Comets win Battle of San Diego in OT

SAN DIEGO, CA (10/1/2022) -- No. 13/15 Palomar College traveled to No. 14/13 San Diego Mesa College for the Battle of San Diego in a 3-1 showdown. The Comets avenged their last season loss, and snapped their three-season losing streak against the Olympians, with an 18-17 overtime thriller for the second week in a row.

Up 10-0 at halftime, Palomar held the Olympians to a 20-yard field goal in the final seconds of the third and in the final minute of the fourth, Mesa found the endzone to tie the game at 10.

In overtime, the Comets won the toss, putting Mesa on offense first. Mesa scored on a 1-yard rush to take 17-10 lead after the PAT. 

Comets' ball.

Quarterback Thomas Fishburne hands it off to Dorian Richardson for a 3-yard gain. Quarterback keep for eight yards. Fishburne hands it off to Richardson for five yards. Another handoff for no gain. Fishburne to Luke Armstrong for a 1-yard gain. Fourth ad four. Fishburne to Frankie Goodson for an 8-yard reception. Touchdown Comets.

Head coach Joe Early does the unthinkable and goes for the 2-point conversion for the win. Not settling for the second week in a row.

Richardson punches it across the goal line. Comets win 18-17.

The Comet defense once again had the spotlight on them this game, holding the Olympians to just 82 rushing yards. The defense is also riding a 6-game takeaway streak dating back to the Chick-Fil-A Winter Festi-Bowl last season, as sophomore Devin Dye recorded his first season interception for 37 yards, which set the Comets up for a field goal in the second. Sophomore Rickie Davis Jr. led the defense in tackles with six total, 2.5 tackles-for-loss for five yards and a pass breakup. 

Palomar moves to 4-1 for the first time since 2017. They will have a bye this week before opening up SCFA Central League play on October 15 when they host Riverside City College at Escondido High School for a 6 p.m. kickoff.