Some people enjoy thrillers and some don’t.

Head coach Frank Mazzotta and staff may be those who don’t. After last week’s win at Saddleback College, Mazzotta said his grey hair turned white during the game, this week he might be losing his hair.

Cerritos College took care of business yet again, but not without some serious drama and uncertainty as they bolted with a 34-31 victory Saturday night against Orange Coast College, who fumbled the ball at the 45-yard line as time expired.

The win came despite some serious injuries that the team overcame en route of the victory.

Coach Mazzotta was surprised the team was able to overcome the injuries and continue to maintain their focus.

Two starters were injured during the game, center Daniel Alanouf and defensive back Anthony Murray.

Alanouf missed the remainder of the season after dislocating and breaking his ankle in the first quarter.

In the same quarter Murray went down with what was believed to be a slight ligament tear.

“I got horse-collared, went down and the ankle rolled a little bit. It felt uncomfortable,” Murray said. “I just knew it was bad.”

He may be able to return to the team next week for the Falcons home opener against Fullerton College.

After the Murray injury, defensive backs coach pulled cornerback Thadd Daniels to the side and simply said, “I need you now more than ever.”

He responded with a blocked field goal.

“That’s one of our top corners going down, so I just had to keep my composure and make a play,” Daniels said.

Murray wasn’t the only defensive presence that was missed in the secondary. Free safety Elijah Walker was disqualified in the second quarter after it was believed that he was targeting the quarterback.

Meaning he was trying to hurt the quarterback intentionally.

“Everybody was disappointed because he’s going to miss the next game. It’s a big deal,” Mazzotta admitted. “But it’ll be reviewed, it’s going to have to be reviewed.”

Walker said, “I’m not even really sure if I’m kicked out for the next game, I’m just going to believe that I can play because it’s under review,”

“I’m just going to have to take it in somehow.”

In response to all of the commotion surrounding the team’s defense, it was up to other players to step up.

Well, at least in the words of defensive leader David Fangupo.

Fangupo pulled the defense to the side and was heard telling his teammates, “This is where we determine who wants to be good and who wants to be great. Somebody has to go out there and make a play. It’s that simple.”

Defensive end Alonzo Hansen got the message loud and clear. Following the speech with two tackles, including a sack.

“It’s a team effort so when one player makes a play, we have to be juiced. We have to feed off of that. Alonzo [Hansen], I have to tip my hat off to him, every week he comes down like that. He has a motor and he’s a great player, and [mostly] he helps other people around him make plays,” Fangupo said about Hansen’s play.

However, Hansen had no problem sharing the spotlight. “[David’s speech] motivated me because I didn’t have a good first half,” Hansen stated.

“He’s [David] is a big influence on this team, especially [with] him being a sophomore. It’s a privilege to play with him.”

On the offensive end, Jimmy Walker to De’Jai Whitaker connection was stronger than ever.

“I think it’s just being around each other for two years. Coming in at the same time and coming up together,” quarterback Walker said about the duo’s success.

Walker threw for 376 yards with four touchdowns to just one interception on 25 of 37 completions all while battling flu-like symptoms.

“We just work on it in practice, so we just kept [running our offense],” Whitaker stated.

Whitaker had eight receptions for 182 yards and three touchdowns.

The running game continued to be “by committee,” according to running back Robert Gordon. However, it was Kishawn Holmes who received majority of the carries.

“It was [a] team effort, I didn’t shoulder anything. From the offensive line to the quarterback to the receivers to the coaches calling the plays, it was a team effort,” Holmes explained.

Holmes rushed for 78 yards on 18 carries.

The Falcons are 2-0 now heading back home against Fullerton College.

Fangupo said, “We came together as a whole and that’s the main thing we came out with the win. Now we’re going to go home and eat some chicken!”