Tigers Tame Visiting Chaffey Panthers, 41-7; RCC Visits Citrus in Regular Season Finale
RIVERSIDE -- Thanks to its defense which forced 13 changes of possession over the first 3-1/2 quarters, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers football team went on to post a solid 41-7 National Central League (NCL) win over the visiting Chaffey College Panthers Saturday evening (Nov. 7) at historic Arthur N. Wheelock Stadium.
Riverside (7-2 overall, 4-1 NCL), which was coming off a resounding 34-14 NCL win over then-No. 1-ranked Long Beach City College (LBCC) Saturday (Oct. 31) in last week's (Oct. 26) California Community College Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA) poll.
RCC, which opened the season at No. 3 in the state, then vaulted to No. 1 in the state for six weeks, slipped to No. 10 in the state after a 20-17 loss at Mt. San Antonio. Riverside then was ranked No. 5 after the solid win over LBCC.
And while No. 1-ranked Golden West lost, 17-14, at Orange Coast last Saturday (Nov. 7), RCC's 38-18 home non-conference win over Saddleback (Sept. 12) may be the difference when playoff berths are announced after regular season play concludes next week.
Against long-time rival Chaffey, the Tigers' defense forced the Panthers to punt on their first six possessions, the fifth of which was returned 80 yards by sophomore WR Sebastian La Rue (Inglewood / Santa Monica HS) for a touchdown which gave RCC a 12-0 lead with 7:54 left in the second quarter. Freshman kicker Julian Castro (Legacy HS) booted home the point after touchdown for a 13-0 lead. RCC led, 20-0, at halftime.
Midway through the game, RCC sandwiched four interceptions around another Chaffey punt, three of those errant aerials ultimately led to Tiger TDs and put the game away.
RCC freshman DB Tareke Lewis (Palatka, FL) -- who is pictured -- latched onto a pair of interceptions, one to end the first half (in the end zone) and the other which terminated Chaffey's first possession of the third quarter.
Chaffey broke the shut-out with 2:50 left in the game (on its 14th possession) for the final score of 41-7.
For the Tigers sophomore QB Ian Fieber (Mission Viejo HS) completed 21 of 30 passes (zero interceptions) for 278 yards and three TDs.
Sophomore WR K.J. Young (Citrus Hill HS) had game-high seven receptions for 112 yards and one TD and a long gain of 36. Freshman RB Seth Acda (Vista Murrieta HS) did the bulk of RCC's rushing with 21 carries for 124 net rushing yards and two TDs.
On defense, sophomore LB AJ Hotchkins (Tigard, OR HS) led RCC with seven tackles, including two solo stops, two tackles for loss and one Qb hurry.
With the win, RCC only trails in the all-time series, 27-28-1.
Riverside will play its final regular season game next Saturday, Nov. 14, when it visits the Citrus College Owls. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
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