Offense goes quiet in second half as Modesto Junior College comes up short against CCSF
For most of three quarters, two of the best junior college football programs in the state did little separate themselves from each other.
Modesto Junior College, ranked fourth, and No. 5 City College of San Francisco were locked in a seven-point game heading into the fourth quarter on Saturday night at MJC Stadium.
That’s when the CCSF defense emerged, blanking the Pirates the rest of the way en route to a 42-21 victory.
“San Francisco is much faster on defense than what we have played the first two weeks, and so that’s good,” MJC coach Rusty Stivers said. “You want to play the best, or a team that’s really good ... so it’s hard for us, but I think it’s gonna make us better.”
San Francisco entered the game unbeaten, having beaten its two opponents by a combined 111-14. MJC had played tighter games, but emerged with victories over Laney and Sierra.
On Saturday, MJC scored on its first possession after Gino Campiotti connected with Darius Hyde from 44 yards out, his lone touchdown pass of the game.
Whatever momentum was gained from the fast start evaporated in seconds when Calel Olicia-Ar returned Nathan Valdez’s kickoff 92 yards to tie the game.
Rams quarterback Jack Newman, a former Cal walk-on, then threw three straight touchdown passes to put the game seemingly out of reach.
However, trailing 28-7, the Pirates put together a five-play, 69-yard drive, ending in a Campiotti touchdown run to cut the lead to 28-14 going into half time.
MJC’s defense held strong in the third quarter, paving the way for a Campiotti 23-yard scramble into the end zone to put the Pirates to within seven.
“I liked our resiliency,” Stivers said. “Our guys kept playing. It’s important to handle adversity ... and our guys did a great job.”
In the fourth quarter, the Rams took control.
They went on a seven-play, 80-yard drive capped by a Newman to Jeffrey Weimer 19-yard score with 11 minutes, 45 seconds left.
After the Pirates’ next possession ended on downs at the Rams’ 29, Shawn Allen completed a 71-yard scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown run with 7:05 left to put CCSF up 42-21.
The Pirates’ last four drives after Campiotti’s third-quarter touchdown run resulted in two punts and turning the ball over twice on downs.
As the Pirates head into two straight road games at Butte Sept. 25 and San Mateo Oct. 2, Stivers said he understands there are still more games that carry weight ahead of them this season.
“The exciting part for me is we’re nowhere near how good we can be,” Stivers said. “And that’s what we’re going to work towards.”
