Coming into the Western State Bowl, it was Grossmont College that had a reputation for big offensive plays. But within the first two minutes of the game, Cerritos College had already scored on a 94-yard touchdown pass and a 90-yard punt return which helped lead them to a 64-33 win to conclude their season with a 7-4 record. The Falcons racked up 506 total yards against the Griffins (5-6), which offset the 445-yard passing day of Grossmont quarterback William Abt. The 64 points were also the fourth most points scored by a Cerritos team in school history.
On the first play from scrimmage, game MVP Cody Clements (La Habra HS/Washington State University) connected with sophomore wide receiver Ricky Carrigan, Jr. (Cabrillo HS) down the sideline for a 94-yard touchdown pass. The play set a new school record for longest pass, breaking the old mark of 93 yards on a Chris Morales to Michael Willie connection in 2009 against Riverside College.
The first Grossmont drive was halted quickly, forcing a punt. 
Freshman Jerry Smith (Mayfair HS) received the ball, broke the first tackle and outran the rest of the field for a 90-yard touchdown and a 14-0 Falcon lead with only 2:02 expiring off the clock. A forced fumble by sophomore linebacker Will Peppard (La Habra HS) and recovery by sophomore noseguard David Moala (Serra HS) at the Grossmont six-yard line set up the next quick-strike touchdown. Moala, who posted seven tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception on the night, was awarded the team's MVP of the game. On the first play following the fumble recovery, sophomore Elijhaa Penny (Norwalk HS/College of the Sequoias HS) found the end zone and a 21-0 lead with 12:09 still left on the first quarter clock.
Cerritos continued to jump on every opportunity provided to them by the Griffins. Attempting a fourth-and-five and the Falcon 30-yard line, Abt (39-for-71, 445 yards, four TD, five INT) threw an incomplete pass, which turned the ball over. Clements threw his second TD of the game, and first of three to freshman X'avier Shepherd (Lakewood HS) from 38 yards out, while the two finished off another drive with an 11-yard scoring strike and a 36-7 advantage in the first quarter.
Sophomore defensive end Pauli Taumoepeau (Buena Park HS) stepped in front of an Abt pass on the next drive and took it back along the sideline 53 yards for a touchdown and an unlikely 43-7 lead early in the second quarter.
The Griffins did get the score to within 43-27 with 8:17 left in the third quarter on a field goal from Trevor McGirr. Needing to sustain an offensive drive, the Falcons were faced with third-and-eight at the Grossmont 30-yard line. Clements hit Shepherd, and after he shook Max Cohen at the 20-yard line, raced into the end zone which seemed to take the last bit of steam away from the Griffins.
Even with all of the offense racked up in the game, one of the biggest series of plays came early in the fourth quarter with Cerritos leading 57-27. Clements had just run for a 10-yard touchdown and the Griffins were looking to return the favor. With first and goal at the Falcon 1-yard line, they were unable to find the end zone, as the defense stuffed running back Treyous Jarrells three times, the final one being for a three yard loss on a tackle in the backfield by Moala and sophomore Joshua Callier (Warren HS) on fourth down.
Penny, who was limited to minimal yardage for the first three quarters, electrified the crowd with an 87-yard run from the Cerritos five yard line to the Grossmont eight-yard line. He busted through the left side and followed a blocking Shepherd down the field. Penny, who finished the game with 163 yards, was finally pulled down on the eight-yard line. After a timeout to catch his breath, Penny used Clements as a lead blocker to score from eight yards out.
To earn his MVP award, Clements completed 17-for-27 passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns, while he rushed for 31 yards and another score. Carrigan Jr., who left the game with an injury, finished with seven receptions for 155 yards, while Shepherd made the most of his four receptions with three touchdown catches. In addition to the stellar game by Moala, sophomore Anthony Carrion (Warren HS) posted eight tackles, while Callier finished with seven tackles. Five different players picked off one pass, with freshman Willie Fletcher (Orange Lutheran HS) having his potential touchdown brought back due to a penalty.
The 1,338 rushing yards by Penny on the year are the second most in a single season in school history, with Darrell Thompson's 1,527 yards in 1991 still the standard. His 21 touchdowns on the year set a school record and are also the third most in a career in school history.
Photos by Daryl Peterson
