Marauders fall to 0-3 with loss to Saddleback

LANCASTER Forget about the wins and losses.

Those will come.

Sometimes the emphasis is based solely on that.

Sure, the Antelope Valley College football team would not like to be 0-3, but the leap from week 2 to week 3 offensively was dramatic.

Weve gotten a lot better offensively in the last week, AVC head coach Perry Jehlicka said.

I thought we played the most complete football game that we have all season.

The Marauders entered Saturday nights game averaging 14 points per game.

Despite doubling that output, AVC fell to No.

23 Saddleback, 44-28, at Antelope Valley College.

I certainly dont like where were at with our record, Jehlicka said.

It doesnt take away the sting, but we played a pretty good football team.

We were just not good enough today to beat them.

We just have to keep getting better.

I like our growth.

Its about trusting the process.

The Marauders racked up a total of 376 yards of total offense, two more than the Bobcats (2-1).

Quarterback Sharmon Rester had his best game of the season as he passed for 214 yards and two touchdowns.

He also rushed for 50 yards on 13 carries and one touchdown.

It didnt go as well as we wanted, but we have to keep playing, Rester said.

Things just wont get better overnight, but this is a step in the right direction.

Even though we came out with a loss, Id say we got better.

If our offense keeps scoring, it gives our defense a chance.

The Marauders trailed 7-0 in the second quarter before they rallied to tie the score.

AVC used an impressive nine-play, 70-yard drive that was capped by an 18-yard touchdown scamper by Rester, which tied the score, 7-7 with 4:31 remaining.

Unfortunately, Saddleback scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the second quarter and led 21-7 at halftime.

We have to pick it up.

It cant be one-sided, Rester said.

We cant be separated, and we have to play together.

We cant dig ourselves these holes.

When our offense is moving the chains, were doing our job.

The Bobcats scored 14 more points early in the third quarter to finish a 28-consecutive point onslaught and grab a 35-7 lead.

The Marauders caught fire in the third quarter following a 10-play, 52-yard drive that chewed up more than six minutes off the clock after Rester found Damario Jackson in the end zone from six yards out.

AVC cut the lead to 35-15 after the two-point conversion.

We came out flat in the first half, but I thought we played much better in the second half, Jackson said.

We came out with more energy.

I know we couldve done better.

We have to have the mindset that its 0-0 from start to finish.

I see improvement in this team, but I havent seen the best of us yet.

That comes from us.

We have to put in the work and come in with a better mindset.

We must stay focused.

Jackson finished with six receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns.

His second touchdown came after Rester threw a perfect pass to him over a Bobcats defender for a 33-yard score.

Ty Neal was the workhorse for AVC as he rushed for 79 yards on 25 carries..

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