Comets fall to Bobcats on the road

MISSION VIEJO, CA (10/14/2023) -- Palomar College traveled to Saddleback College on Saturday to resume their conference schedule and lost 48-10 to drop to 2-4 overall.

Saddleback scored first when they ran a fumble by Palomar back for a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. The Comet defense immediately responded with a safety to cut the Bobcat lead to five. The Bobcats scored two more touchdowns to take a 21-2 lead at halftime. The Comet defense made some adjustments and held the Bobcats to two field goals before allowing another touchdown. Palomar trailed 34-2 before scoring their first offensive points of the game. Freshman receiver Jake Whitehead caught a 9-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Kiah Reid. The Comets opted to go for the 2-point conversion and got it on a Reid to Quincy Herron pass. The Comets are 3-3 on 2-point conversions this season. Saddleback scored twice more for the final score 48-10.

Palomar finished with 305 offensive yards, 226 by air, and 79 on the ground. Reid was 16-29 with 182 yards and freshman quarterback Jaden White was 5-8 for 44 yards. Sophomore running back Omarion Ireland had 75 yards on 17 attempts. On the receiving side of the ball, Whitehead was the leading receiver with four catches for 67 yards and one touchdown. Herron finished with four catches for 47 yards. 

The Comet defense allowed 418 yards, 342 in the air, and just 76 on the ground. Freshman linebacker Jaiden Letua was the leading tackler with nine tackles, seven solo, and one tackle for loss for the three yards. Sophomore defensive linemen Jacob Sisson and Yassin Khachab halted the Bobcat run game, combining for eight tackles. Sisson had a sack for eight yards and Khachab had 1.5 sacks for 10 yards. Barret Brennan had three total tackles and one tackle for loss for one yards, while Christian Gonzales-Ponce finished with one tackle for loss for two yards. Defensive backs Joe Matthews, Davion Green, Monty Hunt and Omar Ali each had one pass breakups. Ali finished with six total tackles and Hunt finished with four. Sophomore linebacker Chase Beardsley ended the night with seven total tackles, six solo. 

Palomar will look to bounce back next week against Fullerton College. They will be on the road for a noon kickoff.