Win streak hits six

The Saddleback football team won its sixth straight game with a 48-7 victory over Southwestern College on Saturday afternoon inside the stadium.  The Bobcats can win the National Division Southern League title with a win next week.

Saddleback started slowly as Southwestern took the ball on its opening drive and went 72 yards on eight plays in taking the lead when Brayten Silbor hit USC commit Josiah Jefferson for a 30-yard score.  That was the last time the Jaguars would score, as the Bobcats stiffened on defense.  Saddleback would force three turnovers from that point forward and make a pair of stops on fourth down in turning the tables on Southwestern.

Saddleback evened the score later in the first quarter when Kyle Nguyen intercepted Silbor and ran it back 65 yards for a score.  The Bobcats ran just six plays on offense in the opening quarter but managed to break even on the scoreboard as the teams were tied 7-7 after the opening quarter.

Saddleback then kicked the offense into gear.  After an opening quarter where the Bobcats had just seven yards of offense, Saddleback had 28 first downs and 366 yards of offense over the final three quarters in pulling away from the jaguars.

Saddleback took the lead when Tyler Dudden found Nicholas Gentilella in the back of the end zone for a one-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal with 10:33 left in the half.  The next time Saddleback saw the ball they went 41 yards in five plays and increased the lead to 21-7 when Dudden called his own number and ran for a two-yard score.  It was the first of five straight rushing touchdowns as the Bobcats rolled up 262 yards on the ground.

Saddleback led 28-7 at the half and opened the half with a bruising drive that ate up 10:04 on the clock.  The Bobcats went 65 yards on 18 plays with Dudden (pictured) scoring his third straight touchdown on the ground. 

Saddleback kept the ball on the ground in the fourth quarter, hitting paydirt a couple of times with Jaylen Beverly-Rushing finding the end zone twice.  The second half took just 57 minutes to play as Southwestern had no answers for the Bobcat rushing attack.

Dudden finished 10-of-16 through the air for 96 yards passing and one touchdown pass while rushing for three scores on the ground.  Kavaughn Clark led the ground game with 74 yards on 14 carries.  Gentilella led all receivers with five receptions for 35 yards and a score.

Saddleback's defense came to play after the opening drive of the game.  Kyle Nguyen and Dominic Lopez both recorded an interception while Jonas Willford recorded a strip fumble forced by Coen Ali.  Noah Luginbill and Orlando Gonzales led the team with five tackles apiece.  Luginbill was all over the field, also recording two pass break-ups and a quarterback hurry. 

Saddleback is now 8-1 following the win and has won six straight games for the first time since 2019 when the program won nine straight games to start the season.  The Bobcats will try for a seventh next Saturday when they host El Camino College.  Saddleback and El Camino are scheduled to start at 1:00 PM inside the stadium on Military Appreciation Day.  A win would give Saddleback its first league title since winning the Southern League in 2016.