The Falcons were on the road for their first conference game of the season. They were coming off a heartbreaking 17-14 loss to East Los Angeles College.
The game kicked off at 6 p.m. with a 65-yard kick from Falcons kicker Abraham Delgadillo that was returned for 12-yards by Chaffey returner Tyon Crook.
The Panthers took the ball at the 12-yard line and put together a 10-play, 62-yard drive to the Falcon 26-yard line where the Falcon defense was able to stop the offense and force Chaffey kicker Jocob Meneses to take a 43-yard field goal with 8:36 left in the first quarter.
After the kickoff was caught on the Falcon four-yard line, Bijon Harris returned it for 49 yards to just past mid-field. The Cade McConnell led offense came out and seemed to stall right away before a personal foul penalty against Chaffey led to a first down and eventually a 19-yard touchdown pass from McConnell to Luca Caldarella. The PAT by Abraham Delgadillo was good, making the score 7-3 Falcons.
The offenses for both teams went silent after that with the only points scored in the second quarter being on two Moz Bojorquez field goals from 26-yards and 33-yards, making the score 13-3 Cerritos.
After a Falcon field goal by Bojorquez from 33-yards out and a 16-3 Falcon lead, the Panthers looked like a team that just found its offense.
Chaffey took the kickoff from their own 3-yard line and Ja Cari Williams ran it back 81-yards. The first play after that return was a 16-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Lukasiewicz to Josiah Finell with the PAT from Jocob Meneses being good making the score 16-10 Cerritos.
Throughout the game, Caldarella was a favorite target of both quarterbacks the Falcons put on the field. Head Coach Dean Grosfeld appreciated the performance from Caldarella, as well as both Cade McConnell and Jordan Simpson, the Falcon quarterbacks.
Chaffey took the lead after a nine-play, 90-yard drive that was capped off by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Lukasiewicz to Jakim Allah and a good PAT by Meneses making the score 17-16 Chaffey.
The fourth quarter began an explosion of scoring for the Falcons.
After short runs by Davon Booth, Bailey Torres, J’lon Manning and Billy Moore, the Falcons quarterback, Jordan Simpson ran the ball 10-yards for a touchdown. Simpson then attempted a two-point conversion to Luca Caldarella which was successful and made the score 24-17 Falcons.
“You know, I felt a touchdown coming to me. I just had a feeling, you know.” Wide receiver Luca Caldarella said, “I’m just glad it turned out the way that it did.”
The following play after the go-ahead touchdown, Delgadillo had a 64-yard kickoff that was turned by the Panthers to their three-yard line. Tyon Crook then ran for a loss of three and Victor Clanton ended up forcing a safety to make the score 26-17 Falcons.
After the punt by Chaffey to get the ball back after the safety, Simpson completed a seven-yard pass to Jacob Leija and then Penieli Lauago rushed for six-yards to set up Simpson’s 37-yard pass to Lauago and Delgadillo’s good PAT attempt for a 33-17 Falcon lead.
Chaffey got the ball back and had a quick three and out to set up a punt return by Falcon returner Iyen Medlock to the Chaffey 33-yard line.
Cade McConnell completed passes to Iyen Medlock for seven yards, DeJour Smith for one yard, and to Billy Moore for 25-yards and another touchdown. Delgadillo’s PAT attempt was good to make the score 40-17.
The ensuing kickoff of 63-yards was returned my Marquise Short and a fumble was forced by DeMario King and recovered by Jonathan Fuamatu at the Panther 18-yard line.
Billy Moore rushed for seven yards on two plays and then received a completed pass from McConnell for three more yards and a Falcon first down. The Panthers defense was able to limit the Falcons to another 25-yard field goal from Moz Bojorquez, which made the score 43-17.
The Falcon defense came out one last time and held the Panthers to a three and out to end the game.
“I was super excited to come out here tonight and hopefully to carry it on to next week with El Co [El Camino Community College],” said Caldarella.
Caldarella caught eight passes for 79-yards with two touchdowns. Cade McConnell went 16-26 on completions on 141-yards and Jordan Simpson went 6-13 on completed passes on 80-yards. The defense came through with two eight yard sacks and a forced fumble.
The Falcons will be taking on El Camino Community College on Saturday, October 23 at 6:00pm at Falcon Stadium.
