JC Football: Falcons fly past Pirates

NORWALK — Orange Coast College was called for delay of game prior to the opening kickoff of Saturday’s football game at Cerritos College.

Maybe it was a premonition.

Indeed, the Pirates’ defense had considerable difficulty slowing down the Cerritos offense in the Falcons’ 55-26 victory.

Cerritos (2-0), ranked No. 5 in Southern California and No. 9 in the state, scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, on five of its first six, and capped a 42-20 first-half advantage by producing a touchdown on special teams.

On the positive side, the OCC offense produced touchdowns on three of its first four possessions and mustered 264 yards at halftime, just 59 fewer than the Falcons amassed.

The Pirates are 0-2 for only the second time in 10 seasons.

OCC freshman quarterback Alex Dombkowski threw for 157 yards before intermission, completing 10 of 16, including a 21-yard scoring hook-up to AJ Holman on a fade route that pulled the visitors within 28-20 on the first play of the second quarter.

OCC ignited for touchdown drives of three, five and six plays, before a failed fake field goal, a fumble and an interception allowed the Falcons to pull away heading into halftime.

Cerritos averaged 5.4 plays in its five offensive touchdown drives in the opening two periods, as freshman quarterback Jimmy Walker riddled the OCC secondary for 213 yards on 13-of-19 passing.

A fumble at its own 23-yard line provided OCC its first defensive stop and the Pirates forced two subsequent punts, and also stopped a fourth-down pass short of the first-down marker later in the half. But a muffed punt reception by Jimmie Roberts bounded 28 yards into the end zone, where Garren Jackson pounced on it for a touchdown.

OCC, which allowed 44.4 points per game in 10 contests last season, worst in program history, had prompted first-year coach Kevin Emerson to praise his defense after a 17-14 season-opening loss at home to Chaffey.

But the Falcons, who topped Saddleback, 27-24, in their opener, clearly dialed things in offensively to propel the Pirates seemingly into perpetual catch-up mode.

The Falcons finished with 611 yards on offense, to 392 for OCC.

Dombkowski finished 19 for 34 for 258 yards through the air and freshman running back Kyle White collected 93 of his 96 rushing yards before halftime.

Sophomore Mark Munson had seven receptions for 87 yards to help OCC.

Walker finished with 16 completions on 27 attempts for 270 passing yards and three touchdowns.

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Cerritos 55, Orange Coast 26

SCORE BY QUARTERS

OCC 13 – 7 – 6 – 0 –26

Cerritos 28 – 14 – 7 – 6 – 55

FIRST QUARTER

Cer – Caines 14 pass from Walker (Romero kick), 12:23.

OCC – White 34 run (kick failed), 11:26.

Cer – Newberry 24 run (Romero kick), 9:33.

Cer – Caines 18 run (Romero kick), 5:43.

OCC – Howard 1 run (Shenk kick), 4:03.

Cer – Donnell 2 run (Romero kick), 1:42.

SECOND QUARTER

OCC – Holman 21 pass from Dombkowski (Shenk kick), 13:57.

Cer – Carter 3 run (Romero kick), 8:07.

Cer – Jackson recovered muffed punt reception in end zone (Romero kick), 0:17.

THIRD QUARTER

OCC – Perry 15 pass from Dombkowski (kick failed), 7:12.

Cer – Young 25 pass from Walker (Romero kick), 3:58.

FOURTH QUARTER

Cer – Davis 14 pass from Cuevas (kick blocked), 10:03.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

OCC – White, 13-96, 1 TD.

Cer – Garrison, 14-95.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

OCC – Dombkowski, 19-34-1,258, 2 TDs.

Cer – Walker 16-27-0, 270, 3 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

OCC – Munson, 7-87.

Cer – Young, 6-106, 1 TD.