|
NORWALK, CA - Santa Ana College snapped its three-game losing streak by winning its 2005 regular-season finale with a 34-7 win over Cerritos College in a Mission Conference National Division game Saturday night at Cerritos College. With the win the Dons improve to 6-4 overall and 2-3 in the division and hold out hope for a a post-season bowl invitation when the pairings are announced tomorrow (November 13).
Santa Ana rolled up a season-high 581 yards of total offense behind sophomore quarterback Daniel Morales who set six new school records and tied another in the game breaking the school's career marks for passing attempts (546), completions (325), passing yards (4,241) and touchdown passes (40). Morales also set single-season records for pass completions (177) and passing yards (2,404) and tied another with 24 touchdown passes.
The former La Habra High School-product completed 26 of his 34 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns all to different receivers. He had scoring passes to David Buehler from two yards out on the first play of the second quarter and then connected with DeAndre Williams on a 12-yard completion to give the Dons a 21-7 lead with 5:37 left before halftime. His third and final touchdown pass, a 13-yarder to Finas Rabb, gave Santa Ana a 34-7 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Dons' rushing attack wasn't about to be outdone as it rolled up 294 yards and two touchdowns on 45 attempts. Kaleo Igarta rushed for a team-high 107 yards on just 14 carries while Brandon Holiwell finished with 76 yards on 16 rushes. Devonte Merrifield rushed five times for 33 yards and scored on a seven-yard run in the Dons' 20-point second quarter followed by David Buehler who carried the ball three times for 14 yards and opened the game's scoring with a three-yard plunge in the first quarter.
Despite giving up 469 yards of offense the Santa Ana defensive stymied several Falcon scoring attempts
but a pair of sacks by defensive tackle Ben Tialino and linebacker Eric Peevey forced a punt after sophomore quarterback Jeff Kline started a drive with a 61-yard run that put the ball at the Dons 19-yard line. Santa Ana negated another Cerritos scored late in the second quarter when the Falcons went for a touchdown on fourth-and-16 at the Santa Ana 17-yard line only to have Kline's pass fall incomplete.
The Dons were led by Buehler who was in on a team-high five tackles and Richard Salazar who collect four stops including one tackle for loss. Linebacker Ray Andong closed out his sophomore campaign with three tackles and the Dons' lone interception.
|
