A season-best effort by BC vs. Canyons
By Evans On Sports
There have been so many exception games by the BC football team this season. Prior to Saturday, you could point to the 41-24 win over an excellent Saddleback team or the dramatic 27-24 overtime win against Ventura.
But Saturday's 41-14 win over Canyons has those beat. That's because more was at stake in this game than any other contest this season.
BC wins, it's in the state playoffs; it loses, and it gets a bowl game but the state title hopes are dashed.
The defense was spectacular: four first-half takeaways (three leading to touchdowns). QB Lyle Negron, who started the Cerritos game going 8-for-8, was sharp again: 12-of-20 for 219 yards.
The BC running game reached 108 net yards, without Andre Smith even getting a carry and Julian Dean-Johnson, probably the team's No. 1 back, only getting 15 carries. Lee West had 16 carries and looked good until an ankle injury KO'd him for the day in the third quarter. Smith was dinged up, which is why he played only sparingly, and Dean-Johnson is also banged up. By limiting their carries, it gives them a better chance to be closer to 100 percent in the playoff opener next week.
But this was about the defense: six sacks, four takeaways, and Canyons unable to run effectively. Canyons could have been shut out except for a TD drive in the fourth quarter kept alive by two fourth-down penalties and a fumble return for a TD against backup quarterback Dylan Slayton.
By late Sunday afternoon, BC's next opponent will be known.
Prediction: Mount SAC, Cerritos and Saddleback will join BC as the four-team playoff qualifiers. All traditional JC powers in Southern California. No one should be surprised that's the way it's shaping up.
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