Tigers Topple Fullerton, 36-13; Avenge Both 2013 Losses with Win Over Hornets

RIVERSIDE -- Avenging, in some measure, both of its losses in 2013, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers football team used a punishing rushing attack and a stingy defense to rout the Fullerton College (FC) Hornets, 36-13, in a nonconference game Saturday evening (Oct. 11) at legendary Arthur N. Wheelock Stadium.

Riverside (4-1 overall) took the opening kickoff, scored 3-1/2 minutes into the game and never looked back. Sophomore RB Denzel Foster (Riverside / John W. North HS) capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a 14-yard rushing touchdown to get the Tigers on the scoreboard. RCC freshman PK Jimmy Camacho (Citrus Hill HS) kicked the first of his four PAT attempts and the Tigers led, 7-0, with 11:34 left in the first quarter.

RCC led, 12-0, at the 6:09 mark thanks to a safety and a 31-yard field goal by Camacho. Fullerton (4-2 overall) kicked a field goal in each of the first two quarters as the Tigers led, 22-6, at halftime.

A 31-yard TD run and a pair of TD passes by RCC sophomore QB Nicholas King (Westchester HS) helped the Tigers increase their lead to 36-6 late in the third quarter (:19). A fumble by the Tigers deep in their own end with 3-1/2 minutes left in the game paved the way for the Hornets to score a touchdown with 2:16 remaining.

Foster had 21 carries for 161 net rushing yards (7.7 avg.) and two receptions for 70 yards to account for 231 all-purpose yards as the Tigers had 569 yards of total offense, compared to Fullerton's 231 yards of total offense.

King completed 23 of 34 passes for 322 yards and three TDs. Sophomore WR Isaac Whitney (Southmoore, OK) latched onto ten aerials for 126 yards. On defense, freshman LB AJ Hotchkins (Tigard, OR) led the Tigers with 11 total tackles (six solo).

For Fullerton, which netted only 15 yards rushing, freshman QB Joey Verhaegh (Boise, ID) completed 20 of 37 passes (with one intercepted) for 216 yards. Freshman WR Jarrell Moss (Tustin-Foothill HS) had six receptions for 64 yards. Defensively, freshman DB Tim Roberts (Hahnville, LA) and freshman LB Walter Roberson (Dutch Fork, SC) each had nine total tackles as Roberts had six solo stops. 

With the win, the Tigers hope to improve on their No. 8 ranking in the state (No. 4 in SoCal). Fullerton was rated No. 6 in state (No. 3 in SoCal) coming into the game. In the all-time series, Riverside leads 37-25-1. In 2013, the Tigers finished 10-2 overall with the Hornets dealing RCC both of its losses, including one in the Southern California regional final.

Riverside returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 18, when it visits the Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC) Seahawks. Kickoff is 6 p.m. In the all-time series, which only dates to 2010, RCC leads, 3-0, including a 71-0 win at LAHC in 2013.

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