Cougars Fall To Defending National and State Champion Mt. SAC

WALNUT, Calif. - College of the Canyons was held to four yards rushing and the defending national and state champion Mt. SAC football team defeated the Cougars 34-19 on Saturday afternoon in Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

In the second meeting between the two state powers, the Cougars gave up two touchdowns in 13 seconds, relinquishing their 19-14 lead in the middle of the third quarter. In the second half, Mt. SAC outscored the Cougars 20-7.

Freshman quarterback Justin Arias broke a school record with 62 passing attempts, shattering the previous record of 59 held by 1998 quarterback Kevin Carrasco. Arias was 32-of-62 for 292 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Cameron Bailey had a game-high 112 yards on 10 catches and one touchdown.

Sophomore linebacker Khalil Bass made a career-high 12 tackles to go along with his interception and fumble recovery, Emanuel Koleosho had eight hits and safety Josh Irvin added fives stops and two picks.

The Cougars scored on their second possession after receiving the ball on downs at the Mt. SAC 21-yard line.  Two plays and a pass interference penalty later helped the Cougars' running back Ryan Zirbel to scamper into the end zone for the first points of the game, 6-0, with the 12 minutes left in the first quarter. The Cougars missed the extra point.

Mt. SAC took a one-point lead, 7-6, late in the first quarter.

The 7-6 lead held for the Mounties until the second quarter, but COC took the lead again when Arias led the Cougars 64 yards down the field and Emanuel Osuchukwu  scored on an 11-yard carry by. COC tried to make up for the missed extra point from the first quarter by going for two, but an incomplete pass kept the score at 12-7 in favor of the Cougars.

COC gave up two consecutive safeties in the game, both in the second quarter, cutting into the Cougars' lead 12-11. Mt. SAC would retake the lead, 14-12, before the break by adding a 23-yard field goal.

COC scored one more time after the break. The College of the Canyons special teams blocked the Mounties punt to set up a quick score for COC. On 1st and 10 on the Mountie's 34-yard line, Arias connected with Bailey for a 34-yard touchdown pass that gave COC a 19-14 advantage.

Mt. SAC went ahead 27-19 during a 13-second explosion that included a touchdown and an interception return for a score. Mt. SAC scored one more time to in the fourth quarter to finish off the Cougars 34-19.

College of the Canyons drops to 1-1 in its non-conference schedule and will return home on Saturday, Sept. 18, to host Citrus College in its home opener.