The Cerritos College football team overcame some early “jitters” in order to escape with a narrow six-point victory 26-20 over Saddleback College Saturday, Sept. 5.

Fans had an unfortunate flashback of last year as quarterback Jimmy Walker threw an interception just under three minutes into the game. As Walker left the field head coach Frank Mazzotta was sure to give Walker a glaring stare.

“My goal for this game was short memory. That was one of my goals from the beginning,” Walker said.

“They made a good play, they got me; but I wasn’t going to let them get me again, which I did the rest of the game,” he said.

That would be Walker’s lone interception on the night. He would finish 19 of 34, throwing for 280 yards and three touchdowns.

Despite the stare, Mazzotta never lost sight or faith in his quarterback.

“Jimmy [has] to learn a little bit, he starts to pick targets and he threw it up to a guy he probably should have thrown it up to…I think it’s first-game nerves a little bit,” Mazzota said.

Walker also admitted that he shouldn’t have thrown some balls, but he was bailed out by some of his teammates.

Wide receiver, Dashawn Gordon said, “He just put it to where the defender couldn’t get it, as long as he puts it to where the defender couldn’t get it we’re all good.”

Gordon had three catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns.

Prior to the coin toss sophomore defensive tackle David Fangupo could be heard screaming, “Let them out!” From the opening kickoff the defense was hitting on all cylinders.

Freshman free safety Elijah Walker put his prints on the game early.

“I actually got hurt my senior year, I tore my MCL (Medial Collaterial Ligament), so I had to just let everybody know I’m back,” Elijah said.

He ended with five tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception.

Ten seconds after Elijah’s interception, Walker hit Stephon Smalls on a 51 yards touchdown strike.

“That was key, that was a huge play for us,” Walker said.

The defense forced eight fumbles however they could only recover one.

Fangupo said,“It goes from us [being] good to us being great. The next time it’s just going to be second nature.”

Fangupo ended the night with four tackles, a forced fumble and even a two-yard touchdown run.

Cerritos College had a 13-point lead as the defense held Saddleback College to only six points heading into the fourth quarter.

The game was sealed as linebacker Keith Walker intercepted a Saddleback College pass on the Cerritos College 8-yard line.

“I kind of baited him into throwing it and as soon as he threw it I just took it,” Keith explained.

The game was a lot closer than coach Mazzotta would’ve liked. He even joked with the team and said, “I had grey hairs before this game, but now they’re white.”

The Falcons have one more game on the road at Orange Coast next week before returning home for their home opener Sept. 19.