PALOMAR COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Comets make up for playoff snub

By STEPHEN LYNCH - For the North County Times | Saturday, November 22, 2008 9:43 PM PST ∞

BAKERSFIELD ---- Motivated by being left out of the Southern California Community College playoffs, the Palomar College football team wrapped up its season on a positive note in the Golden Empire Bowl on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Matt Christian completed 20-of-29 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns to lead the No. 7-ranked Comets (8-3) to a 38-33 victory over No. 6 Cerritos College (7-4) in front of a sparse but raucous crowd. The effort earned the freshman quarterback game MVP honors.

"We wanted to send a message that we definitely weren't happy not being able to play for the state championship," Christian said. "I think us and Cerritos might be two of the top five or six teams playing right now. It was definitely a motivating factor."

Palomar trailed by seven early in the game before Christian fired two touchdown passes early in the second quarter to give the Comets a 17-10 lead. Cerritos tied the game on its next possession, but Orenzo Davis scored on a 35-yard draw play, in which he broke three tackles, to give Palomar the lead for good with 1:05 remaining in the first half.

The teams exchanged field goals to open the game before Cerritos went 70 yards in 15 plays during its second possession to grab a 10-3 lead on a 6-yard Junior Tivao touchdown run. Christian responded with a 29-yard scoring strike to Martavious Lee, who finished with eight catches for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

After forcing Cerritos to punt, Palomar struck again when Christian found Keith Duhart in the corner of the end zone from 33 yards out.

"I threw some nice ones, but I threw some ugly ones, too, I'll tell you that much," Christian said. "I just came off of two weeks of not practicing, so I was a little rusty, but this is what I like to do. This is fun for me being under the lights playing."  

Both teams scored a touchdown in the third quarter before Christian put the Comets up 38-27 on a 35-yard scoring pass to Lee with 9:52 remaining in the game.

"We knew that they were going to be physical and we knew they were going to be good," Comets coach Joe Early said. "We had to concentrate on taking care of business for ourselves, understanding what we needed to do and not try to get far outside the box. I think we did that ... Fortunately we came out on top."

Palomar outgained the Falcons 415-399 despite 120 yards rushing from Duane Bowen, who was named the offensive player of the game. The Comets punted just once the entire game as they converted 11-of-16 third downs.

"We played very efficiently on offense," Early said. "My hat's off to our offensive coaching staff. They did a great job getting prepared. They had a great game plan going in, and the players executed it."

Comets defensive back Anthony Young was selected as the defensive player of the game after registering 10 tackles and recovering a fumble.