The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.

College of San Mateo running back Isaiah Williams rushed for a game-high 126 yards and quarterback Dru Brown combined for 126 more as the Bulldogs cruised through College of the Siskiyous with a 35-6 in Saturday’s community college football season opener.

“It was a good first game but there’s a lot of work to be done,” CSM head coach Bret Pollack said. “And hey, we got to go on a field trip.”

The Bulldogs defense held strong, allowing just 142 yards on the afternoon.

“The defense was very solid did a good job of shutting down their running game and pressuring to their quarterback,” Pollack said.

After CSM got on the board in the first quarter on a 6-yard scoring run by Washington, Siskiyous scored its only touchdown early in the second quarter. The Eagles took possession at midfield, and two plays last Lashone Garnett busted a 46-yard touchdown run.

CSM responded with four unanswered touchdowns though, including a big 70-yard touchdown gallop by Williams to end the third quarter. Williams had two scores on the day. CSM freshman Ramiah Marshall closed the first with a 4-yard touchdown run; and freshman Joey Wood capped the day’s scoring with a 6-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Brown, making his collegiate debut, added a 43-yard touchdown throw to Johnny Niupalau in the second quarter.

“[Brown] did a good job,” Pollack said. “He was efficient with the football and did a good job throwing. … I was really pleased with his first performance.”

The Bulldogs saw 10 different players run the ball, combining for 294 total rushing yards. Williams averaged 10.5 yards per run on 12 carries. Wood added 54 yards on 10 carries. Marshall had six carries for 30 yards.

“We mainly used three (rushers) in the game and each one brought a little something else,” Pollack said. “They all did a good job of protecting the football and not turning it over.”

CSM created four turnovers, including interceptions by Mikias Alipate and Nick Maka. Maka — a freshman safety out of Serra — helped keep Siskiyous off the board in the second half with an interception in the end zone. Siskiyous quarterback Goa Mayak tried to force a throw into the end zone on third-and-16 from the CSM 24-yard line, but Maka got out front of the play and nabbed the overthrown pass.

Freshmen outside linebackers Daniel Lavulo and Perry Cheney did well to contain the Siskiyous offense from sideline to sideline. The tandem paced the Bulldogs with five tackles apiece.

“Those guys did a good job of keeping the ends from coming off … and making plays,” Pollack said.

Sophomore defensive end Cody Brown notched CSM’s only sack of the afternoon midway through the third quarter. Brown was dropped twice by the Siskiyous defense.

But Brown’s passing efficiency was off the charts. Other than an interception near the end of the first half, be was virtually perfect. While he completed 9-of-12 passes for 116 yards, two of his incompletions were dropped. Brown also rushed for 10 yards.

Brown’s best target was Niupalau, who totaled four catches for 62 yards. Chikwado Nzerem added two catches for 34 yards. Place kicker Anthony Cantabrana converted 5 of 5 extra-point tries. Sophomore punter Wes Nail boomed five punts for 210 yards, including a 49-yard long.

Next up for the Bulldogs is this Saturday’s home opener. CSM hosts Modesto Junior College in a rematch of last year’s home opener, when the Bulldogs rolled to a 51-26 victory. Kickoff at College Heights Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.