Under scorching temperatures at Wheelock Stadium, the Tigers offense blazed by the Vikings to open the season 1-0.
The defending California Community Colleges Athletic Association state champions and the #1 Riverside City College football team met the #23 Long Beach College Vikings in a much-anticipated top 25 season opener on Sept. 7.
The Tigers’ offense, led by sophomore running back Devyne Pearson who found the endzone three times, ran early and often against the Viking defense, en route to a 44-21 victory.
“I felt really good running the ball, even though it was a very hot game things opened up for me, and the offensive line executed really well,” Pearson said.
“It took a little bit of the pressure off a lot of young starters on offense,” Tigers head coach Tom Craft said. “We’ve got good backs, and we do it by committee.”
Craft credited freshman Beau Bruins for his key role in the running game’s success as a super-utility man working between tight end, running back, and full back.
After both teams traded scores in their opening drives the Tigers would squander away opportunities by committing six first-quarter penalties which halted any sort of momentum.
“First game … and a lot of young players,” Craft said simply. “We put a lot of pressure on them to perform during practice and in situational football.”
The Tigers ended up committing 18 penalties for a total of 185 yards lost by the game’s end.
Redshirt Sophomore Brady Jones who was making his first start in the orange in black would show great poise as he managed to settle down the offense and manage the offense to victory
Jones rushed for 50 yards on four attempts while throwing for 329 yards and a touchdown.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment, it feels good to have a solid game,” Jones said. “He’s earned it,” Craft added.
Craft compared Jones’ performance to that of star quarterback from last season’s championship team Jordan Barton saying, “He’s not where we want him to be yet.”
“As we go through the season, and he puts more games together I’m hoping he can get better and better and be one of the better quarterbacks here,” Craft said.
The penalty problems would once again erupt in the third quarter as the RCC offense was tagged four more times in a single drive.
“Keeping composure, staying structured, and doing what we do in practice every day,” is what Jones attributed to the offense’s ability to overcome those penalties.
“The offense stepped up and the defense showed their true colors getting us some stops and getting us the lead,” Jones said.
The Tigers will look to clean it up as they prepare for a week two matchup against Golden West on the road on Sept. 14
“We have a target on our back, and we have to keep the pedal to metal,” Pearson said.
