By Miguel Dominguez
The Huskies Football team upset Cerritos College giving Cerritos their first loss of the season. The Husky defense was a huge factor in the win.
The defense sacked quarterback Jordan Simpson four times in the game. Two of the four sacks came at the end of the fourth quarter to secure the win.
Husky quarterback Terrence Gipson went 20 for 36 with a total of 201 yards pass completion and three interceptions.
Gipson also had 68 total rushing yards with two touchdowns.
Only running back Jack Hanstetter had more rushing yards with a total of 104 yards on 14 attempts.
Wide Receiver Trejan Bridges led the team with receiving in a total of 65 yards and a touchdown.
The Huskies struggled early in the game with turnovers, but the defense stopped Cerritos offense from scoring in crucial moments of the game.
Cerritos opened the score with a field goal. Cerritos scored again after intercepting Gipson in the Huskies first drive.
Cerritos running back Davon Booth scored a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
Cerritos Led 10-0. The Huskies were held scoreless in the first quarter.
On the Huskies next drive, they turned the ball over again.
Another thrown interception by Gipson, his second in the game.
The Husky defense helped the offense by forcing a fumble that got recovered by the Husky defense in their half of the field.
In the second quarter, Gipson helped the offense get a first down by running and evading defenders.
Gipson did a spin move once to get away from one defender, followed by another spin to evade another defender, before getting tackled at the Cerritos 34-yard line.
After the play, Gipson had to come off the field. Gipson walked out to the sideline on his own and seemed okay.
Backup quarterback Frank Alvarez came in and his only pass in the game was a 34-yard touchdown pass to Bridges.
The Huskies trailed 10-7 and that was the score of the half.
The Huskies early turnovers in the game could have had Cerritos up by two touchdowns.
But Husky defense only allowed 10 points in the half.
The defense was a big factor in the second as well.
Gipson returned before the half was over to contribute for the team throughout the second half.
The Huskies started the half with the ball after the kick return. Gipson started the drive with another interception by Cerritos defender Chase Nixon.
Cerritos was only able to convert a field goal from the turnover.
This is where the Huskies defense started to make a difference in the second half of the game.
Cerritos led 13-7 with 11:28 to go in the quarter.
Later in the quarter the Huskies scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Gipson.
Before the touchdown, two key plays set up the Husky touchdown.
The Huskies went for it on 4th down and 11 and had an 18-yard pass completion from Gipson to wide receiver Kalani Washington.
The completion got the Huskies to the Cerritos 31-yard line.
In the next drive Cerritos got penalized for a pass interference call that helped the Huskies get close to the goal line before scoring the touchdown.
The score was tied 13-13 after Kicker Angel Ochoa missed the extra point.
Cerritos’ next drive resulted in a turnover when Husky defensive player Roy Walters III stole the ball out of the receiver hands. This put the Huskies at the Cerritos 42-yard line.
On the very first play, Gipson scored a 42-yard rushing touchdown to give the Huskies the lead.
The Huskies led 20-13 after the extra point was scored by Ethan Rodriguez with 5:30 to go in the third quarter.
Before the quarter ended, Cerritos scored after Simpson found his receiver Jaceon Doss open for a 25-yard touchdown.
Cerritos tied the game 20-20, after the extra point attempt was good.
That was the final scoring play of the 3rd quarter.
The Huskies took the lead in the fourth quarter when they settled for a field goal.
Huskies led 23-20 with 11:49 to go in the fourth quarter.
Cerritos answered right back with a touchdown on nine plays in the quarter.
Simpson targeted Michael Bruner for a 28-yard passing touchdown.
Bruner beat his coverage and scored easily untouched.
Cerritos led by 26-23 after the missed extra point by Moz Borjorquez with 8:14 to go in the game.
With under three minutes to go, the Huskies got to the Cerritos 23-yard line.
It was 1st and 20 and, a few plays later, the Huskies seemed to want to end the drive with a field goal.
But on 3rd and 12, Gipson completed a 23-yard touchdown to wide receiver Tyson Schilling.
The Huskies led 30-26 after Rodriguez’s extra point attempt was good with a little over a minute to go.
Cerritos last attempt to win the game came short thanks to the Huskies defense.
The defense being able to sack Simpson twice to end the game at Huskies 38-yard line.
The Huskies looked like they were headed to another overtime for the third time in a row but the team maintained their composure to the end of the game.
The Huskies are now 3-2 on the season and will have a bye week this weekend.
The Huskies travel to Allan Hancock College Oct. 15. The game will start at 2 p.m.