Football
Corsairs Crash Comets
By
Oct 20, 2009 - 11:36:18 AM

A galloping, grinding ground game, a guard-dog defense, and a sparkling turnabout play. College of the Redwoods football team showcased this combination Saturday when it crushed Contra Costa College 41-14 before a Homecoming Day crowd for its first win of the season.

”We're pleased with the win,” said CR head coach Dave Banducci. “That's something the guys needed.”

The Corsairs rushing attack looked unstoppable, racking up 426 yards on 48 carries.

Five different CR players -- Otis Wiley, Jourdan Del Biaggio, Cameron Smith, Frank Skeen and Kevin Hausner -- combined for 11 runs of at least 18 yards.

Del Biaggio bulldozed and outraced the Comets for 214 yards on 19 carries, including a 42-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The Ferndale High graduate also had a sensational 90-yard touchdown run negated by a penalty, and a 50-yard run called back, or he would have accumulated over 300 yards.

Wiley scored twice, on runs of 28 and one, and finished with 93 yards on 17 carries.

In the first quarter, however, things did not look so rosy for the cardinal and gold.

Smith made a dubious decision when he fielded a punt inside the five-yard line and was subsequently tackled in the end zone for a safety. Redwoods' troubles continued when they lost two fumbles, the second by Smith on a muffed punt reception.

Contra Costa took advantage of the turnover, with Tyrell Smallwood scoring from eight yards out. After a failed conversion, the Comets lead 8-0.
But then one big play helped turn the momentum permanently in CR's favor.

Tossing aside his earlier mistakes, Smith took the Comets' ensuing kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, as he tightroped the final 20 yards to paydirt after a Comet defender assumed he had bumped Smith out of bounds.

”That (kickoff return) changed things and got things sparked up,” said Banducci.

From that point on, Redwoods' linemen dominated the trenches, and the new Hall of Fame inductees got to see their alma mater put away a Bay Valley opponent.

The CR defense got stout play from its linebackers corps, including Mack High graduates Gavin Miller and Donald Cain, who stuffed the run and responded smartly to counter plays and short screen passes

Lineman Nick Bennett epitomized the D's hard work when he recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown just a minute into the fourth quarter.

Redwoods' defense set the tone when they forced the Comets to punt four times in the first quarter. CR surrendered just eight first downs in the game.

The Comets were penalized 12 times, and had players ejected in both the second and fourth quarters.

Starting Contra Costa quarterback Don Miguel Tutass was helped off the field in the second quarter with a severe leg injury and defensive back Malcom Ajayi was taken off in an ambulance in the third quarter.

The Comets, who snapped an 18-game losing streak last weekend, dropped to 1-6 on the year.

CR improves to 1-0 in the Bay Valley Conference and 1-6 overall, heading into a bye week.



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