Bulldogs win NorCal football crown, 30-5, over ARC; CSM (11-1) hosts 12-0 Riverside Dec. 10 for state football title

It took a comeback from a foggy wet start, but College of San Mateo will once against host the California Community College Athletic Association state football championship game on Saturday, Dec. 10, at noon at College Heights Stadium against unbeaten and top ranked Riverside City College (12-0).

San Mateo's (11-1) defense was impressive in turning back visiting American River College, 30-5, in the Northern California finals -- after trailing early, 5-0. It was the third time in the last four outings that CSM held its foe without a touchdown. Only defending Bay 6 league and state champion City College of San Francisco has reached the end zone – and that came in the fourth quarter -- as the Bulldogs eliminated the Rams, 31-13. The point spread in San Mateo's current 5-game winning streak is 198-25. The total in two playoff games: 60-5.

STATE HISTORY: CSM previously hosted the state championship game in 2009, losing to Mt. San Antonio. The Bulldogs will be seeking their first official state crown -- having lost at Fullerton in 2017 (although the Hornets vacated that title due to eligibility issues). Riverside won the 2019 state finals match with CSM (at neutral Sacramento City College), then lost to CCSF last year. (Covid interrupted the 2020 campaign.) So. the Tigers, under coach Tom Craft, are making a third straight finals appearance.

DEFENSE HOLD ARC TO 32 NET YARDS: San Mateo (11-1) limited ARC (8-4) to 32 total yards, a net of minus 39 rushing. The Bulldogs had the player of the game in linebacker Taniela Latu, who outpointed the Beavers with his fourth quarter scoop and score of an American River fumble, caused by defensive back Ja'ir Smith. Latu had six tackles, four solo, with three tackles for loss – including two sacks. He gained 19 yards with that fumble recovery TD that closed out game scoring midway through the fourth quarter. No ARC player rushed that far in the game.

The defensive player of the game was lineman Noa Ngalu, with seven tackles, three solo, three tackles for loss (including a pair of sacks).

Offensive player of the game was Ezra Moleni, with 111 yards rushing on 21 carries and two touchdowns – bringing his state-leading total to 16 rushing scores. He is Northern California top National Division rusher with a 97.3 yards per game average. He also caught a pair of passes for 29 yards -- so had 140 yards from scrimmage.

Moleni's 5-yard TD in the second quarter provided the only points the Bulldogs needed. But he made it 13-5 with a 1-yard tally after halftime. That was set-up by Malik Johnson's sack of ARC quarterback Kenneth Lueth, which caused a fumble that Johnson recovered on the Beaver 6-yard line. Moleni maneuvered the ball into the end zone on three quick carries.

MOLENI THREATENS CSM RECORD: He now has 1,168 rushing yards this season. That is just 85 yards shy of the San Mateo record of 1,253 yards by (future) Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman in 2005.

Due to the wet and foggy conditions and defensive play on both sides, there were no other significant offensive marks in Saturday's game. American River's final drive was ended by a Malini Ti'a pass interception and 14 yard return, after which the Bulldogs ran out the final 4:21 of the contest.

CSM's All-Bay 6 quarterback Richie Watts could not see targets downfield in the first half fog and had his poorest statistical day, 6-of-19 for 58 yards, plus eight yards rushing. But he was ahead of ARC's Lueth, who was 9-of-21 for 68 yards but lost 43 rushing (with sacks) -- for 25 net yards. The leading Beavers rusher, Joshua Moore, netted 12 yards.

Watts had a 7-yard TD pass to Brendan Doyle in the fourth quarter.

All-State placekicker Gabe Plascencia added to his CSM career kick-scoring record with a 38-yard field goal and three PAT kicks for six points. He now has marks of 24 field goals and 182 total points.

American River did start the foggy wet game better than the Bulldogs to grab a strange 5-0 first quarter lead.

San Mateo fumbled on its first play from scrimmage and recovered with an 18-yard loss to its own four. The Beavers capitalized with a tackle of loss on a pass play from Watts to Moleni that resulted in a safety in the game's first minute.

CSM was also stymied on its second possession and had its punt blocked. ARC recovered on the San Mateo 18, but was stymied by the Bulldogs defense. After ten plays (including penalties), the Beavers settled for a 26-yard field goal by Zach Schreiner and that 5-0 early lead. American River played on its side of the 50 nearly the entire game, driving once to the CSM 42. The Beavers started at and crossed midfield with a long kickoff return after CSM's final score of the game.

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--Fred Baer, CSM Sports Information