Cougars Fall In Season Opener To Chaffey

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - The College of the Canyons (0-1) football team broke a few records in its season opener, but not the kind a team would want to brag about. For the first time since the football program was reinstated in 1998, the Cougars lost their home opener and snapped a 38-game regular season winning streak with a 29-24 loss to the visiting Chaffey College Panthers (1-0).

The Cougars were 8-0 in home openers and 7-1 in season openers before Saturday's game. The team also had not lost at home during the regular season since Game 9 of the 1999 season, a span of 31 games. Canyons had also not lost a regular season game since Game 2 of the 2002 season in a span of 38 games.

COC came out nervous as they could not get a first down in the first two possessions. New Cougar quarterback Andrew Miramontes, who finished the night completing 21-of-37 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns, got sacked on third and 17, bringing Canyons back to its own five-yard line during the Cougars second drive with the ball.

The Panthers meanwhile, moved the ball well, and the Cougars were stunned when Chaffey quarterback connected with wide receiver Alexander Thompson on a 19-yard reception with 4:42 left in the first to put the Panthers on top 7-0.

College of the Canyons had no response until the second quarter as Miramontes completed a pass to wide receiver Terence Scott for 27-yard touchdown reception with 9:28 left in the half. The Cougars tied the game 7-7, but Chaffey would go into halftime scoring another touchdown, and leading the Cougars 14-7.

Coming out of halftime, the Cougars held off the Panthers offense. Chaffey kicker Justin Veazie missed on a 31-yard field goal attempt, and Miramontes reacted with another touchdown pass to Scott, who had three receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns on the night, this time a 15-yarder that tied the game at 14-all.

Chaffey stepped up again on the next drive and four plays later, the Panthers were in the end zone again and up 21-14 with 4:37 left in the third quarter. As COC struggled to hold the Panther's offense, Chaffey scored another touchdown to start the fourth quarter and that put the Panthers up by 13 points, 27-14.

With the Cougars in desperate need of some points, Miramontes completed a 15-yard pass to Tyler Roby with 10:32 left. The PAT by kicker Paul Weinstein was blocked and recovered by Chaffey's Deyon McElroy, who took it into COC's end zone and added added to the Cougar deficit as the Panther's went up 29-20.

The game came down to time management for Chaffey as the Panthers held on to the ball for the next  4:55. A tackle by Jarae' Nelson on third and 11 allowed the Cougars to gain possession. On third and six, COC got the ball to the Chaffey 9-yard line, but could only convert it into a field goal, leaving the final score to 29-23.

Brian Stuart finished as the top rusher for COC with nine carries for 51 yards. Jovonn Augustus led the receivers with three receptions for 76 yards and Andrew Jones had four receptions for 54 yards. Freshman Thomas Kyle had the most all-purpose yardage. He had nine yards rushing, 43 receiving yards and 48 punt return yards for 100 total yards.

Four Cougars finished with four tackles each: Byron Bullock, Allen Walker, Kava Fine and Amyene Williams. Walker also added a sack and a pass break-up.

The Cougars return to action on Saturday, Sept. 9, as they travel to reigning state champions Grossmont College for a 3 p.m. game. Grossmont lost to Mt. SAC in its first game of the season, 13-10.