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Chris Grimes races between two Saddleback defenders for a receiving TD. -- Photo by Hugh Cox
Chris Grimes races between two Saddleback defenders for a receiving TD. -- Photo by Hugh Cox
Posted: Nov 04, 2017

Nationally No. 16-ranked Gauchos turn back Comets 35-13

MISSION VIEJO (11-04-2017) -- Palomar hung with nationally 16th-ranked Saddleback College for most of the night, but missed its chances to make a late run at the Gauchos and dropped a 35-14 Southern Conference decision on Saturday night.

The Comets, who have gone 0-4 in the nation's toughest community college conference after starting the season 4-1, now need to defeat Grossmont College to close out the regular season next Saturday evening at Escondido High School's Chick Embrey Field at Wilson Stadium to finish at .500 and become bowl eligible.

Palomar scored on a 1-yard run by Currie Thomason and a 17-yard pass play from quarterback Matt Romero to Chris Grimes but couldn't get into the end zone from the Saddleback 3-, 21- and 13-yard lines in a back-and-forth game of both big plays and big mistakes by both teams.

Romero, who led the nation in touchdown passes for much of the season, threw for 278 yards but was held without a TD pass until connecting with Grimes, an El Camino High School product and sophomore transfer who is coming on strong late in the season after being hospitalized with an infection and missing most of the season. The Comets were hurt throughout the night with dropped passes by wide-open receivers.

Thomason's 1-yard TD run was set up when Kavika Muller caused a Saddleback fumble at the Gauchos' 20-yard line and Maxwell Scott recovered for the Comets. Romero connected with Devin Nelson on a 15-yard play and Thomason then ran the ball down to the 1.

The biggest star of the night for Palomar was their freshman punter from Australia, Tyson Dyer, who averaged 48.0 yards for six kicks including punts of 56, 53 and 50 yards to get the Comets out of poor fieldl position.

Marquise Williams contributed 8 pass receptions for 132 yards, Nilson had 5 receptions for 47 yards, and Grimes and Bryce Walker each caught 3 balls for 32 yards.

Defensively, Danny Wood (11 tackles, 9 solo), Jake Ambrose (11 tackles, 6 solo, 1 tackle for loss, 1 broken-up pass) led the Comets. J.D. Fox had 9 tackles. Austin Aululu3 tackles for loss including a sack, and Trea Samifua recovered a fumble.