COC Ends Season With a Double Overtime Loss to Bakersfield, 48-45, in Southern California Semifinals

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – In a game that featured 961 yards of total offense and 93 points between the two teams, the 10,078 fans that came out to see the Southern California Community College Football Semifinals was a game worth seeing. In double overtime, College of the Canyons fell to Bakersfield College, 48-45, despite a rare performance that showcased Western State Conference Co-Player of the Year Fred Winborn who scored four rushing touchdowns, tying a COC school record, and one scoring reception.

The loss ended the Cougars playoff run under first-year interim head coach Garett Tujague. College of the Canyons did not earn a post-season birth in 2006 for the first time since the program was reinstated in 1998. Bakersfield moves on to the Southern California Championship where they will host Mt. San Antonio College next Saturday.

College of the Canyons and Bakersfield College exchanged touchdowns in the early moments of the game as Winborn scored on a touchdown run of four yards and a 10-yard reception from quarterback Bradford McClellan to tie the score at 14-all with 8:29 left in the second quarter.

Canyons stepped up and took the lead at 3:02 after BC went 3-and-out on the preceding drive on another Winborn TD run of two yards. The extra point from Paul Weinstein, who was 6-for-6 on point after attempts, was good and the Cougars took a 21-14 lead.

COC's lead was short lived as BC scored in the final minutes of the first half to even the score at 21.

Following the break, the third quarter was a war of the defenses as both teams were held scoreless.

The fourth quarter COC broke the Renegade defense and the Cougars were able to score again. With the Cougars at the Bakersfield's 40-yard line on 4th-and-2, Winborn broke away for his longest carry of the night for a 40-yard score. This was the third rushing TD for the freshman running back and the Cougars took a 28-21.

Bakersfield responded on the next drive with its own scoring drive, keeping the score at 28-28. College of the Canyons quickly turned around and put more points on the scoreboard with 8:51 left in the game off a 37-yard pass from McClellan to wide receiver Hayo Carpenter.

COC held on to its 35-28 lead until the one-minute mark in the fourth quarter when the Renegades came back in a last second effort to tie the score again at 35.

In the first overtime, Bakersfield scored on the first possession, putting the pressure on COC to score as they trailed, 42-35. College of the Canyons did just that, handing the ball to its most reliable player of the game – Winborn – as he scored his final points of the game on a four-yard carry to even the score at 42-all.

In the second overtime, COC elected to get the ball first. The Cougars struggled to garner a first down and were pushed back to the 20-yard line. Weinstein attempted the 37-yard field goal that went straight through the crossbars and gave COC a 45-42 lead.

On the next Renegade possession, COC either needed to hold the team to a field goal for a third overtime, or keep them out of the end zone to get the win. But BC had a different plan as they scored on a 5-yard reception that gave them the 48-45 win and the opportunity to move on in the playoffs.

The Cougars culminated their season with a 9-3 overall record, a vast improvement from last year's 5-5 team. COC is now 3-1 in overtime games. Bakersfield improves to 12-0 overall.

The Cougars snagged 437 yards of total offense (218 yard rushing and 219 yards passing) and held Bakersfield to only 161 yards on the ground.

Winborn led the way for the running backs with 22 carries for 178 yards and four touchdowns, while adding three catches for 36 yards and one touchdown. The freshman all-time leading rusher finished the 2007 season with 1,524 yards on 178 carries and 21 touchdowns, the most score in a season in school history.

McClellan, in just his second start of the year, went 18-of-26 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Carpenter, who played on both sides of the ball for COC, pulled down nine receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown in addition to 75 return yards and one solo tackle.

Defensive back Anthony Luna tallied 10 tackles, seven solo, and a pass breakup. Taiino Herrera-Clark had six tackles, five unassisted, and a breakup.