Rough Third Quarter Dooms Warriors against Riverside

TORRANCE, Calif. --- No. 15 El Camino College surrendered the second most points in program history in a 70-45 non-league loss to No. 8 Riverside on Saturday night at Featherstone Field at Murdock Stadium.

The Warriors (1-2) battled the defending state-champion Tigers (2-1) close in the first half, trailing by just four points after a Cooper Dileva field goal with 1:14 left in the second quarter made it 21-17 Riverside.

But the Tigers outscored the Warriors 35-7 in the third quarter and 49-28 in the second half, posting their highest ever point-total against ECC in 31 all-time meetings. It was just the third time in ECC history that the Warriors have surrendered 70 points to their opponents in the 77-year history of the program.

The Warriors lost 71-67 to Santa Monica in the wild South Bay Classic Bowl at the old Murdock Stadium on December 5, 1998, the most points ever scored against ECC in history and at home.

Prior to that, a Warriors opponent had not scored 70 points against ECC since Boise State recorded a 70-20 victory over ECC in Idaho.

On Saturday, the first half started promisingly for the Warriors as they answered the Tigers' first two touchdowns with their own to make it a 14-14 game with 6:01 left in the first half.

The Tigers scored on their opening drive in the third quarter on a 57-yard TD pass from Brady Jones to Dominic Cox to make it 28-17 but the ECC defense came up with a big play of their own as Ky'yin Arrington jumped an out-route on RCC's second drive of the half and took the interception 29 yards the other way for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 28-24.

But Riverside utilized the big-play often in the third quarter, recording scoring plays of 26, 32 and 69 yards in the period and eventually led 56-24 heading to the fourth. They would add a 77-yard TD pass and 29-yard TD run in the fourth to cement the victory.

For the Warriors, Hunter Herrera went 16-for-25 for 264 yards and three touchdowns, much of that with the game out of reach. Takim Raye-Brown Jr. led the ECC receiving corps with nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.

Arrington tied for the Warriors team lead with eight tackles (four solo) and had one of the team's two interceptions.

Jones finished 30-for-42 for 535 yards and seven touchdowns for the Tigers with Cox hauling in eight catches for 161 yards and two scores. Ja'wuan Nickson recorded 16 tackles for the RCC defense to lead all players in the game.

The Warriors have now lost 13 straight meetings to the Tigers dating back to 2012. The Warriors' last win against Riverside was a 41-16 victory in 2009 at the old Murdock Stadium. The team will open National Central League play next Saturday as the Warriors travel to Moorpark to take on the Raiders with kickoff set for 6 p.m.