Trailing for the majority of the game, the Cerritos College football team scored 14 straight points and watched Allan Hancock kicker Marcus Uribe miss a 39-yard field goal. The missed attempt came with 1:12 left in the game and helped the Falcons come away with a 30-27 victory on Saturday night at Righetti High to improve their record to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Northern Conference. Cerritos will now host Ventura College at 7:00 p.m. next  Saturday.

After sophomore quarterback Cody Clements (La Habra HS/Washington State University) was picked off by Troy Garland, who returned it 58 yards for a Bulldogs touchdown, the Falcons trailed 27-16 with 8:17 left in the third quarter. On the next drive, Clements connected with sophomore running back Michael Jasper (Bellflower HS) on a wheel route out of the backfield, which resulted in a 49-yard touchdown. On the play, Clements appeared to have handed off to freshman running back Tonny Lindsey (Long Beach Wilson HS), who was tackled behind the line of scrimmage. But Clements pulled the ball back and found a wide open Jasper for the touchdown with 5:20 left in the quarter. 

On the next Allan Hancock possession, freshman Willie Fletcher (Orange Lutheran HS) picked off Anthony Maez and the Falcons took over at their own 43-yard line. Taking over after a slow first half was sophomore running back Elijhaa Penny (Norwalk HS/College of the Sequoias), who rushed five times on the drive, including the final five yards for a touchdown. The big play was a 23-yard scramble by Clements, which put the ball at the Bulldogs eight-yard line. The team went for two points, with Clements scrambling for the conversion. As the game progressed, the 245-pound Penny started to wear down the Allan Hancock defense, as he unleashed punishment on those who tried to tackle him.

The game started with Fletcher picking off a Maez pass and returning it 40 yards for a touchdown a mere 2:17 into the game. But after that series, the Falcon defense was having a hard time containing Joel Enriquez, who rushed for a pair of first quarter touchdowns. A Penny fumble after the first Enriquez touchdown set the table for the Bulldogs to take their 14-6 lead in the first quarter. However, several halftime defensive adjustments, along with Penny wearing down the Allan Hancock, defense turned things around.

Cerritos started their comeback with a Jasper three-yard touchdown run, coupled with a Hancock safety when the ball was snapped out of the end zone on a punt attempt. That got the team to within 21-16 before the Clements interception when he was forced out of the pocket. He was looking for sophomore tight end Tyler Carrillo (St. Paul HS) on the other side of the field. His pass floated, which gave Garland a chance to settle under the pass and return it for a touchdown.

Penny accounted for only 28 yards in the first half, but finished the night with 141 yards on 26 carries. Clements, who completed only 4-of-9 passes for 81 yards and was picked off twice, added 38 yards on the ground.

On defense, sophomore Pauli Taumoepeau (Buena Park HS) posted 2 1/2 quarterback sacks and five tackles, while linebackers Brandon Moody (Sonora HS) and Josias Amisone (Carson HS) combined for 17 tackles in the win. As a team, the Falcons recorded fours and three interceptions.