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

CSM defensive back Kyle Hall returns an interception in the fourth quarter Saturday at College Heights Stadium. Photo by Patrick Nguyen.

CSM defensive back Kyle Hall returns an interception in the fourth quarter Saturday at College Heights Stadium. Photo by Patrick Nguyen.

The Bulldogs’ secondary stepped up big time Saturday at College Heights Stadium.

College of San Mateo (4-1) is becoming notorious for close-scoring games, and the final non-conference game on its schedule was no different. CSM scored two touchdowns in the second quarter and made them hold up for a thrilling 14-7 victory over Fresno City College. It is the fourth one-score differential in five games this season for the “leave no doubt” Bulldogs.

Fresno (4-1) had two chances to score in the final three minutes, but the Bulldogs seized on both with game-saving interceptions. Freshman defensive back Kyle Hall had the first takeaway, registering his second interception of the day by nabbing the ball at the goal line with 2:25 to play. CSM failed to kill the clock, though, fumbling the ball with 1:52 to play. Fresno moved it back into the red zone, but sophomore Kalen Woods picked a pass at the 10 with 1:31 remaining to all but end it.

“Defense played lights out,” CSM head coach Tim Tulloch said. “Came up big. Every time we needed a stop, whether be a fourth down or an interception, or a big hit on the quarterback with pressure, there was no flinch; there was no blink.”

By the numbers, Fresno’s defense played even better. The Rams outgained CSM 279-210 in total yards, and beat the Bulldogs in just about every category in the box score. First downs — 21-10, Fresno. Third down efficiency — 36% to 25%, Fresno. Total offensive plays and time of possession — 69-50 and 33:27 to 26:33, Fresno.

“There’s one stat I care about, and that’s winning and losing,” Tulloch said. “This team has found a way to win.”

CSM defensive back Kalen Woods takes a knee after an interception in the fourth quarter Saturday at College Heights Stadium. Photo by Patrick Nguyen.

CSM defensive back Kalen Woods takes a knee after an interception in the fourth quarter Saturday at College Heights Stadium. Photo by Patrick Nguyen.

Fresno jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter. The Rams converted twice on third down amid a seven-play, 60-yard drive, capped by a 14-yard touchdown haul by Nahzae Cox from quarterback Ryan Markarian.

Then CSM’s defense went to work. After a Bulldog three-and-out, Fresno got pushed backward and had to punt from its own 7. Taking over at midfield, CSM used two running plays of 5 and 7 yards by Hassan Mahasin to set up a 38-yard scoring pass from Dominic Ingrassia to Nico Caruso to tie it 7-7.

Fresno took over and inched across midfield, but Hall stifled the drive with his first interception of the day at the Rams’ 48. Nine plays later, freshman Malakhi DeMoss scored on a 4-yard run to give the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead.

CSM had a chance to add to the lead near the end of the third quarter with Dieter Kelly attempting a 52-yard field goal, but the kick was off the mark keeping it a one-score game. Kelly entered the game having converted from distances of 50 and 51 yards in consecutive weeks.

“He’s proven he can make 50-plus and, depending on wind or direction … we know where his range is,” Tulloch said. “It was in his range. We just didn’t hit it clean.”

Ingrassia, making his second college start at quarterback after coming off the grayshirt list prior to Week 4, was a sturdy 12-of-19 passing for 123 yards and his first career touchdown. He was sacked three times, but his defense matched the total by getting to Fresno’s quarterback three times, led by defensive end John Gayer with 1 1/2 sacks.

The pass rush had a hand in CSM’s fourth-quarter interceptions, with Markarian under pressure when he misfired for Hall’s second pick.

“We got good pressure on the quarterback, forced him to throw it probably earlier than he wanted to and [Hall] … he just read it and broke on it,” Tulloch said. “Made a big-time play, and we needed it. Our defense answered the call every time we needed it, especially in the fourth quarter.”

CSM nearly coughed up the win, though. Facing a third-and-5 from the 22 with under two minutes to play, Lolo Mataele took the carry and advanced across the line to gain for a 10-yard pickup, but had the ball stripped at the end of the run with Fresno recovering at CSM’s 32.

“That last drive on offense … we went for it, we had the first down … when everyone in the building knows you’re going to run it to bleed the clock,” Tulloch said. “Lolo is such a sure-handed, unbelievable back. He’s really the heart and soul of our offense. It was really just one of those moments where he lost control of the ball.”

The Bulldog “D” didn’t allow another yard though. Markarian threw consecutive incompletions to force third down, and Woods intercepted a pass at the 10-yard line and quickly fell to the turf to avoid any potential mishaps.

“He knew to take the knee,” Tulloch said. “That’s situational football.”

CSM now enters a bye week before Bay 6 Conference play begins Friday, Oct. 18 at Diablo Valley College.

The Bulldogs’ matchup with Fresno capped a streak of three straight games against 2023 playoff qualifiers. CSM — the 2023 Northern California champion — posted a 2-1 record in those game.

“Those are three championship programs,” Tulloch said. “And when you get through that, that’s a meat-grinder phase of our season … collectively this (Fresno game) is a team win because … we needed everyone to rally to play in all three phases to get a win against a team of that caliber.”