JUNIOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Citrus Turns Tide Thanks to Antelope Valley Turnovers

Antelope Valley’s Foothill Conference title hopes were dealt a blow when Citrus College scored 21 points off turnovers en route to a 28-23 victory Saturday at Citrus College.

The loss ended a four-game winning streak for Antelope Valley (5-3, 4-1 in conference play). Citrus improved to 6-2, 4-1.

Citrus quarterback Curtis Robinson scored on a two-yard run in the first quarter, which was set up when Marauder running back Muhammed McDonald fumbled.

The Owls expanded the lead to 14-0 when Aaron Wilson intercepted quarterback Travis Sabadin’s only pass of the game and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown. Sabadin was inserted for Todd Fink late in the first quarter and played only two series.

Antelope Valley countered with a two-yard touchdown by McDonald.

However, the Marauders’ defense broke down when Robinson connected with receiver Nick Paoletto on a 60-yard pass to give Citrus a 21-7 lead at the half.

Antelope Valley resorted to its passing game for much of the second half and finished with 39 pass attempts.

Fink was 11 of 38 for 82 yards and a two-yard touchdown to Mike Marsh with one second remaining in the game.

Marsh, who entered the week as the conference’s third-leading rusher, was the lone bright spot for the Marauders. The freshman running back had 17 carries for 93 yards. Freshman Roosevelt Miller, who rushed for 227 yards last week, was slowed by an unspecified injury and carried nine times for 29 yards.

Antelope Valley trailed, 21-9, early in the fourth quarter, but Paoletto scored on a 22-yard run after the Marauders’ Marsh fumbled on the 10-yard line. The Owls were penalized for holding before Paoletto’s score.

WESTERN STATE CONFERENCE

Southwest 38, Valley 35--Southwest quarterback Sheldon Anderson scrambled for a 70-yard touchdown with 1 minute 30 seconds remaining to decide the WSC Southern Division game.

The Monarchs then drove to their 43-yard line, but Cougar linebacker Corey Long intercepted a pass with 58 seconds left to preserve the victory for Southwest.

Southwest improved to 3-4-1 and 2-1 in the division. Valley, ranked seventh in the state before a 43-19 loss Oct. 30 to No. 3 Bakersfield, is 6-2, 1-2. Valley entered the game ranked 14th.

“I think they took us lightly,” Long said. “We came out hard and never did quit. Luckily, we came out with the victory.”

Wasted were five touchdown passes by Valley quarterback Sean Fitzgerald, who was 25 for 43 for 316 yards.

Brian Comer had seven receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns, and Irving Carter gained 125 yards in 18 carries for Valley.

“You can’t really take anything away from (Southwest), they beat us,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s nothing we can do about it except hope to bounce back.”

The Monarchs took a 35-32 lead on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Fitzgerald to Comer with 5:32 remaining.

Valley cornerback Tony Gugliuzza intercepted a pass on Southwest’s next play, but the Cougars stopped Valley on downs and took over with 2:32 to play at their 11-yard line.

Facing third and 11, Anderson, unable to find an open receiver, scrambled for a 20-yard gain to the Cougar 30. After two incomplete passes, Anderson bolted up the middle for the go-ahead touchdown.

“The only thing I was worried about was running into the referee,” Anderson said. “He was the only one in the way.”

Anderson completed six of 17 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 102 yards in 18 carries. Katia Ransom had 72 yards in 14 tries and had three receptions for 105 yards for Southwest.

Glendale 21, Compton 20--Glendale’s Frank Nava knocked down a two-point conversion pass with six seconds to play to secure the WSC victory for the Vaqueros (4-3-1, 3-3-1) at Compton College.

Glendale fell behind, 14-0, in the first quarter after the Tartars (1-7, 1-6) turned two Vaquero fumbles into touchdowns.

But Glendale began its comeback when Pathon Rucker (172 yards rushing in a season-high 38 carries) scored on fourth and goal from the three-yard line on the last play of the first half.

The Vaqueros scored the eventual winning touchdown with 14:26 to play when quarterback Chris Ray hit Andre Banks over the middle for a 47-yard score.

Santa Barbara 26, Ventura 7--Ventura quarterback Jarred DeGeorgia passed for 314 yards and two touchdowns to guide the Vaqueros (4-4, 4-3) in a WSC game at Ventura High.

DeGeorgia, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound freshman, completed 26 of 33 passes. He also scored the first touchdown of the game on a one-yard run.

In the second period, DeGeorgia connected with Simon Banks on a 73-yard pass play. Minutes later, Clint Peterson returned an interception 92 yards for a touchdown for a 20-0 lead Santa Barbara carried into the final quarter.

Ventura (0-8, 0-7) scored on a one-yard plunge by running back Joe Gora. Gora gained 82 yards in 22 carries and teammate Damon Hill picked up 89 yards in 18 carries but it wasn’t enough as Santa Barbara’s ball-control passing offense kept it in control throughout.

Banks had nine catches for 165 yards and a touchdown.