Bakersfield Extends Mastery of Valley to 12 Games

Leave it to Bakersfield College to show a bad time to an opponent’s homecoming crowd.

The Renegades deployed their potent running attack almost at will to beat Valley, 43-19, in a Western State Conference game before about 1,700 Saturday night at Valley.

With the victory, Bakersfield (7-0, 6-0 in conference play) solidified its chances for a Southern Division championship and potential appearance at home in the Shrine Potato Bowl on Dec. 4. The Renegades are 2-0 in the division.

It was the first defeat of the season for the Monarchs (6-1, 5-1) and their 12th consecutive loss to Bakersfield. Valley is 1-1 in divisional play.

The defeat spoiled another stellar performance by Valley quarterback Sean Fitzgerald, who completed 22 of 36 passes for a season-high 345 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for one score.

It was the touted Bakersfield ground game, however, that created insurmountable problems for the Monarch defense.

The Renegades rushed 55 times for 278 yards and scored four of their six touchdowns on the ground. Valley, on the other hand, gained only 45 yards rushing.

Bakersfield freshman running back George Jones rushed 15 times for a game-high 101 yards, and Jermaine Davis accounted for 99 yards in 20 carries.

The teams were locked in a defensive struggle in the first quarter until Jones capped a 13-play, 89-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown with 42 seconds remaining. Valley answered, marching 80 yards on eight plays to even the score, 7-7, on a 29-yard pass from Fitzgerald to Hector Ortega with 12 minutes 53 seconds to play in the second quarter.

Ortega had seven receptions for 102 yards, and teammate Brian Bernier caught six passes for 113 yards.

The Renegades then scored 15 consecutive points--on a Carl Dean-to-Rick Turner pass and on a Jones 13-yard run--and led, 22-7, before Fitzgerald escaped a rush and ran nine yards for a touchdown.

Davis added a 28-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter and Valley countered with a 28-yard scoring pass from Fitzgerald to Gary Hyman as Bakersfield led, 29-19, after three quarters.

Valley missed a scoring opportunity when Tim Cronk’s 37-yard field goal was blocked on the game’s first series.