For the second year in a row, and just the third time since 1978, the Cerritos College football team has lost their first two games on the year. The Falcons dropped to 0-2 after a 45-9 loss to defending state champion Fullerton College in a game that was played at Yorba Linda High School. Next Saturday, the team will look to avoid their first 0-3 start since 1968 when they travel to face Palomar College for a 6:00 p.m. game, which will be played at Escondido High School.

In the loss to the Hornets (2-0), Cerritos struggled on offense for the second week in a row. They were as close as 7-6 in the first quarter, but allowed 28 straight points before halftime and were behind, 28-6 at intermission. Through the first 30 minutes of the game, the Falcons were at a minus-22 yards on the ground, thanks in part to several bad snaps on special teams and on offense.

On their lone offensive scoring drive, which was a response to Fullerton taking a 7-0 lead, the Falcons drove the ball 62 yards on eight plays. The big play was a 23-yard completion by freshman quarterback Quentin Davis (St. John Bosco HS) to sophomore wide receiver Jacob Gasser (Los Alamitos HS), which put the ball at the Fullerton 25-yard line. A 16-yard run by sophomore running back Vincent Brown (Artesia HS) was followed by an eight-yard scramble by Davis. Brown capped off the drive with a one-yard run. The extra point was blocked and Cerritos trailed, 7-6.

The next five drives stayed on the Cerritos side of the field for the Falcons, who ended the first half with a drive into Hornet territory, but came up empty. Davis was spelled by freshman Isaiah Bravo (West Covina HS) in the first half and the two rotated in the second half. The two, as well as sophomore Connor Crook (Los Alamitos HS), all combined to complete 13-of-29 passes for 127 yards.

In the game, the team received several strong rushing plays from freshman Rhamondre Stevenson (Centennial, NV HS), who finished with 48 yards on 10 carries, with sophomore Querale Hall (Mayfair HS) accounting for 44 yards on six totes. Gasser, who left the game with an injury, was one of five receivers with a pair of catches, with his going for 41 yards.

Freshman linebacker Latrell Stearns (Gahr HS) led the defense with 10 tackles and a pass breakup, with sophomore defensive lineman PJ Naufahu (Placentia El Camino HS) posting eight stops, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In the secondary, the tandem of freshmen Stanley Norman (Serra HS) and Alexander Fulmer (Bakersfield HS) both added seven stops each.