Canyons Breaks Through 20-14 Over No. 18 Pasadena City

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

College of the Canyons began league play with a resounding 20-14 win over No. 18 Pasadena City College on Saturday at Cougar Stadium, snapping a three-game losing streak to get its season back on track.

Canyons (1-3) played its most complete outing to date with an ultra-efficient offensive effort that was highlighted, once again, by the play of running back Isaiah Rameau and defensive unit that forced three turnovers and disrupted the Pasadena City backfield from the onset.

Rameau finished the game with 188 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard scoring run that put Canyons in front 20-0 heading into halftime. That total topped his output from a week ago, when Rameau ended the game vs. Riverside City College with 184 yards. 

The freshman notched his first touchdown run of the day on the Cougars' first offensive series, this time a 38-yard run that saw Rameau burst through contact on his way to the end zone. After Justin Assadi's PAT Canyons led 7-0.

COC scored through the air on its next possession as quarterback Jazel Riley IV needed just two plays before hooking up with wide receiver Cole Crawford who hauled in a catch and battled through a series of defenders to find pay dirt on an eventual 81-yard touchdown grab. Assadi's second PAT attempt was no good for a 13-0 score. 

Crawford led all receivers in the game with two catches for 92 yards.

Riley ended the game 7-of-9 for 122 yards with the touchdown to Crawford and added 53 yards on the ground with a long run of 21. His only blemish was a second quarter interception by PCC defensive back Artujo Ayers.

Pasadena City (2-2) used the turnover to move into Cougar territory before settling for a 30-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide right, leaving the score at 13-0. Five plays later Rameau's second touchdown placed COC firmly in control. 

The Lancers finally got on the board with the final play of the third quarter when quarterback Max Grizzell connected with receiver Cam Mitchell for a 36-yard touchdown. The ensuing PAT put the score at 20-7.

Pasadena managed to find the end zone in the final seconds after signal caller Xavier Buckles led a 13-play, 72-yard drive concluding on a four-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Hubbell with four seconds left on the clock.

PCC won the time of possession battle and was successful in converting 4-of-5 fourth downs but committed three turnovers to stunt any potential progress. Buckles finished 20-of-37 for 191 yards and the touchdown but was picked off twice.

COC freshman Dylan McIntosh nabbed his first INT of the season off Buckles in the first quarter. Later it was Mylan Walker with an interception and 17-yard return late in the first half. The pick was Walker's second in as many weeks.

Same for Xavier Perry, who picked off Grizzell with 5:19 to go in the game, again placing a damper on any potential PCC comeback attempts. Perry, who made a similar play in last week's game vs. Riverside, added five tackles to match Walker's takedown total. 

Sophomore Datavius Bledsoe finished with a game-high 10 total tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a pass break up.

Jake Pikor was part of a defensive front that harassed Grizzell and Buckles from the start. Pikor got home twice on Saturday and has now recorded a combined three sacks in the last two contests. His three tackles for loss vs. the Lancers were also a game high. He was named the Chick-Fil-A Valencia Town Center Player of the Game.

Elijah Hall and Adonte Medley joined forces for a sack with Medley also swatting a pass to the ground. He finished with three tackles in the game while Hall had four. 

Judah Plett, Tory Cabral and Jeremiah Taylor were all active in the defensive effort with four tackles apiece. 

Canyons held Pasadena to just 56 rushing yards on 26 attempts. The Lancers managed most of their yards through the air with 10 different receivers hauling in passes.

Saturday's contest was the Southern California Football Association (SCFA) National Division, Central League opener.

Pasadena City entered the game as the No. 18 ranked team in the state according to the the JC Athletic Bureau head coaches poll released on Sept. 16. Canyons did not appear in the rankings for the first time this season. 

COC has now faced state ranked opponents in three straight weeks, with matchups vs. No. 6 El Camino (3-1), No. 8 Riverside City (2-2) and No. 18 Pasadena City. Additionally, the Cougars' week one opponent, Southwestern College (4-0), began week four as the state's No. 9 ranked program. 

Up next, the Cougars take to the road for a league matchup at currently ranked No. 17 Cerritos College (3-1). The Falcons were 68-0 winners at Orange Coast College on Saturday.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.