Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Action from Saturday’s game at the Redwood Bowl

By Ray Hamill — When it looks this easy, you have to wonder why it took so long.

On Saturday afternoon, in rainy conditions, the College of the Redwoods football team ended a three-decade bowl victory drought with a 63-0 win over Hartnell in the 2023 Grizzly Bowl at the Redwood Bowl.

The determined Corsairs gave a performance that will go down in Redwoods history, thoroughly dominating a quality Hartnell team that came into the game with a record of 7-3, and they did so in all aspects of the game.

It was also a fitting way for this group of sophomores to close out their CR careers, and after a performance like this and what they have achieved, this is a team that will likely someday grace the school’s hall of fame.

The Corsairs scored six first-half touchdowns to open up an insurmountable 42-0 lead before the interval, while holding the visitors to just three first downs over the opening two quarters.

They scored on offense, on defense and on special teams and never gave the Panthers an opportunity to settle, while posting a third straight shutout.

After last year’s disappointing loss to Monterey Peninsula in the Grizzly Bowl with a freshmen heavy lineup, this year’s team was determined to get the right result this time around, and the players certainly didn’t disappoint.

“I just knew they were ready to play,” said head coach Jason White, who admitted he told quarterbacks coach Eric Helms before the game that he felt the players were ready for a rout. “It was obvious to me and the score showed it. We dominated in all three phases of the game today.”

The bowl victory completed a trifecta of breakthrough achievements for this year’s team, and particularly the sophomores.

In addition to being remembered as the players who brought football back to CR and ended two decades of non-winning seasons with back-to-back winning campaigns, now they’ve also brought home a first bowl victory since 1993.

More than anything, this group of players and coaches have created a winning culture for CR football and that will fuel future teams.

On Saturday, there were many heroes, on offense, defense and special teams, but perhaps no one more than running back Emmanuel Igbonogwam, who seems to save his best for bowl games.

After a breakout performance in last year’s Grizzly Bowl, Igbonogwam was unstoppable on Saturday, rushing for more than 150 yards and scoring three touchdowns on his way to being named MVP of the game.

Check out some of the touchdowns from Saturday’s game above …

“I said it to him (afterwards), what’s with you and bowl games,” White said with a chuckle. “He had an incredible day.”

Levi Cox-Cooley also found the end zone and got the party started with a 31-yard TD run six minutes into the game to open the scoring.

The former Del Norte Warrior was named Offensive MVP of the game.

The ever-impressive Tyse Whigham was named Defensive MVP of the game after yet anther stellar performance on a dominating line, leading a defense that has been outstanding on all three levels all season long.

In truth, any number of players could have taken home the defensive award.

“Tyse Whigham was named defensive MVP, but honestly Tanner Forkner could have been MVP, Chase Steubing could have been MVP,” White said. “Those three guys played incredibly well.”

Steubing had three fumble recoveries and found the end zone on a 30-yard scoop and score early in the second quarter to open up a 28-0 lead as the game quickly got away from the Panthers.

Mason Priddy, who will go down as an instant CR legend the way he has played over the past two seasons, also scored on a punt return in the third quarter, while showcasing just why he is a two-time all-conference player at two different positions (DB and returner).

Levi Nyberg and Tyrus Arakawa each also scored a rushing TD, while quarterback Shane Purcell threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Donte Hurt after taking over from starter Max Hough in the second half.

“They just couldn’t deal with our team speed, on both sides of the ball,” White said of the Panthers. 

It all began in the trenches, and as White mentioned you don’t run the ball that effectively without a big performance from the offensive line.

It’s a unit that features mostly freshmen and one that struggled early in the season, but the linemen have grown in stature as the season progressed and it showed on Saturday.

“Our offensive line was young this year and honestly we struggled in the first half of the year,” White said. “We had four freshmen starters, but the guys are basically sophomores for us right now and they’re gelling and understanding the scheme, and we got better and better at running the ball as the year went on.”

That was the last piece in the puzzle for this year’s team and it lifted the Corsairs to new heights late in the season, as well as helping secure a historic breakthrough bowl victory.

“These guys have achieved so much,” White said of the sophomores.

He can tell that to CR fans some time in the future when this team gets inducted into the Corsairs Hall of Fame.