Mt. SAC edges Riverside 37-35 for SCFA Championship; advances to State Championship at San Mateo

WALNUT – Mt. San Antonio College will play for a state title for the first time since 2014 after the No. 1-seeded Mounties rallied late to defeat No. 2 Riverside City College 37-35 in the 2024 Southern California Football Association (SCFA) Championship at Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

The Mounties continue their run towards an undefeated season and possible national championship. Mt. SAC will take a perfect 12-0 record into next Saturday's (Dec. 14) 3C2A State Championship where they will face Northern California champion College of San Mateo at CSM's College Heights Stadium.

On Saturday, Mt. SAC's Matthew Fidone kicked a 48-yard field goal with 1:42 left in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game-winner.

The evenly-matched, back-and-forth battle between the Mounties and Tigers saw the lead change seven times in the contest, including four times in the second half.

Mt. SAC took a 27-21 advantage into halftime after Noah Fuailetolo tossed his third TD of the half, a 17-yard strike to Juwan Grant in the back of the end zone, with 39 seconds left.

In the fourth, Devyne Pearson's 12-yard touchdown run put Riverside back out in front 35-34 at the 3:33 mark. But on the ensuing kickoff, the Mounties' Talan Samosky broke free for a 53-yard return to give his squad excellent field position in RCC territory. Devin Miles ran for 13 yards to get Mt. SAC in range before Fidone nailed his kick to put the Mounties back out in front for good.

RCC had one final chance to pull off another comeback. Quarterback Brady Jones completed a pass that was tipped by a Mt. SAC defender and landed in the hands of Dominic Cox that he ran for a 53-yard gain with under a minute to play. But a pair of RCC penalties moved them back. Jones' fourth-down pass fell incomplete and Mt. SAC took over with six seconds remaining before downing the ball to run out the clock.

Mt. SAC snapped a string of two straight playoff losses and beat Riverside for the first time since 2017. The Mounties will look to win their fifth state championship in program history. (1997, 2009, 2010, 2014).

SCFA CHAMPIONSHIP POSTGAME AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Game: Devyne Pearson, RB, Riverside – 17 carries, 113 yards, 3 TDs
Defensive Player of the Game: Juan Salas, DB, Mt. SAC – 10 total tackles
Most Valuable Player: Noah Fuailetolo, QB, Mt. SAC – 19 for 31, 286 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT