SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – The College of the Canyons football team put up 52 points in route to their eighth consecutive win on Saturday night as they remained perfect in conference play with a 52-29 win over Ventura College.
The Cougar defense held the conference-leading quarterback Lee Mondol to 70 yards passing and no scores on a 9-of-22 night. COC also held the Pirate's leading scorer, running back Semaj Washington, to 28 yards and no touchdowns.
Ventura started the game with the first points of the evening. The Cougars were held to 3-and-out on their first possession and had to punt the ball away from the COC 18-yard line. The Tyler Watson kick was blocked and returned for a touchdown at the 10:17 mark.
Canyons tied it up on the next drive on a 1-yard carry from running back Fred Winborn. The extra point by kicker Ricky Drake, who was 7-of-7 on Saturday night, was good and COC tied the game with 8:23 left in the first quarter.
The Cougars racked up 28 more points in the second quarter, while the defense silenced Ventura's offense. Wide receiver Hayo Carpenter caught a 3-yard pass and a 19-yarder from quarterback Brad McClellan, bringing his career total to 24 touchdowns, breaking Tyrell Smith's record of 23 in 2002 and 2004. The two scores were also his 11th and 12th touchdowns of the year, tying his record for receiving TDs in a year that he had last season.
Running back Fred Winborn scored the other two touchdowns of the second quarter on 1 and 2-yard carries for his 11th and 12th TDs of the year.
COC opened the second half of the game scoring on a kickoff return for a TD. Wide receiver Taveon Burke returned the ball 91 yards with 16 seconds off the clock and COC took a 42-7 lead.
Ventura reacted with its own kickoff return for a touchdown on the ensuing play for the Pirates first and only points of the third quarter.
COC scored every time they received the ball in the third quarter, including 8-play, 76-yard drive that concluded with a 13-yard carry for running back Sean Quinn into the end zone at the 11:04 mark.
Canyons' final points of the third quarter and the game, were put up by Drake on a 39-yard field goal.
The Pirates backup quarterback Cody Holland hit two different wide receivers in the fourth quarter to score 16 points, but still fell short of the Cougar's 52 points.
The Cougars racked up 492 yards of total offense, 248 rushing and 244 passing, and held Ventura to 249 yards, 77 yards rushing and 172 passing.
McClellan finished the night going 19-of-23 for 217 yards and two touchdowns. Carpenter had 10 catches for 120 yards and two TDs and Winborn carried the ball 21 times for 129 yards and three scores.
Linebacker Eric Wells topped the defense with five tackles, three solo, and defensive lineman Cory Wertz garnered four solo tackles. Defensive backs Anthony Johnson and Arron Fisher had two pass breakups each.
COC remains perfect at 8-0, 4-0 in conference, and Ventura drops to 3-4, 0-3 in conference.
The Cougars have a bye this weekend, but return to Cougar Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8 to host Pasadena. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
