DEFENSE SHINES IN TOUGH LOSS

By Phil Jensen
Special to Chabot Athletics
The Chabot College football team scored the first points of the game Saturday evening against visiting Sacramento City College. But the Gladiators were unable to reach the end zone after that in a 27-7 loss.
Chabot (1-2) turned over the ball five times, all on interceptions, which put a lot of pressure on a Chabot defense that allowed only three touchdowns in the game.
"I thought our defense stepped up big-time in the second half, and on some stops in that first half. We kept some points off the board," said Chabot coach Eric Fanene. "We're young on both sides of the ball. It's the way you handle those wins and handle those losses, that's what adversity is all about."
Chabot will try to get back on the winning track when it travels to face Santa Rosa on Sept. 24 at 5 p.m.
On Saturday, the Gladiators scored on a 23-yard reception by Jeremiah Crum on a pass from Kekoa Turangan with five minutes, 46 seconds left in the first quarter. Crum finished with six receptions for 115 yards. Teammate Damien Moun added nine catches for 84 yards.
Chabot lost sophomore defensive lineman Alejandro Tovar to a possible fractured ankle, said Fanene after the game. Tovar exited the game with less than two minutes left in the first quarter and Chabot holding onto a 7-0 lead with Sacramento City driving.
"We had to change our game-plan at halftime and these young guys stepped up. We played some lights-out defense in the second half," Fanene said.
Sacramento City (1-2) eventually scored on that drive with an eight-yard pass from Ben Partee to Johnathan Brenes, but the point-after-touchdown kick failed and Chabot had a 7-6 advantage entering the second quarter. On its next possession, Sacramento City drove 75 yards to score on a two-yard run by Damian Allen with 5:02 left in the first half. Chabot's defense didn't allow another touchdown until 4:48 was left in the game.
Chabot's defense and special teams came up with a couple big plays on the first drive of the second half. After a sack by the Gladiators' Robert Porter forced a fourth-down punt on the Sacramento City 34, Chabot's Christopher Shackelford blocked that punt and the ball was recovered at the Panthers 15. But Chabot was unable to score.
Freddy Moala and Tuakoi Mahe were also among the Gladiators who had sacks. Justus Breston and Aukai Grace were among the Chabot players who had passes defensed.
The Gladiators still trailed by just 13-7 entering the fourth quarter, but Sacramento City's Jamauri Jackson scored on a 59-yard pick-six with 11:56 remaining, and Miles Williams produced the final touchdown of the game on an 11-yard reception from Sean Nixon.