Tigers Throttle Host Chaffey, 59-0, Gain 12 First-place Votes to Continue Reign at Top of State Rankings

ALTA LOMA -- Opening National Central League (NCL) play with a resounding road win, the Riverside City College (RCC) football team -- the top-ranked team in the state for the fifth consecutive week -- scored 17 points in a five-minute span of the first-quarter and never looked back in a 59-0 NCL win over the host Chaffey College Panthers last Saturday (Oct. 15).

With a 6-0 start, Riverside remains in the top spot in the latest poll, which was released Tuesday, Oct. 18, by the California Community College Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA) and the Junior College Athletic Bureau (JCAB).

Riverside collected 12 first-place votes in the latest poll and increased its lead over former No. 2-ranked Saddleback when the Gauchos lost, 20-17, to unranked Golden West. New No. 2 Santa Rosa -- the only undefeated (6-0) National league team in Northern California -- will face defending state champion City College of San Francisco this Saturday, Oct. 22.

RCC will host the Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC) Seahawks in a NCL home game this Saturday night (Oct. 22) at RCC's historic Arthur N. Wheelock Stadium in a 6 p.m. kickoff. In the all-time series, RCC leads, 6-0, including a 55-17 NCL home win last season (Oct. 17).

***

At Chaffey, Riverside City (1-0 NCL) helped itself with great field position when sophomore defensive back Tareke Lewis (Palatka, FL) returned an interception 21 yards to the Chaffey 27-yard-line. Four plays later, freshman place kicker John Hilfer (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS) booted home a 41-yard field goal with 11:57 left in the first quarter and RCC led, 3-0.

Less than four minutes later, sophomore tailback Seth Acda (Murrieta / Vista Murrieta HS '15) capped a four-play, 53-yard drive with a five-yard TD run with 8:32 left. Hilfer kicked the first of his eight PAT kick and RCC led, 10-0.

Ninety seconds later, sophomore defensive back Chad Hill returned an interception 15 yards for a TD. Hilfer's PAT kick gave RCC a 17-0 lead with 7:02 left in the first quarter.

Acda was one of two RCC running backs with over 100 net rushing yards. Acda had 17 carries for 121 net rushing yards (minus 3 in losses). Sophomore running back Eltoro Allen (Elk Grove HS) had ten totes for 115 net yards rushing (zero for losses). Acda added a second TD midway through the third quarter on a 25-yard run and Allen had a 77-yard YD run late in the first half.

Sophomore quarterback Collyn Anderson (Durham, NC / Hillside [NC] HS '12) completed 12 of 21 passes with one interception for 175 yards and one TD, but was sacked three times. Sophomore wide receiver Dominique Maiden (Temecula Valley HS) led the Tigers with six receptions for 95 yards, including a long gain of 34 yards.

In terms of total offense yardage, Riverside outgained Chaffey, 579 to 104. The Tigers outgained the Panthers in net yards rushing, 309-66.

Sophomore WR Darius Hunter (Prosper, TX) -- son of former Major League Baseball outfielder Torii Hunter -- had three catches for 74 yards with TD receptiond of 29 and 41 yards midway through the second half.

On defense, sophomore linebacker Ethan Pulley (Rancho Cucamonga HS) had nine total tackles (five solo).

***

RCC head coach Tom Craft, who is his seventh season at the Tigers' helm, brings an overall record of 64-10 (through the previous six seasons, 2010-15, plus the first six games of 2016) into the Tigers' next game (Saturday, Oct. 22) versus L.A. Harbor. Craft has guided the Tigers to five bowl victories and five conference championships (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, co-2015).

In 2015, RCC was 8-3 overall, 5-1 in the National Central League (NCL). In 2013 and 2014, Riverside was 10-2 overall, 6-0 in the National Central Conference (NCC) each season.

-30-