The article below originally appeared on MercuryNews.com and is being reprinted with permission.
No matter how many fumbles or penalties the College of San Mateo committed in its first six games, it always found a way to overcome its mistakes and win.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs had no such luck.
Foothill College quarterback Calvin Schmidtke completed a 20-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Travis Reyes with less than a minute remaining to lift the Owls to a 31-28 victory over previously unbeaten CSM at College Heights Stadium in a rain-soaked contest between two of California’s top-ranked junior college football teams.
Owls defensive back Phillip Thrappas intercepted a “hail Mary” pass from CSM quarterback Miles Freeman on the game’s final play to preserve the win for No. 8 Foothill (6-1, 1-1 NorCal Conference).
“I don’t have much negative to say to my guys today,” said Bulldogs coach Bret Pollack, whose team lost to Foothill for the second straight year. “They played hard. The ball just didn’t bounce our way at certain times. That’s just the way it is.”
Third-ranked CSM (6-1, 1-1) had entered the game with 29 fumbles — 13 lost — in six games and had committed 76 penalties for losses totaling 683 yards, nearly 300 more than their opponents had lost on penalties.
Despite those staggering totals, however, the Bulldogs had managed to go undefeated before blowing a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter, when they committed a pair of crucial 15-yard penalties and fumbled four times.
“This game should teach us a lesson,” said freshman running back Vaughn Smith, whose 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave CSM a 14-7 halftime lead. Foothill started its opening drive of the fourth quarter at its own 44-yard line. CSM was twice whistled for personal fouls on the drive — once for roughing the kicker on a punt attempt, the other for a facemask — which brought the Owls down to the Bulldogs’ 2-yard line.
The Bulldogs’ defense limited the Owls to a 22-yard field goal by freshman kicker Andrew Amezquita on that drive. On CSM’s ensuing possession, however, sophomore punter Austin Alcaraz fumbled a snap on fourth-and-25. CSM offensive lineman Mark Baker recovered the ball at the Bulldogs’ 2, but CSM lost possession because it was fourth down.
Two plays later, Schmidtke plunged in from a yard out to put Foothill up 24-21.
CSM fumbled the ball two more times in the quarter. The first time, Foothill linebacker Shaka Pahulu swooped in and returned it from the Bulldogs’ 42 to their 13. The Bulldogs got the ball back when freshman linebacker Justin Sagote recovered an Owls fumble at the CSM 6.
“It was hard to hold on to the ball out there,” Pollack said.
On the second play of the ensuing drive, Freeman connected with sophomore slotback Tim Celestine on a 60-yard pass that took CSM to the Foothill 33. Two plays later, Smith fumbled, but sophomore slotback Therman McGowan alertly scooped it up and raced 24 yards to help give the Bulldogs the lead back at 28-24 with 3:41 remaining.
After Schmidtke — who finished the game 29-for-55 for 420 yards and two interceptions — completed his second TD pass of the day to Reyes to put Foothill back in front with 57 seconds left to play, Freeman threw five incompletions on a drive that took CSM from its own 35 to the Owls’ 44. Thrappas intercepted Freeman’s final pass in the end zone as time expired.
Reyes finished with nine catches for 153 yards and two TDs, while Foothill teammate Michael Scott had eight passes for 134 yards. Sophomore running back Eugene Wright had 110 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries and for the Owls.
Freeman, filling in for injured starter Julian Bernard at quarterback, finished 7-for-21 for 198 yards and two TDs, both of which went to sophomore wide receiver Rahsaan Vaughn, who led the Bulldogs in receiving with three catches for 96 yards. One of those TD passes was an 80-yarder that helped put CSM up 21-7 in the third quarter.
Freeman was also the Bulldogs’ leading rusher, with 69 yards on 20 carries. Smith had 18 carries for 66 yards.
Defensive backs Ronald Fields and Mike Wallace each had interceptions for CSM. Freshman defensive linemen Sifa Lauese and Langi Haupeakui each recorded sacks.
Last year CSM recovered from a loss to Foothill to finish as the Northern California champion. Pollack believes his team can do so again.
“It’s whatever we want to make of it,” the Bulldogs’ coach said of Saturday’s loss. “We can use it as motivation to work harder and get better or we can get lazy and feel sorry for ourselves. Last year we used (the CCSF game) as a stepping stone to something better.
“We’ll see on Monday. I’m confident we can get it done.”
Foothill 31, CSM 28
Foothill 7 0 7 17——31
San Mateo 7 7 7 7——28
CSM — Vaughn 10 pass from Freeman (Anderson kick).
F — Wright 9 run (Amezquita kick).
CSM — Smith 2 run (Anderson kick).
CSM — Vaughn 80 pass from Freeman (Anderson kick).
F — Reyes 21 pass from Schmidtke (Amezquita kick).
F — Amezquita 22 FG.
F — Schmidtke 1 run (Amezquita kick).
CSM — McGowan 24 run (Anderson kick).
F — Reyes 20 pass from Schmidtke (Amezquita kick).
RUSHING
Foothill — Wright 27-110, Reyes 1-4, Nelson 1-0, Team 1-(-1), Stewart 2-(-4), Total 36-92. CSM — Freeman 20-69, Smith 18-66, McGowan 8-57, Pohahu 4-18, Afeaki 2-14, Celestine 2-12, Vaughn 1-8, Alcaraz 1-(-20), Total 56-224.
PASSING
Foothill — Schmidtke 29-55-420-2. CSM — Freeman 7-21-98-1.
RECEIVING
Foothill — Reyes 9-153, Scott 8-134, Juco 2-77, Hart 8-54, Lorius 1-6, Wright 1-(-4), Total 29-420. CSM — Vaughn 3-96, McGowan 3-42, Celestine 1-60, Total 7-198.
Records — Foothill 6-1, 1-1; CSM 6-1, 1-1.
