Marauders fall in opener

LANCASTER The Antelope Valley College football team opened the first quarter of the 2024 season exactly the way it wanted to.

Unfortunately, the Marauders won the sprint but lost the marathon as visiting Cerritos scored 31 unanswered points en route to a 44-23 victory over AVC, Saturday night at Antelope Valley College.

When things were going well, we played very well, but we didnt respond to adversity, we reacted, Marauders head coach Perry Jehlicka said.

We didnt play with our hair on fire for four quarters.

We have to do a better job of responding to adversity in all three phases of the game.

AVC (0-1) took the opening drive of the season and promptly put together an 11-play drive that got inside the 10-yard line.

That was halted, however, and the Marauders settled for a 26-yard chip shot field goal by Jeffrey Kavanagh, giving AVC a 3-0 lead.

Things got better for the Marauders later in the first quarter after a devastating blind side hit by Cameron Gee on Falcons quarterback Evan Tomich, which jarred the ball loose and fortuitously fell into the hands of Adam Colon, who scooped it up and rumbled 35 yards into the end zone for the score and a 10-0 lead for AVC.

The Falcons eventually caught and passed AVC and led 24-10.

Following a fumble recovery by the Marauders, they were in business on the Cerritos 4-yard line with 4:14 remaining in the first half.

Following a 3-yard loss, which moved the ball back to the Cerritos 7-yard line, AVC starting quarterback Sharmon Rester was intercepted on the 5-yard line by E.J.

Smith, who returned it 80 yards to the Marauders 15-yard line.

Two plays later, Tomich, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, scampered 16 yards for a touchdown as the Falcons took a 31-10 lead into the locker room.

Against a really good football team, you cant get ready to score and then give up a score, Jehlicka said.

I mean, thats a 14-point turnaround.

Our quarterback(s) have to make better decisions.

We have to execute better.

We did some good things, though.

We will be better.

The Marauders turned the ball over four times, which at times, gave Cerritos ideal field position.

Jacob Root replaced Rester in the second half to try to spark the Marauders offense.

He did.

On AVCs opening possession of the second half, Root drove the Marauders down the field on an eight-play, 93-yard drive, which resulted in a 40-yard touchdown pass to Damario Jackson.

And just like that, AVC was right back in the game, trailing 31-16.

We played decent.

I thought we came out hard, but as soon as we got down our heads started to fall, and our energy went down, Jackson said.

We just lost focus as a whole.

I think when we got up 10-0, we thought the game was over.

When we get a team down like that we must keep our foot on the gas.

We can be a great football team.

If we just maintain focus, we can compete with any team.

I think we have the best talent in the conference.

As time goes by, we have to get better.

Well take this one on the chin and next week come in with a different mindset.

Jackson finished with three catches for 54 yards and one touchdown.

Omar Lopez had three receptions for 37 yards and Javon Walker had two catches for 25 yards.

Following the Marauders touchdown, which trimmed the lead and gave AVC much-needed momentum, the Falcons extended their lead later in the quarter following another touchdown pass from Tomich.

That extended the lead to 37-16.

I think we started to get in a groove in the second half, but our team morale still dropped.

We have to fix our mentality, said AVCs Dorsey Davis, who finished with six tackles and one interception.

Overall, we can be a great team, of course.

We just have to go 100 percent on every play, no matter the situation.

We know the mistakes we have to fix.

Everything we did that made us lose was all on us.

Rester finished the game 4-of-13 for 51 yards and two interceptions.

He also rushed for 33 yards on nine carries.

Root was 7-of-14 for 106 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

He rushed for 41 yards on 11 carries..

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