After losing to Saddleback College the previous week, the Riverside City College Tigers got back on track with a 62-49 win against the Palomar College Comets.
“We played hard, tough football. They’re a tough opponent,” head coach Kevin Craft said. “It’s a tough game. So, I’m proud of the way that our guys worked all through the game.”
The game had a fair share of turnovers with both teams trading fumbles and interceptions.
The Comets took an early lead in the first quarter with a 75-yard touchdown by wide receiver Furious Hoskins. The Tigers continued to lose ground after the Comets recovered a blocked punt for another touchdown.
The Tigers responded with a rushing touchdown by running back Kayvion Sibley, followed by a successful kick by Timothy Tynan.
After the Tigers recorded an interception, the Comets regained possession on the following play with a fumble recovery.
Though the Tigers had a bumpy start, they found their footing during the second quarter and barreled through the Comets’ defensive line. The Tigers ended the first half with a 35-14 advantage.
It would take more than a quarter for the Comets to respond with a touchdown, making the score 38-21 at the start of the third. The Tigers’ defense would make another crucial error, allowing a 99-yard touchdown by Comet’s wide receiver Hoskins, which put them back into the game after cutting down the lead to 38-28.
The Tigers answered this setback with another interception by defensive back Matthew Lashley. The offense quickly capitalized on the interception with another touchdown throw to Cox.
The Tigers kept their momentum alive by ending the third quarter with 52 points and leaving the Comets in the dust with 28 points.
Cox showed dominance in the game, ending with 225 yards and four touchdowns.
“[I] just prepare how I prepared for this game,” Cox said. “Get my mind focused, and just focus on one thing at a time.”
Although the Tigers won, Craft wasn’t impressed with their victory.
“It’s ugly, y’know,” Craft said. “We really gotta turn it around when it comes to the turnover battle. We’ve [got] a lot of areas to improve, just like it’s been keep the focus on ourselves. We’ve got a bye week now to kind of do that.”
The Tigers head to Rancho Cucamonga to face off against Chaffey College on Oct.11.
