COD Football fights hard in loss to the Falcons, 65-35

COD (1-2) opened up their 2018 home opener with an 80 yard touchdown pass, but after tying the game at 17-17, the game started to go sideways for the Roadrunners, who fell to the Cerritos Falcons (3-0), 65-35.

If you showed up just after the National Anthem to Robert F. Boone Field on the campus of College of the Desert, you missed the opening play from scrimmage and it was a doozy. Sophomore quarterback Noah Shoeman (Murray, UT) connected with sophomore wide receiver Kerrion Ringo (Evansville, IN Francis Joseph Reitz) for an 80 yard strike to punch the Falcons square in the jaw and take an early, 7-0 lead.

The Falcons would tie the game at 7-7 on their next drive and the Roadrunners would regain the lead on a 33 yard field goal by freshman kicker Diego Martinez (Thermal Desert Mirage), giving Desert a 10-7 lead, with 6:50 left in the first quarter. Unfortunately for the Roadrunners, it would be the final time that Desert held a lead, as Cerritos would score the next ten points.

The Roadrunners would tie the game up, again on another huge gain from Ringo as he broke three Falcons tackle attempts and scampered 44 yards up the right sideline to tie the game at 17-17, with 3:55 left in the half. But the Falcons would score a quick passing touchdown and then recover a poorly snapped punt attempt, to put Desert down 31-17 going into halftime.

As both teams came onto the field after halftime, there was an air of opportunity, but on the first play from scrimmage in the second half, the Desert defense was flagged for pass interference. On the very next play, Cerritos ran 57 yards for a touchdown giving the Falcons a 38-17 lead, 18 seconds into the second half.

Cerritos would score the next 20 points, then a ray of light as Ringo found the end zone for the third time when paired with freshman quarter back GJer'Donte Williams (Detroit, MI Wayne Memorial) on a crazy 19 play 54 yard drive, which ended on a 19 yard touchdown pass in the left corner of the end zone. While the Falcons still held a 58-23 lead, you could sense at change in the direction of the momentum.

On the very next possession, the Roadrunners defense held the Cerritos offense to a punt, thanks in large part to the contributions of sophomore defensive lineman Datona Jackson (Union City, OH Mississinawa Valley) had eight total tackles grabbing two sacks for a total loss of 13 yards, including three tackles for a loss of a total of 15 yards, one forced fumble and one broken up pass on the night. On the punt, freshman punt returner Kaleb Welmas (Indio Shadow Hills) ran back 58 yards to make the game a little closer, with the Falcons still leading, 58-29.

A big return by Cerritos, put the ball close and they score another touchdown, but the Roadrunners defense would not relent as on a 4th and 14, the had a bad punt snap of their own, and sophomore defensive lineman Scott Arnold (Lancaster Eastside) forced a fumble, recovered that fumble and digged and darted 58 yards to find the end zone.

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Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Michael Leone Photography (f8leone@yahoo.com)