No. 5 Canyons Gets Back on Track with 42-24 Win at Allan Hancock

SANTA MARIA, Calif. — The No. 5 College of the Canyons football team got back on the winning track with a convincing 42-24 road win at No. 11 Allan Hancock College on Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars bounced back coming off a week seven bye, having recently lost its first game of the season to Saddleback College on Oct. 10.

Head coach Ted Iacenda's team seemed intent on getting ridding of that bad taste, with Canyons jumping out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

COC running back Kenny Torrence capped a 10-play, 85-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run. An Alec Chadwick extra point put the Cougars up 7-0.

That was quickly followed up by COC free safety Isaiah Foster who recovered a Bulldog fumble to set the Cougars up at the Allan Hancock 27-yard line. Quarterback Devon Dunn then connected with wide receiver Chauncey Werah on a 10-yard pass to give the Cougars a two-touchdown advantage.

The Cougars lead 14-0 with seven minutes left in the first quarter, but Allan Hancock would go on to score 10 unanswered points.

In the second quarter COC regained control of the game for good, scoring twice to give the Cougars a 28-10 lead at the half.

As he has done all season, Dunn showed off his dual threat abilities rushing for both scores in the second quarter. He would finish the game as the Cougars' leading rusher, gaining 81 yards on 12 carries.

Dunn's two rushing touchdowns on Saturday give him a team-leading six on the season. 

In the third quarter, COC continued its offensive attack on a wary Bulldog defense.

With less than nine minutes left in the quarter, wide receiver Nick Jones hauled in a 68-yard touchdown pass. After a Chadwick extra point, the Cougars went up 35-10.

Jones's reception put an exclamation point on a huge game. The freshman finished the game with eight receptions, 177 yards receiving and one touchdown.

So far, Jones leads the team with 42 receptions, 864 yards receiving and five touchdowns. He is tied for second in the Southern California Football Association (SCFA) National Division, Northern League in both receptions and receiving yards.

Dunn would finish the game with 305 passing yards completing on an 18-of-29 passing day, adding two passing touchdowns to complement his two rushing scores.

Dunn accounted for 386 of the COC's 483 offensive yards against Allan Hancock. 

In the fourth quarter, freshman running back Tyshon Hamilton scored on a one-yard plunge to cap the scoring for Canyons and ensure a 42-24 victory.

With the win, COC improves its overall record to 6-1 with a 3-0 record against conference opponents. COC is now tied for first place in the Northern League with Cerritos College. 

Canyons will now return home to face Ventura College at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.