Rodriguez' Kick Lifts No. 12 Canyons past No. 14 Bakersfield 27-24

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

Freshman kicker Luis Rodriguez drilled a 21-yard field goal as time expired lifting No. 12 Canyons to a 27-24 comeback victory over No. 14 Bakersfield College at Cougar Stadium on Saturday.

The win, which was the fourth this season against a state ranked opponent, was also the third straight for Canyons (7-2, 5-1) and should go a long way in solidifying the Cougars' hopes for postseason play.  

COC spotted Bakersfield (5-4, 3-3) an early 14-0 advantage before coming all the way back to claim its first lead in the closing seconds. 

The Cougars scored 13 points in the decisive fourth quarter with Rodriguez also booting a 54-yard field goal, his season long, to tie the game with 12:03 to play. 

Earlier in the quarter it was freshman Brady Welch's nine-yard touchdown run putting Canyons back in the game at 24-21. The fourth quarter rally also featured a forced fumble and subsequent recovery by Dylan Flowers. 

Perhaps most impressive, Canyons employed a 13-play, 76-yard drive that chewed nearly seven minutes off the clock leading up to Rodriguez' game-winning heroics. The Cougars rushed for 39 yards on the drive with running backs Donovan Dunn and Paden White seeing carries alongside wide receiver Ray Hall.

The Renegades carried all the early momentum, however, scoring a five-yard touchdown run from Jalen Hankins on their first drive of the game which was set up by a COC fumble.

On the ensuing kick Canyons again let one get away with a special teams fumble that set Bakersfield up on the COC 21-yard line. Three plays later it was BC's Malachi Statler finding the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown scamper to put the Cougars on their heels at 14-0.

With 2:58 to go in the quarterback COC linebacker Tony Testa forced a special teams fumble of his own to return the favor and put the Cougars in position to pounce deep in Bakersfield territory. Welch connected with Camoren Bowen for a 28-yard reception that put the ball on the one-yard line before Luke Coleman entered the game under center and promptly scored on a keeper. Rodriguez' PAT made it a ballgame again at 14-7. 

Bakersfield tacked on three more points with a 23-yard field goal at the 9:56 mark of the second quarter for a 17-14 score, which is where things stayed headed into halftime.

The Renegades seemed to seize the momentum once more on a four-yard touchdown pass from Statler to Cleveland Tolbe that extended the visiting team's lead at 24-14.

Bakersfield would not score again while Canyons rattled off 13 unanswered point behind Welch and Rodriguez to win the game.

Welch ended the day 20-of-31 for 232 yards a touchdown and interception

Hall's day included a team-best 26 yards on the ground to go with three catches for 81 yards. Bowen was next with five catches for 74 yards.

Statler generated the most offense for Bakersfield with a 20-of-26 day that included 172 yards through the air and a touchdown. Hankins was the leading rusher with 62 yards on 14 attempts. 

Ahmad Fisher, JoJo Massey and Roderick Colquitt all had sacks in the game for a Canyons defense that surrendered just 266 yards of total offense and limited the Renegades to 5-of-12 mark on third down.

Testa and Adam Geukens tied for the team lead with seven tackles. Massey and Zach Bowles joined Flowers and Testa in the forced fumble category. Testa was also credited with two tackles for loss, same for Duhron Goodman who recovered a fumble of his own. Elijah Hall also recovered a fumble to round out a busy day for the Cougars' defense. 

Canyons will close out the regular season with a road trip to Ventura College at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16. 

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

—Photo by Carla Sophia Velasco/COC Sports Information