The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
Jordan Sheppard caps a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown as the Bulldogs win convincingly at De Anza 61-14 to improve to 2-0 in Bay 6 Conference play and 6-1 overall. Photo by Patrick Nguyen
Sammy Fanua rushed for four touchdowns and College of San Mateo ran for eight scores overall as the Bulldogs (2-0 in Bay 6 Conference, 6-1 overall) routed winless Dons 61-14 Saturday at De Anza.
De Anza (0-2, 0-7) led for six minutes following a first-quarter touchdown to take a 7-6 advantage. Then the Bulldogs unleashed a ground game which accounted for 288 rushing yards as a team. Not one CSM player, however, gained over 100 yards. Nine different Bulldogs carried the ball, with freshman Michael Allen totaling a game-high 76 yards on seven carries with two touchdowns.
“We were rotating quite a bit at the running back position so a lot of the guys got touches,” CSM head coach Bret Pollack said.
Allen entered the game midway through the third quarter with CSM enjoying a comfortable lead. But Fanua and halfback Michael Latu paved the way. Latu ran for 68 yards on nine carries, his highest rushing total since returning the previous week after missing three games due to injury.
“We’ve got quite a bit of quality depth, so that (performance by Latu) was encouraging to see,” Pollack said.
CSM got on the board in the first quarter after its defense provided excellent field position for the team’s second possession. Bulldogs defensive end Adam Sagapolu and linebacker Taylor Mashack teamed for a big third-down stop to force De Anza to punt from its own 9-yard line. Three plays later, after Latu rambled for 27 yards into the red zone, Fanua punched in a 3-yard score to give CSM a 6-0 lead.
A blocked extra-point attempt by the Dons opened the door for their only lead of the game, when Milo Small connected with James Rose for a 5-yard touchdown strike to give De Anza a 7-6 edge.
“We didn’t come out ready to play but after some poignant conversation, we got on track,” Pollack said. “The defense had some poignant discussion on the sideline about giving up the first score. They responded to the talks by [defensive coordinator Tim Tulloch].”
The Bulldogs responded with eight unanswered touchdowns, beginning midway through the second quarter. Latu and Fanua had two apiece in the second quarter, all from close range. Fanua capped the opening drive of the second half with his fourth score of the game, a 6-yard run which was set up by a pair of passes from Justin Burgess to Kevin Kutchera for 44 and 10 yards.
Allen entered the game and tallied two rushing scores in the third quarter, with a defensive score sandwiched between when sophomore defensive back Jordan Sheppard produced his first interception of the year and returned it 39 yards to the end zone.
De Anza accounted for the game’s final score with 44 seconds remaining on the clock, when Nathaniel Facciolla hit Eric Adair for a 15-yard touchdown pass.
CSM outgained De Anza in total yards 374-152. The Bulldogs were 5 for 7 on third-down conversions. CSM sophomore linebacker Randy Allen tabbed one sack to improve his season total to 8 1/2 sacks, currently ranking seventh in the California Community College Athletic Association.
“After the first quarter we were fine,” Pollack said. “I didn’t like we played the football game early on but hopefully we’ll fix that next week.”
In other Bay 6 Conference action, City College of San Francisco walloped Santa Rosa 70-0. CCSF totaled 434 yards of offense, including quarterback Anthony Rodriguez’s 388 yards passing on 22-of-34 completions including six touchdown throws. Diablo Valley won its fourth straight 35-7 over Foothill. CCSF, Diablo Valley and CSM remain tied atop the Bay 6 with identical records at 2-0 in conference, 6-1 overall.
The Bulldogs return home Saturday to take on Foothill (0-2, 1-6). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
