The Cerritos College football team recorded six takeaways, which they converted into three touchdowns to help lead them to a 42-24 Northern Conference win over visiting Bakersfield College on Saturday night. The win was the fifth in a row for the Falcons (6-2, 4-0), who will play for the conference championship when they travel to College of the Canyons (7-1, 4-0) for a 6:00 p.m. game next Saturday. The Cougars have won their last seven games after a season-opening loss.

In the win over the Renegades (3-5, 1-3), the game started with sophomore quarterback Cody Clements (La Habra HS/Washington State University) connecting with sophomore wide receiver Ricky Carrigan, Jr. (Cabrillo HS) for a 41-yard completion, which put the ball at the Bakersfield 30-yard line. Five plays later, Clements completed a 22-yard scoring pass to sophomore running back Domonique Small (Mayfair HS) for a quick 6-0 after the extra point was blocked.

The defense forced a punt and the Falcons started their second drive of the game from their own 16-yard line. Sophomore running back Elijhaa Penny (Norwalk HS/College of the Sequoias), who had rushed for over 100 yards the last four games, struggled getting past the first contact at the line of scrimmage against the Renegade defense. Clements showed his scrambling ability on the drive, which included a 30-yard run on third-and-20 to keep the drive alive. Carrigan added a 15-yard reception and finished off the drive with a 28-yard touchdown pass. A two-point conversion gave the Falcons a 14-0 lead.

Cerritos produced their first turnover of the game when sophomore free safety Zach Hadlock (Huntington Beach HS) picked off Cruise Adams at the Falcon 16-yard line. On the third play after the turnover, Clements completed a short pass across the middle to freshman tight end Ainslie Johnson (Servite HS), who turned that into a 41-yard gain. It looked as though the drive was stalled after an incomplete pass on third down. But Bakersfield was called for roughing Clements and the team found the end zone four plays, as Penny scored from six yards.

The next possession change happened later in the second quarter when Clements punted on fourth down. Bakersfield's Chris Hannible fumbled the punt and freshman wide receiver X'avier Shepherd (Lakewood HS) recovered the ball at the Renegades 11-yard line. After a four-yard loss, Clements scrambled out of the pocket and scored on a 15-yard touchdown run and Cerritos held a 28-7 lead by halftime.

In the third quarter, freshman linebacker Brandon Moody (Sonora HS) picked off a pass, while Hadlock landed on a fumble on the next Bakersfield possession. Cerritos then turned that into another touchdown, as Penny scored his second touchdown. With the Renegades driving on their next possession, sophomore DeJean King (Edison HS) intercepted a pass in the end zone, and tried to advance the ball. He got as far as the two-yard line, but was then tackled in the end zone for a safety.

The final takeaway came late in the game when freshman Thadd Daniels (Lynwood HS) picked off Adams (13-for-28, 212 yards) in the end zone to thwart another Bakersfield scoring attempt.

Penny was limted to just 78 yards on the ground on 19 carries, while sophomore Michael Jasper (Bellflower HS) added 74 yards and Clements finished with 71 yards. The Falcons finished with 405 total yards, while Clements threw for a productive 146 yards on 12-of-15 passing with Carrigan pulling in four passes for 63 yards.

Along with the four interceptions and two fumble recoveries, the defense received a strong game from freshman linebacker Josias Amisone (Carson HS), who led the team with 11 tackles, while sophomore linebacker Anthony Carrion (St. John Bosco HS) and freshman defensive lineman Anthony Casados (La Habra HS) each added seven stops. Hadlock added four stops and a pass breakup to go with his interception and fumble recovery.

Photos by Daryl Peterson