Penalties seemed to haunt Orange Coast College, as the Cerritos College football team routed the Pirates, 55-26, on Saturday, Sept. 13.
“My ideal in all the years I’ve coached, I always worry about the second football game. The second is really tough for kids – you go all summer, you finish the first game, then all of a sudden you hit bottom,” Head Coach Frank Mazzotta said about the significance of the second game of the season.
Both teams exchanged scores early on, matching each other with quick up-tempo drives through most of the first quarter.
The Falcons (2-0) started the game with favorable field position as a delay of game penalty was called on Orange Coast College (0-2) as soon as kickoff had begun.
Falcons quarterback Jimmy Walker propelled a 57-yard drive and capped it off with a 14-yard pass to Justin Caines, putting the Falcons up early up by a touchdown.
A personal foul penalty on the next possession shortened the field for Orange Coast, leading the Pirates to break a 34-yard run for a touch down.
Despite the Falcons racking up more turnovers, the team managed to capitalize on most of the stalled drives and turnovers made by Orange Coast.
A total of 14 penalties were called on the Pirates accumulating in 116 yards of negative yardage.
The momentum quickly turned in favor of the Cerritos College football team when the Pirates fumbled at their own 32- yard line, resulting in a score; putting the Falcons up by two touchdowns.
Late in the third quarter, Walker suffered a hip injury; he would not return for the remainder of the game, causing back-up quarterback Alexander Cuevas to take over.
“(Cuevas) went out there and did some good things. I got a little hip pointer; it stung a little bit. It’s going to be a little sore, but I should be alright,” Walker said.
Already up by two touchdowns, Cuevas used his mobility outside of the pocket to gain consecutive first downs, milking most of the clock in the third and fourth quarters.
Although the Falcons cruised into a win this week, coach Mazzotta is ready to see how his team fairs against a top football program.
“Fortunately, we didn’t play the best team; next week is going to be the real test. We play Fullerton next week, and that will be the true test of how good we are.”
The Cerritos College football team will try and continue its momentum in an away contest against Fullerton College on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 12:30 p.m.
