Tigers Football looking to bounce back from a rough start Cherie Smith Sports Reporter/ Sports Editor Reedley College Football is playing the 2012 season in the Golden Gate Conference. They started off the season playing nonconference games. The Tigers played College of the Sequoias and the San Joaquin Delta College from the Central Valley Conference for the first two weeks. The Golden Gate Conference includes West Hills College, Merced College, Laney College, and Chabot College. Reedley will still able to continue to play their rivals in football, College Reedley College’s Dennis Gallon kicking a 34 of the Sequoias and Fresno City College. Reedley College will still be in the Central yard field goal against San Joaquin Delta Valley Conference for their other sports. College on Saturday, September 8, 2012. Saturday, September 1: Reedley College 14 – College of the Sequoias 20 The Reedley College Football team started their season at the Mineral King Bowl in Visalia against the COS Giants. Toward the end of first half Reedley got an interception that Cedric Fleming caught. The Giants took a 17-0 lead. The Tigers’ first points of the game came on a punt that was returned 42 yards by Bryant Brown for a touchdown. Then the Tiger defense got momentum, keeping it for the rest of the game. The score at halftime was 17-7 in favor of the Giants. Ernest Carter, Jr. had a 40 yard run in the third quarter. It was the longest run for Reedley. Patrick Greene picked off COS QB Tyler Ferguson twice in the second half. Ian Hall threw the Tigers’ first touchdown pass of the season, a 14 yarder to Will Hanford to put the Tigers within six points. The Tigers tried an onsite kick in the final minute of the game, but they were unable to get the ball back. The final score was 20-14 with COS winning. The Tigers defense kept them in the game and look to improve next week. Saturday, September 8: San Joaquin Delta College 45 – Reedley College 17 The second game of the season was a home game at Reedley High School against the San Joaquin Delta College Mustangs. The Mustangs scored a touchdown first and then the Tigers had a 34 yard field goal by Dennis Gallon. After that, the Mustangs scored 38 unanswered points. Patrick Green had a 44 yard punt that put the Mustangs at their own one yard line. Jaydon Brown had an interception for Reedley on the Mustangs’ drive. The score at halftime was 38-3 in favor of San Joaquin Delta.
In the third quarter Cedric Fleming, Jr. intercepted a San Joaquin Delta pass. Reedley defense made a goal line stand not allowing San Joaquin Delta to score. In Reedley’s second possession of the fourth quarter Ernest Carter had a 45 yard run. Quarterback Sean Stell, Jr. had a 33 yard pass to Kendrick Peeples on the touchdown drive. Donte Capers had a four-yard touchdown run. Joshua Boulware forced a fumble to give Reedley great field position. Quarterback Sean Stell threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Devin Cox. The Reedley defense was able to get four turnovers in the game. The final score was 45-17 with San Joaquin Delta College winning. The Tigers’ next game is Saturday, September 15 against Fresno City College for the Battle for the Pump. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Reedley High’s Sal Gonzalez Field.