Clarke University Athletics – Kenneth Spaight

By Ray Hamill — Two local players recently had milestone moments on the college football fields, as the H-DNL continues to impact the next level.

St. Bernard’s Lane Thrap caught his first collegiate TD for the Santa Rosa Bear Cubs in a 23-13 loss at Reedley on Saturday.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound receiver scored on an eight-yard pass from quarterback Santino Chavez to cap a 13-play, 80-yard drive and give his team an early lead in the second quarter.

Unfortunately for the Bear Cubs, however, Reedley would rally to win the game.

Thrap who was appearing in his second game this season, finished with three receptions for 24 yards, as Santa Rosa dropped to 2-3.

At Contra Costa College, meanwhile, former Arcata Tiger Shane Purcell has appeared in two straight games for the Comets.

The freshman QB threw for a TD and ran in for a TD in a 49-15 win over Chabot on Saturday, while completing 6 of 15 passes for 69 yards.

He has not thrown an interception in 29 pass attempts in two games.

Up at Lewis & Clark, former Eureka Logger Cruz Montana continues to impress despite the Pioneers suffering their first loss of the season last weekend, 66-28 against Whitworth.

Cruz completed 15 of 24 passes for 165 yards, three TDs and no interceptions.

He now has eight touchdown passes on the season and has thrown just two picks, while posting a QB rating of 161.12.

He’s also rushed for one TD.

Submitted photo – Anthony Slayton

Former Del Norte Warrior Anthony Slayton also is enjoying a big season at the next level playing at Shasta College.

The Knights linebacker had 12 tackles, including seven solo and three for a loss, in a 23-7 loss to Sac City last weekend.

Slayton’s 30 solo tackles on the season is fourth best in the state, as are his 10 tackles for a loss.

Former Eureka Logger Josiah Graham also plays receiver for the 2-3 Knights and had one reception for 18 yards in Saturday’s loss.

Slayton’s former Del Norte teammate Kaleb Price is also enjoying a productive season at College of the Redwoods and played a key role in the Corsairs’ thrilling 44-42 double-OT win over Foothill College on Saturday.

The freshman tight end pulled in two TD receptions from former Fortuna Husky Max Hough, who was making his first collegiate start at QB.

Price scored the game-clinching TD in the second OT period, his second overtime touchdown of the season.

He now has five TD receptions and has scored in four of the Corsairs five games.

Hough, meanwhile, accounted for five of CR’s six TDs.

Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Kaleb Price in action for CR on Saturday.

He completed 22 of 33 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 81 yards on 13 carries and two more TDs.

At Clarke University in Iowa, meanwhile, former Eureka Logger Kenneth Spaight had yet another big game for the Pride in 38-24 loss to MidAmerica Nazarene.

The standout DB scored on a 71-yard pick-six to tie the game at 24-24 in the third quarter, but MidAmerica Nazarene would respond with a pair of unanswered TDs to pull out the win.

Spaight also had eight tackles and two kickoff returns for 49 yards.

Former Fortuna Husky Daeden Taylor, meanwhile, continues to have an impact on the highest scoring JC offense in California.

Taylor has appeared at QB in four games for the high-flying Feather River Golden Eagles, who are averaging 57.6 points a game and have surpassed Foothill as the most prolific offense in the state.

Taylor has rushed for 220 yards and a TD this fall and had 42 yards on six carries in a 62-20 win over West Hills on Saturday.

Taylor and the Golden Eagles are in the same conference as CR and will host the Corsairs on the final weekend of the regular season.