No. 8 Canyons Comes Away with 33-20 Win Over Citrus

The No. 8 College of the Canyons football team came away with a 33-20 win over Citrus College on Saturday night, emerging victorious in its 2015 home opener at Cougar Stadium.

Canyons (2-0) trailed 10-0 in the early going, but was able to put together a series of big plays that allowed the Cougars to edge out a 14-10 halftime advantage, before finally putting the game away late in the fourth quarter.

Citrus got on the board first after a nine-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brian Meyette and the ensuing PAT put the Owls up 7-0 with 9:27 to go in the first quarter.

Citrus then tacked on three more points with a 32-yard field goal to extend its lead to 10-0, before Canyons finally put together a sustained drive of it own.

With just over 5:30 to play in the half COC wide receiver Vincent Strange took what appeared to be a short screen pass, and promptly tossed the ball 74-yards downfield into the arms of fellow receiver Nicholas Jones for a long scoring play.

Jones finished the game with seven catches for 125 yards.

Three minutes later, sophomore defensive back Triston Brown scooped up a Citrus fumble and returned it 89 yards for COC's second score of the half, giving Canyons a 14-13 halftime lead.

The Owls got on the board first again in the second half, thanks to a 41-yard field goal that narrowed the gap at 14-13.

However, a few minutes later COC running back Jerel Hall capped of a 10 play, 75-yard drive when he found the end zone on a three-yard plunge. The PAT by kicker Alec Chadwick made it 21-13.

Hall's night included 34 rushing yards and the touchdown on 10 carries.

Chadwick then booted a 30-yard field goal with 7:45 to play in the game, which seemingly put Canyons in control, up 27-13.

However, that feeling would be short-lived as the Owls immediately struck back with a 14 play 75-yard drive of its own, that ended with a one-yard touchdown run, and cut the COC lead to 27-20.

On the ensuing kickoff Brown took the ball near the COC two-yard line, found a seam and exploded up field for a 98-yard touchdown that essentially clinched the game for Canyons.

As a result, Brown was named the Southern California Football Association (SCFA) Northern League Defensive Player of the Week.

Canyons will next host Santa Ana College at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Cougar Stadium.