CSM smacks Chabot, 63-7, in first place Bay 6 grid showdown; next on road at Delta & CCSF

SAN MATEO – College of San Mateo scored 28 points in both the first and second quarters to take a 56-0 halftime lead and roll to a 63-7 victory in its first place Bay 6 showdown with visiting Chabot College Saturday afternoon in the final regular season College Heights Stadium home football game of the 2022 season.

 CSM (2-1 Bay 6, 7-1 overall) and ranked No. 4 in the state now shares the league lead with City College of San Francisco, Laney, and Diablo Valley at 2-1 with two weeks of Bay 6 competition remaining. The Bulldogs play at 6th place San Joaquin Delta on Saturday (Nov. 4) and at defending league and state champion CCSF on Nov. 11, both a 1 p.m.

 MOLENI ADDS TO STATE TD LEAD: Ezra Moleni scored the first two touchdowns on a pair of 10-yard runs, increasing his state National Division-leading total to 12 rushing TDs before retiring for the day early in the second period with 81 yards on just seven carries. The sophomore leads all NorCal National Division rushers with a 95.6 yards per game average.

 CSM starting quarterback Richie Watts had a near perfect day (10 of 11 passing) for 162 yards and three touchdowns in less than 22 minutes of play. His strikes went to Brian Pierce (16 yards), Reymello Murphy (42 yards), and Jeremiah Patterson (12 yards).

 San Mateo led, 56-0 with 8:20 left in the second quarter as Nate Sanchez ran 41 yards for that score. Sanchez, a freshman out of San Mateo's Serra High, had an earlier 76-yard TD run, finishing with 162 yards on just five carries in his first extensive work for the Bulldogs. Two other freshmen from local high schools had impressive afternoons. Jonaven Kuhn (Carlmont, Belmont) rushed for 108 yards on 19 carries and Atelea Tengei (Hillsdale, San Mateo) carried nine times for 58 yards and CSM's final score on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.

 Chabot did not score until the closing minutes -- against Bulldogs reserves.

 CSM head coach Tim Tulloch had the opportunity to give freshman signal caller Jerry Johnson some much needed experience. In his first action for the Bulldogs, Johnson, a Pittsburg High grad, was 7-of-11 for 52 yards.

 "After a loss, you want to bounce back," said Tulloch, referring to last week's upset comeback by Diablo Valley. "I like what we did today."

 CSM CONTINUES PACESETTING THEFT PARADE: Demetrius Freeney had a 57-yard interception return for a second quarter TD. Rayshawn Thomas also picked off a pass, giving the Bulldogs defense 12 pass thefts this season, pacing the Bay 6 (also with three TDs). Justin Sinclair has four interceptions, leading the NorCal National Division.

 Scoring on every first half possession except the last (just letting the clock run) San Mateo had 475 yards before the intermission and finished with 637 yards of total offense, 423 on the ground! CSM paces NorCal National teams in rushing with a 204.9 per game average and paces the Bay 6 with 35.1 points per game.

 Gabe Plascencia added to his "perfect" NorCal National Division extra point total parade with eight kicks and leads with 52 points.

 San Mateo's pacesetting Bay 6 punter Caleb Ojeda (39.5 average) did not have to punt. So, he "practiced" with a successful PAT kick in the fourth quarter.

 LOGGING THE TITLE RACES: Top games on tap, to sort out the Bay 6 title: Nov. 4: Diablo Valley at Laney; Nov. 5: Chabot at CCSF; Nov. 12: CSM at CCSF & Laney at Chabot.

 Three Northern California league champions (designated No. 1 teams) and one at-large team (based upon RPI) qualify for the state regional playoffs on Dec. 5.

 San Mateo has won 26 of its last 28 Bay 6 games, losing only in the final minute to CCSF (in the 2021 title decider) and at Diablo Valley this season. CSM is the top ranked team in Northern California, with the best overall National Division record (7-1), and has the top RPI (for NorCal playoff purposes).

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Fred Baer, CSM Sports Information