Jaguars seeking playoff opportunity

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 6, 2026

2026 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

CHULA VISTA — Southwestern College cannot recover the final seconds of last Saturday’s loss. The Jaguars can still give themselves a chance to extend their season.

No. 9 Southwestern visits No. 16 Chaffey at 2 p.m. Saturday, seeking an eighth victory and a stronger case for its first regional playoff appearance.

The Jaguars’ assignment opens a consequential final day for the county’s National Southern League teams. No. 8 San Diego Mesa hosts unbeaten, state No. 1 Riverside at 6 p.m., while Palomar closes at Mt. San Jacinto, also at 6 p.m.

Southwestern and Mesa enter 7-2 overall and 4-2 in league. Both have opportunities to improve their postseason standing, although neither can treat a victory as a guaranteed playoff invitation.

NO. 9 SOUTHWESTERN AT NO. 16 CHAFFEY

Saturday, 2 p.m. — Grigsby Stadium, Rancho Cucamonga

The Jaguars were five seconds away from a victory over Saddleback that would have considerably strengthened their playoff position.

Instead, the Bobcats’ late touchdown and extra point left Southwestern with a 28-27 loss and an urgent need to respond.

Southwestern forced six turnovers, received 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Caleb Blocker, and twice held a 10-point second-half lead. But the Jaguars could not finish the game after Blocker’s 68-yard run carried them to the Saddleback 4-yard line late in the fourth quarter.

A field goal extended the advantage to 27-21 before Saddleback drove 74 yards for the winning score.

The Jaguars remain bowl eligible, but Saturday offers an opportunity to keep their regional playoff hopes alive.

Chaffey presents a demanding final hurdle. The Panthers are 6-3 overall and 3-3 in league, coming off their own dramatic finish — a 22-21 victory at Palomar secured by a touchdown and two-point conversion with 10 seconds remaining.

Quarterback Frankie Villabazo threw three touchdown passes despite four interceptions, finding Theodore Edquilang for the final score before completing the winning conversion to Nathan Enriquez.

Villabazo averages 232.6 passing yards per game and has 19 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns. His ability to extend possessions with his legs will test a Southwestern defense that could not contain Saddleback quarterback Timmy Herr in the fourth quarter.

Enriquez averages 75.3 receiving yards per game and has six touchdown catches. Julian Lofton-Lundy, who caught seven passes for 94 yards at Palomar, has seven touchdown receptions.

Southwestern’s defense continues to produce opportunities.

Niko Ta’a made 15 tackles and intercepted a pass against Saddleback. Former Christian High standout Brady Eads added an interception and six tackles, while Valentino Wedderburn and Kylan Studebaker each forced and recovered a fumble.

The challenge is turning those stops into sustained offense.

The Jaguars converted one of 13 third downs against Saddleback and punted 10 times. Dominic Duran, who entered during the second quarter after beginning the game on the sideline with a shoulder injury, passed for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Duran has 15 touchdown passes this season. Giving him manageable down-and-distance situations would help Southwestern bring receivers Titus White, Malachi Bean-Seay and Ahmad “AJ” Perry II into the game.

Blocker supplies the foundation. He averages 79.4 rushing yards per game, the highest figure among the league’s listed leaders, and has seven rushing touchdowns. Elias Johnson also has seven rushing scores.

The Jaguars received another important contribution last week from Steven Benson, the Christian High graduate who kicked field goals of 50 and 24 yards.

Southwestern’s best route forward is to combine those individual strengths with better possession-to-possession execution — and finish the opportunities that slipped away against Saddleback.

The Jaguars are the likely seven-point favorite here.

NO. 1 RIVERSIDE AT NO. 8 SAN DIEGO MESA

Saturday, 6 p.m. — Merrill Douglas Stadium

Mesa has an opportunity to make its strongest statement of the season against California’s top-ranked team.

