The Olympians, fresh off a 35-28 victory against Mt. San Jacinto College, approached their rivalry game against the Southwestern College Jaguars with a sense of cautious optimism. Despite the Jaguars' 0-6 record, Head Coach Gary Watkins stressed the importance of not taking anything for granted, reminding his team of the history between the two programs.

This game had many moving parts, on this particular night, it was a 'recruit game.' Over one-hundred high school football players were present to witness the difference between the two programs, adding another layer of anticipation to the matchup.

Mesa's offense, led by freshman quarterback Jax Leatherwood, wasted no time setting the tone. Leatherwood connected with Conor Lawlor for a 65-yard touchdown on their second possession, giving Mesa an early 7-0 lead. The Olympians' defense, as they've done all year, dominated, holding the Jaguars to under 200 total yards for the game.

The second quarter saw Mesa's lead increase. Danny Davis rushed for a 4-yard touchdown, and Leatherwood threw two touchdown passes to Jalil Tucker, covering 10 and 17 yards. Kicker Robert Petrich added a field goal, giving Mesa a commanding 31-0 halftime lead.

The Olympians continued their offensive onslaught in the second half. Leatherwood connected with Dazure Paggett for a 6-yard touchdown, and Derek McClintic added a 38-yard rushing touchdown, extending the lead to 45-0.

Southwestern finally got on the board after a special teams miscue, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run. Petrich then added another field goal for Mesa, finishing the game a perfect 6 for 6 on PATs and 2 for 2 on field goals.

The final score 48-7. They now shift their focus to a critical matchup against the 7-1 Riverside City College, who currently lead the National Southern League with a 5-0 record. The game is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff on Friday.