Comets face Olympians to make playoffs
- Updated: November 9, 2018
Fullback Arnold Yoder followers blockers vs. Cerritos. (Hugh Cox Photo)
2018 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL
By Tom Saxe
Special to EastCountySports.com
SAN DIEGO (11-09-2018) – Palomar will try to lock up the Central League championship and receive an automatic top-three seed in the four-team Southern California Community College playoffs on Saturday when the Comets travel to Merrill Douglas Stadium to face San Diego Mesa College.
Kickoff will be at 6 p.m. With two-time state and national champion Fullerton forfeiting its 2018 schedule due to using ineligible players, the Comets (6-3 on the season, 3-1 in conference) enter the last game of the regular season with the best power ranking in the Central Conference.
A victory by the Comets, coupled with a victory by favored Cerritos over El Camino College, will guarantee Palomar a top-three playoff seed with champions of the Southern League and Northern League.
The Olympians enter the game with a 5-4 record, but a 1-3 mark in the conference.
The game will feature two of the best quarterbacks in community college football in Palomar’s Connor Curry, last week’s Southern California National (Playoff-Eligible) Division Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for six touchdowns (five passing) as the Comets upset Cerritos 35-25, and Mesa’s Jake Dunninway, a transfer from UC Davis.
Both are redshirt freshmen. Curry originally was offered by Clemson out of high school.
“It’s definitely a ‘trap’ game for us,” Palomar coach Joe Early said. “Despite its league record, Mesa is a very good team, which is pretty obvious on film. They’ve played everyone (on their league schedule) tough, with the exception of Fullerton, which used ineligible players. We’d better be ready to play.”
PROBABLE PALOMAR LINE-UPS
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Connor Curry (6-2, 200, Fr., Evangel Christian HS, Shreveport, LA / Ouachita Baptist University)
Running Back
Shevell Sterling (5-10, 190, Fr., Grossmont HS)
Fullback
Arnold Yoder (6-1, 260, So., Toledo HS, Toledo, WA / USMC)
Receivers
Logan Gamble (6-6, 200, Fr., St. Anthony HS, Long Beach / Cal)
Malachi Russell (6-0, 160, Fr., El Camino HS)
Mikel Barkley (5-11, 165, Fr., Temecula Great Oak HS)
Bryce Walker (6-0, 180, So., Bartram Trail HS, Jacksonville, FL)
Zack Morel (6-2, 193, So, Vista HS)
Slot Receivers
Devin Nilson (6-0, 187, So., Carlsbad HS)
Johnny Armentrout (5-10, 175, Fr., El Camino HS)
Johnny Arzola (6-0, 195, So., Oceanside HS, Dixie State)
Tight End
William Gonzalez (6-4, 230, Fr., Murrieta Valley HS)
Left Tackle
Quinton Maxwell (6-3, 340, Fr., King HS, Detroit, MI)
Left Guard
Francisco Rodriguez (6-4, 300, Fr., Sicks HS, Tampa, FL)
Center
Anthony Escalante (6-2, 240, Fr., Rancho Buena Vista HS)
Right Guard
Braydon Lindholm (6-6, 290, Fr., Moses Lake HS, Moses Lake, WA)
Right Tackle
Will Eoff (6-6, 290, Fr., Vista Murrieta HS)
DEFENSE
End
Isaac Tuia (6-1, 295, Fr., Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV)
End
Jordan Duson (6-1, 240, Fr., Oceanside HS)
Tackle
Koa Evalu-Robinson (6-3, 275, Fr., Lahainaluna HS, Maui, HI)
Tackle
Nick So’oto (6-2, 300, Fr., Parkway HS, Bossier, LA / Northeastern State)
Linebacker
Spencer Kaoanga (6-1, 220, Fr., Oceanside HS / Air Force Prep)
Linebacker
Chris Calhoun (6-1, 210, Fr. Mission Hills HS)
Cornerback
Jihad Hightower (5-9, 171, Fr., Creekside HS, St. Johns, FL)
Cornerback
Louie Flores (5-10, 180, Fr., Mission Hills HS)
Safety
Jay Craft (5-11, 180, Fr., Cherry Creek HS, Cherry Creek, CO / Kansas State University)
Safety
Orion Diaz (6-0, 160, So., Escondido HS)
Safety
Josh Bernard (5-11, 205, So., Oceanside HS)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kickoffs, PAT’s, FG’s)
Mark Meador (5-8, 147, Fr., Del Norte HS)
Punter
Jacob Stepanek (6-3, 205, Fr., Temescal Canyon HS, Lake Elsinore)
Holder
Jacob Stepanek
Long Snapper
Edwin Vorachack (5-10, 175, Fr., Escondido HS
Kickoff Returners
Lamar Raboteau (5-8, 165, Fr., Mira Mesa HS)
Damon Wigand (5-10, 180, Fr., Mission Hills HS)
Punt Returners
Devin Nilson
Johnny Arzola
