Palomar Rally Clips El Camino

It is probably small consolation to El Camino College football Coach John Featherstone that his team came as close to defeating Palomar as any opponent this season.

After all, the bottom line was still the same.

Palomar, ranked No. 1 in the nation by the J.C. Grid-Wire, scored 18 points in the final five minutes to rally for a 45-38 victory Saturday night in Torrance.

The Warriors (1-3) appeared to be on the way to an upset when receiver Dameon Porter made a diving 34-yard touchdown catch that gave El Camino a 38-37 lead with 1 minute 9 seconds remaining.

But Palomar (4-0) scored the winning touchdown on a 59-yard pass play from quarterback Tom Luginbill to receiver Chris Baker with 14 seconds remaining.

Luginbill completed 21 of 54 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. El Camino quarterback Steve Sarkisian passed for 342 yards and four TDs.

Palomar was also sparked by running back Tony Burton, who rushed for 156 yards and three TDs.

El Camino opened a 21-7 lead in the first half behind Sarkisian and running back Robert Jenkins.

It took the Warriors only two plays to score on the first series of the game. After a 51-yard pass to receiver Tony Knox, Sarkisian passed six yards to Jenkins for a TD.

After Palomar tied the score on a 40-yard pass from Luginbill to receiver Kevin Swayne with 8:56 remaining in the first quarter, the Warriors went ahead on a one-yard touchdown run by running back Morell Ollis with 3:20 left in the quarter.

El Camino assumed a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter on a 32-yard halfback option pass from Jenkins to wide receiver Leandrew Childs.

But Palomar narrowed its deficit to 21-17 by halftime.