Antelope Valley's Turnovers Set Cougars Up For First Win Of The Season

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - The College of the Canyons football team caused five turnovers en route to a 44-23 win over the Antelope Valley College Marauders at Cougar Stadium in its season opener Saturday. 

The Cougars defense took center stage in the first game of the season as the squad only allowed the Marauders to gain 35 yards rushing and while forcing five Marauder turnovers. 

Sophomore safety Curtis McCann intercepted two passes while freshman linebacker Jake Woolley nabbed the other interception of the evening and freshman linebacker Zach Watkins recovered a fumble. 

The offense had its bright spots too. With no touchdowns coming through the air, the COC running backs carried the offense and combined for 254 yards and all six of the Cougar's scores. 

Sophomore running back Jamie Wilson added 76 yards rushing and three touchdowns and quarterback Chris Rini carried the ball 12 times for 50 yards and a score. 

Rini finished the night 10-of-18 passing for 141 yards. Rini and sophomore quarterback Chris Owens combined to go 13-of-26 passing for 214 yards, but no touchdowns and one interception.

First-game jitters were apparent in the second drive of the game when the Cougars punted the ball away after failing to earn a first down. 

Following a Joey Roth punt, the Marauders fumbled the catch and lost the first of two punt returns balls that would quickly go back to the Cougars. 

The Cougars recovered the botched punt return on the Antelope Valley 12-yard line but had were held out of the end zone by the Marauder's defense. Canyons would have to settle on a 35-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Jeff Flores to give COC its first points of the quarter and the season. 

Following a few nervous possessions early in the game, COC found its footing and the team easily led the rest of the game.

Canyons added two touchdowns to end the first quarter, a 2-yard rush to the end zone from Rini and 1-yard carry by freshman M. Ajani Shanks, which was a result of linebacker's Woolley's interception a possession earlier. 

After a scoreless second quarter for the Cougars and a 17-7 lead over Antelope Valley College, Canyons built a 15-point lead in the third quarter with two touchdown runs from Wilson. 

Wilson, who started the second half with -4 yards, had all his positive yardage and touchdowns in the second half. 

Wilson added one more score of 25 yards, his longest scoring run, to start the fourth quarter and put Canyons up 37-15. 

Antelope Valley and Canyons exchanged touchdowns in the final minutes of the game, which included a six-yard carry from freshman running back Matt Bowen to leave the score at 44-23 when the final horn rang. 

Canyons dominated statistically, rolling up 468 total offensive yards to AVC's 307 with a 16-minute advantage in time of possession and 24 first downs to the Marauders' 12. Canyon's defense had four sacks.

Freshman linebackers Jens Jeter and Sione Folaumoeloa and freshman defensive back Jesse Sampson tallied four tackles each and the two linebackers also recorded one sack each.

COC will next take on two-time defending state champions Mt. San Antonio College at Cougar Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.