File photo

A 32-6 win at De Anza on Saturday has the Corsairs on the verge of another bowl game, and perhaps even another home bowl game.

College of the Redwoods showed no ill effects from a second bye in three weeks last weekend and came out fired up for Saturday’s showdown, quickly taking control with TDs on their opening two possessions of the afternoon.

“We came ready to play and got off to a fast start,” head coach Jason White said. 

And they did so on both sides of the ball, with the CR defense once again playing outstanding and holding the home team scoreless until late in the game.

Even that lone De Anza TD play was almost picked off.

“Our defense played excellent,” White said.

While a conference championship appears to be a long shot right now, considering how well Foothill is playing, a bowl game is well within reach.

Victories in their final two games — at Gavilan and at home against Siskiyous — should guarantee a bowl game for CR and will likely even give the local community college a home bowl game for the second straight season.

Among the standouts for the Corsairs on Saturday, Levi Nyberg scored a pair of touchdowns, one on an eight-yard run and one on a six-yard pass from his fellow former Fortuna Husky, quarterback Max Hough.

Both Fortuna graduates played well.

So too did the ever-dangerous Mason Priddy, who had some nice returns, including one he took to the end zone only for the play to be nullified on a penalty call.

Former Ferndale Wildcat Lane Branstetter also had a good game as he continued to grow in stature at the collegiate level.

Branstetter finished with a pair of interceptions.

But his development doesn’t surprise his head coach.

File photo – Lane Branstetter

“He’s hungry,” White said of the sophomore cornerback. “He wants to get better every day, he’s a competitor, which is kind of what I thought when I watched him in high school.”

Receiver Anthony Aguirre also had a big game with some key receptions to set up some scores.

“He’s been our big-play guy all season long,” White said.

Hough also scored on a six-yard TD run, while kicker Ryan Thomas added a 23-yard field goal and kicked well despite battling sickness this week.