Cougars Host L.A. Valley On Saturday
Complete Game Notes
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Tonight, the Cougars play host to the visiting L.A. Valley College Monarchs in a non-conference game and the annual homecoming football game for College of the Canyons. COC remained the third-ranked team in the state after starting the season 2-0. Valley is currently not ranked.
Last weekend, COC gave Santa Barbara City College (0-2) all they could handle in a 56-6 victory. Running back Fred Winborn had a big part in the win as he rushed for two touchdowns, threw one to teammate Hayo Carpenter and caught one TD pass in one of the most complete games played at Cougar Stadium. Winborn, who was named the Southern California Football Association (SCFA), Northern Division All-Purpose Player of the Week, finished the night with 223 yards rushing, 40 yards receiving and 35 yards passing. As a team, the Cougars scored 49 consecutive points through the first three quarters of play before allowing Santa Barbara to score a touchdown in the final seconds of the third quarter. Even with the Vaquero score, COC’s Dejuan Yates blocked the extra point, keeping the Vaqueros to six points. Canyons’ defense stifled the Vaqueros including eight sacks on the SBCC quarterback and held the Vaqueros to 52 yard rushing. Carpenter, the SCFA, National Division Offensive Player of the Week had another game with three touchdowns and led all receivers with six catches for 164 yards. COC’s quarterbacks were interception free as well. Brad McClellan finished the evening going 9-of-15 for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Freshman defensive lineman Marquis Jackson topped the Cougars with six tackles, four solo, a pass breakup and one sack. Linebacker and SCFA, National Division Defensive Player of the Week Steve Gourley finished the night with five tackles, two solo, an interception and one pass breakup.
Last week L.A. Valley hosted Bakersfield College in a 17-13 victory. Valley held off a final BC charge in the final 1:30 that moved Bakersfield all the way to Valley’s 25-yard line, but could not convert the march into a touchdown. Valley won the battle of the points, but gave up 523 yards of total offense and allowed the Renegades to complete 22 first downs, compared to the Monarchs 389 total offensive yards and 13 first downs. Quarterback Bret Visciglia finished the evening going 15-of-24 for 251 yards and two touchdowns. James Walker had 23 carries for 131 yards and Gerald Scarber had four receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
During the past two games, the Cougars have accumulated 1,077 yards of total offense and are averaging 538.5 yards per game. COC leads the state and will take on a Valley team that has allowed 497 yards per game, which is ranked 67th in the state. In contrast, COC’s defense gives up 201.0 yards a game, including only 71 yards on the ground in two games. The sixth-ranked Canyons defense also only allows 10 ppg, which matches Valley’s point average in the past two games.
COC has not lost to Valley since the football program was reinstated in 1998, holding a 6-0 advantage over the Monarchs. The Cougars have defeated the Monarchs by an average of 20.5 points during the past six meetings, with the closest game coming `in 2000 when the Cougars defeated the Monarchs, 21-20. The last meeting between the two squads was in 2006 and COC won 48-29.