Giants pull away from Siskiyous

By Nick Giannandrea

For College of the Sequoias Athletics

Behind two touchdown passes from Gus Villareal (Dinuba High) and a pair of scores from its defense, College of the Sequoias defeated Siskiyous 36-16 during a nonconference football game Sept. 21 in Weed.

It capped a stellar weekend for COS athletics that also saw its women's volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer teams go a combined 5-0, while it's men's cross country team finished third at an event that also featured four-year universities.

The Giants (2-1) pulled away in the fourth quarter after the Eagles (0-3) closed to within 19-16 on 1-yard touchdown run by Thomas Little with 13:25 remaining.

COS responded with a six-play, 52 yard drive capped by a 25-yard touchdown run by Davonte Green (Hammond, La.) that put the Giants ahead 26-16 with 10:10 to play.

Five plays later, Marcos Moran (Los Angeles) intercepted a Thairen Sivongsa pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown as COS stretched its lead to 33-16 with 8:28 left.

After another defensive stand from the Giants' defense, which limited Siskiyous to 240 yards total offense, Dominc Hernandez (Tulare Western) booted his second field goal of the game - a 35-yarder - to give COS a 20-point cushion with 4:42 remaining.

COS received an interception from Bobby Peele (Edison) - his third in an many games - and forced a three-and-out to stonewall Siskiyous' final two possessions.

Hernandez' first field goal - a 31-yarder - gave the Giants a lead they would not relinquish with 8:26 to play in the first quarter.

COS was credited with a team safety at the 4:25 mark of the first quarter, and Villareal's first touchdown pass - a 23-yarder to Bryson Allen (Tulare Union) - pushed the lead to 12-0 with 1:54 left in the first.

Siskiyous closed to 12-10 by halftime on a 71-yard touchdown pass from Sivongsa to D'Angelo Biggs and a 29-yard field goal from Tristan Lewis.

The Giants went up 19-10 early in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Villareal to Sergio Pena (Selma).

Villareal finished 16 of 23 for 151 yards. Green, the Giants' leading rusher from last year, had his first 100-yard game of the season, finishing with 24 carries for 103 yards. Allen led COS' receivers with four catches for 48 yards.

Defensively, Mitch Maggini (Riverdale) led the way with five tackles. Noah Wright (Lemoore) added four tackles, including two for losses. Unda Coverson (Macon, Ga.) and Moran recovered fumbles.

COS returns home Sept. 28 when it plays host to Santa Rosa. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Giant Chevrolet and Cadillac Mineral King Bowl.

The state unranked Bear Cubs enter 0-3 following a 24-17 loss to Shasta on Sept. 21.

The Giants lost 37-13 at Santa Rosa last season.