The 10th annual Clo’s Classic Charity football game began with an electrifying 100-yard opening kickoff return by Marquis Fruge, however, that would be the only trip to the end zone the Bear Cubs saw all game. The team lost to the Butte Junior College Roadrunners 48-7.
The season’s only game under the lights at Bailey Field was packed full of Bear Cub pride. Clo’s Carnival created a great family atmosphere with raffles, fresh food and interactive games for kids and adults. The actual game was one to forget.
The Roadrunners are ranked fourth in California while ranking in the top five in all major offensive categories. SRJC was excited to schedule the annual game as a NorCal Conference contest against the highly touted Roadrunners, but did not expect a blowout. Butte finished the game with 510 total yards while SRJC had only 166 total yards.
“In the past some of the games have been blowouts in favor of us, so we wanted to bring a good game for the fans. You always have the risk of losing when you play the best, but that also creates areas for improvement,” Head Athletic Director Jim Forkum said before the game.
The game could not have started any better for SRJC. After the outstanding 100-yard effort by Fruge, the Bear Cub defense forced two straight three and outs by Butte’s offense making the Roadrunner’s starting quarterback Collin Ramirez look flustered and disoriented.
During SRJC’s second possession, sophomore wide receiver Blakelyn Birks caught a screen pass from Brycson King. Birks would have exploded through the defense for a touchdown except freshman offensive linemen Scott Boyette was flagged for a holding penalty nullifying the six points. The drive stalled and the Bear Cubs attempted a 32-yard field goal, but Lee Aranda missed wide right. The freshman King went 10-20 with 88 yards, but due to his inconsistency was replaced by sophomore Jared Hasskamp. The first quarter ended with SRJC leading 7-0.
At the beginning of the second quarter sophomore safety Chris Collins forced a Roadrunner fumble giving the Bear Cubs’ offense great a field position on the opposing team’s 26-yard line. But the offense faltered again losing yardage and missing another Aranda field goal wide left from 50-yards out.
After the second missed field goal, the Roadrunners began to gain confidence scoring two touchdowns within 20 seconds. The first Butte scoring play came on a 63-yard pass and catch from Ramirez to Shawn Conway Jr. with 10:38 on the clock. On the ensuing kickoff Tevin Ivy picked up a Fruge fumble and ran into the end zone for a 25-yard return. Although Butte missed the extra point taking the lead 13-7, all the momentum was shifting their way.
SRJC’s offense started to sputter punting the ball on three consecutive possessions. The next scoring drive came with 3:13 to go in the second quarter when Nick Lonnegren caught a 32-yard laser from Ramirez in the back of the end zone. The Roadrunners opted to go for two and converted on a catch from Tyler McIntyre, increasing the lead to 21-7.
Then, with time expiring in the second quarter, Ramirez set up running back Tromaine Dennis on a 45-yard screen pass touchdown, and all the Bear Cub fans in attendance at Bailey Field could not believe their eyes. The Roadrunners scored a staggering 28 points in the second quarter and entered halftime leading, 28-7.
At halftime, it seemed Butte’s coaching staff knew SRJC’s playbook countering every play head coach Keith Simons signaled in. If Simons blitzed to the right, Butte would counter with a screen pass to the left. Possession after possession, it felt like the Butte coaching staff was one step ahead of SRJC.
The third quarter was uneventful until Tromaine, who had 171 total yards, caught another screen pass from the left side for a 70-yard touchdown. Tromaine and the Butte coaching staff abused the right side of the SRJC defensive line all game long.
Ramirez would finish his night on a bang, scrabbling around to find Conway Jr. on a 23-yard touchdown earning Conway Jr.’s second of the game. But Butte missed the extra point. Ramirez would finish the game 13-25, with 328 yards and five impressive touchdowns.
Dylan Swartz started the fourth quarter at quarterback for the Roadrunners and on his first possession threw Lonnegren a 61-yard touchdown giving Lonnegren his second score of the game. It seemed the Roadrunners could have placed a cheerleader at quarterback and still would have scored. The offensive pressure from Butte was too much for the Bear Cubs to handle.
The rest of the fourth quarter involved the Bear Cub fans making an early exit as the Roadrunners ran out the clock.
The win pushes Butte into second place in the NorCal North Division at 6-1 while SRJC moves into fifth place with an overall record of 3-4 and a conference record of 0-2. The next home game is at 1 p.m. on Nov. 12 against first place San Francisco City College.