Riverside Defeats El Camino

El Camino College found itself in an unfamiliar and difficult situation on Saturday night in the Orange County Bowl in Costa Mesa. For the first time in 17 games the Warriors lost, and this one, perhaps, was the most important game the team has played in three years.

El Camino was playing for a mythical national junior college football championship for the second time in three years, but a fierce effort by Riverside City College (11-0) prevented that from happening. Instead the Warriors (10-1), ranked No. 1 in the state and nationally, suffered a 21-14 loss to the second-ranked Tigers (No.3 nationally).

That means Navarro, Texas, also ranked No. 1 nationally, will probably be the mythical national champion. Navarro beat No. 4 Ellsworth, Iowa, 41-17 in the Mid-American Bowl in Tulsa, Okla.

It also means the Warriors saw their nation-high, 17-game winning streak hit the dust and they missed going undefeated for the second time in three years.

El Camino’s offense didn’t show signs of life until the last possession of the first half. That’s when the Warriors finally scored with 22 seconds left on a nine-play, 81-yard drive that was capped by Al Savea’s one-yard dash into the end zone which still allowed Riverside a 14-7 halftime lead.

Before that El Camino had horrible drives that included a gain of 12 yards in five plays, zero yards in three plays, three yards in three plays and 26 yards in five plays.

Quarterback Frank Dolce, an All-American selection who suffered a sprained wrist against Cerritos, didn’t get going until close to the break. In the first half he had 13 of 23 attempts for 161 yards and two interceptions, both by Riverside freshman linebacker Samila Manu. The Warriors’ running game didn’t contribute much. El Camino rushed for a dismal 34 yards in the first half.

When Riverside scored its first touchdown with 12:03 left in the second quarter, it marked only the second time this season that El Camino has trailed in a game. The other time was against Pasadena in a game El Camino won, 33-24.

The Warriors found themselves in that rare position when Riverside defensive back John Tennyson blocked Scott Peters’ punt and Riverside linebacker Brian Dodson recovered it in the Warriors’ end zone for the score. Darren Goodman’s point-after kick gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

Riverside scored again with 2:04 left in the half on a two-play, 43-yard drive. Quarterback Randy Payne threw a 40-yard bomb to Cameron Lymon for the score.

El Camino tied the game at 14 in its second possession of the final half. The Warriors drove 94 yards in nine plays and, with 6:19 left in the third quarter, Dolce flushed to the right and found David Blakes open for a 59-yard bomb and the score.

Riverside scored via an El Camino gift with 25 seconds left in the third quarter. All-American defensive back Niu Sale fumbled a punt and Riverside center Chris Muller recovered it at the Warrior 10. Three plays later the Tigers scored on an option play that saw running back Gary Adams throw a five-yard pass to tight end Joe Dantuono to give Riverside a 21-14 edge.