Mistakes Prove to Be Undoing for Southwest

The Southwest College football team trailed 12th-ranked Bakersfield, 14-8, at halftime Saturday afternoon, but three consecutive second-half fumbles by the Cougars helped the Renegades to a 33-14 Western State Conference victory.

Bakersfield (7-1-1) converted each of the fumbles into scores.

Two plays after Southwest’s Nathan Preston fumbled a punt, Bakersfield’s Angus Sumlin scored on a one-yard run. The opportunistic Renegades later scored on a 32-yard field goal by Bobby Rocha and a 26-yard touchdown run by Jason Higbee.

Southwest Coach Henry Washington said he tried to caution his players during halftime about the danger of giving Bakersfield a chance to score.

“That’s all we talked about is coming out and trying to keep it close and not putting them in a position to score,” Washington said. “We came out (in the second half) and did exactly what we didn’t want.

“We felt pretty good about what we were doing offensively and defensively,” he said. “You play against a good team like this and they’re going to capitalize on your fumbles.”

The host Cougars (2-6-1) went 59 yards in four plays to take an 8-0 lead on their second possession. Fullback Takim Brown, who had a 52-yard run in the drive, scored the touchdown on a three-yard run. Quarterback John Cotton scored the two-point conversion on a run.

Brown, Southwest’s leading rusher, ran for 164 yards in 22 carries.

The Cougars’ other score came in the fourth quarter when defensive lineman Anthony Haddrick blocked a Bakersfield punt and defensive back Shawn Chisolm picked up the ball and ran six yards for the touchdown.