Derrick Vickers hauls in a deep pass early to set up a Lameshio White score, but the Renegades couldn't hold on to a late lead in Moorpark.
Posted: Oct 14, 2016
The last time Bakersfield College (4-2, 0-1) walked off a football field two weeks ago, they had just participated in a thrilling contest full of stunning lead changes and last-second heroics involving Derrick Vickers. This week, coming off a bye, was only different in the outcome.
And this week, the last-second pass attempt intended for Jakell Tomlin-with Vickers as decoy-was picked off by Jesse Landman, sealing a 30-27 overtime victory for rival Moorpark College (3-3, 1-0).
The Renegades' cruel reversal of fortune comes after beating El Camino on the road before the bye week on a late drive that culminated with Vickers scoring a touchdown with just eight seconds left on the clock.
This week, it was Moorpark that engineered a game-tying drive with less than a minute to play in regulation.
A long pass put the Raiders inside BC's 30 yard line, and in an inspired performance that punctuated a game full of them, Johnson broke a handful of tackles on a brutal 15 yard carry that set up a score on a quarterback keeper by Kabo Brown.
With less than 15 seconds on the clock, Moorpark kicked away instead of squibbing and the ball was fielded by Tomlin and returned short of the 40 yard line. The BC coaching staff elected to have QB Dalton Gallis kneel and run out the clock to bring on overtime instead of rolling the dice on another long pass to one of their many options at receiver.
Bakersfield won the overtime coin toss, and elected to defend first.
By community college overtime rules, each team starts at the 25 yard line and has a chance at scoring. If the first team with possession scores a touchdown, the opposing team must score a touchdown to restart the process; or the game is over.
The Renegades held Moorpark to a field goal, putting the game in their hands.
BC ran the football for two yards on the first play, and on the second play, sent three receivers wide and quarterback Dalton Gallis attempted a long slant pass to Jakell Tomlin that was intercepted by Moorpark, ending the game.
While Bakersfield is tied with Ventura (4-2) for the best overall record in the National North Conference, losing their league opener puts them in the bottom half of the standings for now.
They return to Memorial Stadium next week to host Cerritos College (3-3, 1-0) for homecoming.