giving the Tigers a 51-50 lead with only eight seconds left remaining in the game.
Before that catch, the Tigers managed to move 65 yards down the field in six plays in 55 seconds of the final drive, leaving only eight seconds remaining in the game.
