Santa Rosa Junior College’s football team won its third straight game in a 24-21 comeback against the Sierra College Wolverines to end its season Nov. 13 at Bailey Field.
Sophomore Bear Cubs were honored before the game for Bear Cubs Sophomore Night, the junior college equivalent of 4-year schools’ Senior Night. During the ceremony, a moment of silence took place to honor the life of former player Jorgen Sarganis, who died last month in a car accident.
“We did it for our brothers in the sky,” wide receiver Micah Fontenot said after the win, referring to Bear Cubs football players who died over the past three months.
“It’s so great to see all their hard work end in some smiles and a great night and some great memories, so it was awesome,” head coach Lenny Wagner said. “3-2 in conference with a double overtime loss. We’re fired up with the way things finished off.”
Santa Rosa defensive end Devonte Manning earned player of the game. Manning received the game ball from Coach Wagner after the game. Manning was a force all night in every aspect of the game: offense, defense and special teams. He had 37 total yards of offense, a receiving touchdown, a blocked field goal and pressured the quarterback all night long.
The Bear Cubs won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half giving the first possession to the Wolverines. The Wolverines started off the game quick gaining three straight first downs on back to back to back plays. Their drive eventually landed them into the end zone on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Sierra quarterback Qyntyn Pilcher-Colbert to wide receiver Deometrius Robinson.
On the Bear Cubs’ first drive, they went three-and-out and punted the ball back to Sierra. Pilcher-Colbert completed five passes on the Wolverines’ second drive and led the offense to its second touchdown of the game to go up 14-0 quick in the first quarter.
After a 30-yard kickoff return by Santa Rosa running back Adrian Torres, the Bear Cubs were matched the Wolverines’ quickness on a fast-scoring drive of their own, led by wide receiver Micah Fontenot. Fontenot had 36 yards on the drive and the touchdown reception thrown by quarterback Jake Simmons.
“I caught it, knew I had it, saw six [and] looked at him in his eyes, knew he didn’t want it, gave him a little move, felt him grabbing on me and dove into the end zone,” Fontenot said.
On the Wolverines fourth drive, they made a quarterback change to Michael Wortham Jr., then fumbled the ball; Santa Rosa linebacker Treppa Talamoni-Marcks recovered the ball on the 34 yard line.
After the fumble recovery, the Bear Cubs found the end zone for the second time after a crucial fourth-down conversion by slot back Avant Muldrow. The touchdown play was a 19-yard throw and catch from Simmons to wide receiver Preston Williams.
The Bear Cubs forced a three-and-out on the Wolverines after they changed quarterbacks again this time back to Pilcher-Colbert. The Bear Cubs put together another impressive drive and mixed both the run and the pass to get into the end zone for Simmons’ third passing touchdown of the night, this time to Devonte Manning.
The Bear Cubs headed into halftime with all the game’s momentum after Manning blocked Sierra’s kicker Logan Shepard’s field goal attempt.
Simmons had two turnovers for the Bear Cubs to start the third quarter and the Wolverines took advantage of those turnovers by scoring their third touchdown of the night on a 5-yard passing touchdown from Pilcher-Colbert to wide receiver Matt Smart.
The Bear Cubs moved the ball inside their own 10 yard line on their next drive, but turned the ball over on downs with a goal to go opportunity lost.
The Wolverines went three-and-out on their next drive, not doing much after a fumbled snap by Pilcher-Colbert. The Wolverines punted back to the Bear Cubs, and after using the hard count all night, Simmons drew the defense offsides and got a free play.
Simmons connected on a 40-yard pass and catch to Fontenot, which was the biggest play of the night and gave the Bear Cubs the ball inside their own 2-yard line with a chance to take the lead. The Bear Cubs settled for an Otis Cain field goal that gave the Bear Cubs a 24-21 lead with only 3:44 left in the game.
After Cain kicked the go-ahead field goal, coach Wagner made a bold call for an onside kick, and Cain converted and the Bear Cubs regained possession. They ran-out the clock, and Santa Rosa earned its third win of the season.
Santa Rosa’s Simmons ended the game with 297 total yards and three touchdowns, and his main receiver Fontenot ended with six receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.
After starting the season 0–7, the Bear Cubs’ perseverance shined, and the team won its last three games, bringing their record to 3–7.