Riverside arrives 9-0 overall and 6-0 in league, having secured the National Southern championship. The Olympians can disrupt the Tigers’ unbeaten season while adding a major victory to their own playoff résumé.

Mesa moved up one position in the state coaches poll after defeating Mt. San Jacinto, 48-17, last Saturday. The Olympians are one point ahead of Southwestern in the voting.

Their two losses came in overtime against Southwestern and Saddleback, by a combined five points.

Now comes a Riverside offense led by Christopher Cooper, who averages a league-leading 290.2 passing yards per game. Cooper has 18 touchdown passes and nine rushing touchdowns, while Kurelle Thomas has scored 13 times on the ground.

Mesa will need pressure without allowing Cooper to escape into open running lanes.

Jack Metzler leads the league’s listed sack leaders with 6.5, and Tobiah Araujo has another 5.5. The Olympians recorded five sacks and four interceptions against Mt. San Jacinto, with Elijah Peau supplying two sacks.

Former Helix defensive back Carter Ross joined Preston Bowles, Matthew Bresko and Alijah Simmons with interceptions. Dameian Watkins Jr. broke up four passes.

The offense also enters with an emerging weapon in Isaiah “Pablo” Jackson.

The Helix graduate followed his spectacular return performance at Chaffey with his biggest offensive game of the season against Mt. San Jacinto: 90 rushing yards, 66 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson scored twice on short runs and caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Tyson Line, giving Mesa another way to attack beyond its established passing targets.

Quarterback Diesel Taylor has 25 touchdown passes, the most among the league’s leaders, and averages 241.2 passing yards per game. But he was intercepted three times last Saturday, mistakes the Olympians will need to reduce against Riverside.

Colin McCann averages 83.5 receiving yards per game and has eight touchdown catches. Braxton Sherley also has eight, while Jayden Chanel has five.

Monte Vista graduate Alexander Villanueva, averaging 60.8 rushing yards per game, gives Mesa another option alongside Jackson.

The Olympians rushed for 205 yards against Mt. San Jacinto. Establishing that balance again would help sustain drives and limit the possessions available to Riverside.

Saturday is also Mesa’s Military Appreciation Game. Tickets are available at the gate, with cash-only sales.

Riverside is probably expected to win here by about a touchdown in a high-scoring game that could see 70 points scored.

PALOMAR AT MT. SAN JACINTO

Saturday, 6 p.m. — HCN Bank Stadium, Menifee

Palomar will try to finish with a victory after another game slipped away in the closing seconds.

The Comets are 3-6 overall and 1-5 in league following their 22-21 loss to Chaffey. Palomar led 21-7 in the third quarter before the Panthers scored the final 15 points.

Bubba Garcia intercepted two passes, returning one 40 yards for a touchdown, while Tresean Ellis and Robbin Anzodru also had interceptions.

Those four takeaways were offset by missed opportunities and 19 penalties for 164 yards.

Quarterback Noah Schuback threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Princeton Anderson and Lyle Deloney for scores. Schuback averages 222.6 passing yards per game, and Anderson has six touchdown receptions.

Maurice Howard led the running game with 43 yards against Chaffey. More consistent rushing production would help the Comets protect possessions and finish drives.

Mt. San Jacinto enters 2-7 overall and 0-6 in league after its 48-17 loss at Mesa.

The Eagles still possess a dangerous receiving threat in Kee-Esoul Pitchford, who averages 99.4 yards per game and has eight touchdown catches. Pitchford scored on a 78-yard reception against the Olympians.

Palomar’s defensive leaders include Tanner Doyle, averaging 7.1 tackles per game, and Kamaka Lorenzo, averaging 6.4. Anzodru and Dallas Kealohanui each recorded a sack last Saturday.

For the Comets, the finale offers an opportunity to turn competitive stretches into a complete victory and finish the season 4-6.

Mt. San Jacinto is probably a field-goal favorite to win this one, in a game that should end around 50 points.