The College of the Canyons Cougars faced off against the Riverside City College Tigers this past Saturday, in their home opener and final game before league play begins. Both teams delivered an intense, high-scoring battle.
Riverside came out strong in the first quarter, quickly putting up two touchdowns to take an early lead. Canyons answered with one of their own, but the Tigers maintained control, setting the tone for a back-and-forth shootout.
In the second quarter, Canyons’ defensive lineman Jake Pikor recovered a fumble in the end zone, tying the game at 21–21. But Riverside responded just 33 seconds later — Ross Nickson III hauled in his third touchdown, regaining the lead and momentum.
At halftime, Riverside held a narrow edge, leading 37–30.
Canyons came out of the break with renewed energy. Quarterback Jazel Riley IV powered in his third rushing touchdown, tying the game once again and keeping the Cougars in the fight.
Then, with just two seconds left on the clock, Riley connected with Jared Mims for a 4-yard touchdown, cutting the lead dramatically.
Despite the late push, the Cougars came up just short. Riverside held on for a 57-54 victory in a thrilling non-league matchup.
“All three games have been close games,” said Ted Iacenda, the Cougars’ Head Football Coach.
“I mean, in three losses, I think we’ve lost by three points each game. So we’re a good football team. There’s no question. We’ve just got to keep growing and keep learning, and we’ve got to keep fighting. Can’t hang our heads.”
Running back Isaiah Rameau, who ran 184 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, expressed both his coach’s concerns and his optimism after the loss.
“We have a lot of talent on our team. It’s just the mistakes that we’ve got to stop making,” said Rameau.
Canyons is taking this game as a learning opportunity as they shift focus to next Saturday’s matchup against Pasadena City College.
