Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

One week after suffering their first loss of the season at Monterey Peninsula, the Corsairs got back to winning ways with a come-from-behind 30-21 victory over San Jose at the Redwood Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

But they had to battle for it, breaking a late deadlock with nine unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including a game-sealing safety by former Del Norte Warrior Conner Long with 1:17 remaining on the clock.

“It was work, but it was well earned,” said CR head coach Jason White, whose team improved to 3-1.

Both teams drove the ball well early in the game and the visitors took a 7-0 lead on a 18-yard Will Augenstein TD run just four minutes in.

The Corsairs, however, would respond just 90 seconds later when quarterback Bryton Livingston connected with receiver Jaydan Burns on a 35-yard TD pass.

With two of the team’s top three receivers — Anthony Aguirre and Glen “Phat” Williams — limited or sidelined through injury, the CR offense needed Burns to step up and he rose to the challenge.

“That’s just kind of his game,” White said of the big-play receiver, who has made a habit of making important plays in his two years with the team. “We played Anthony Aguirre sparingly and ‘Phat’ Williams didn’t play, so he had to step up and that guy can definitely step up every week.”

Burns finished the game with five catches for 105 yards.

But he wasn’t only CR player to impress.

Running back Isaiah Hemmings also was influential in the win and finished with 124 yards total offense, including 74 yards on 16 carries and 50 yards receiving on three catches.

The Salt Lake City native scored a pair of TDs, pulling in a 42-yard TD catch early in they second quarter to put the home team up 14-7 and breaking a late 21-21 deadlock with a six-yard TD run with just 4:28 remaining in the game.

Check out video highlights of Isaiah Hemmings first TD of the game below …

“He’s just been consistent every week,” White said of Hemmings. “He’s kind of that all-around back who can do a lot of things well out of the back field. He can run the ball, he blocks well and he’s very reliable.”

San Jose responded to the first-half deficit with back-to-back touchdowns to lead 21-14 at halftime.

The Corsairs, however, enjoyed the better of exchanges in the second half, thanks in large part to the improved play of their defense.

“Honestly I think a big piece of it is our defense settling down in the second half and holding them scoreless,” White said of the win. 

Several CR players stepped up on defense, most notably Logan Malinowski and Long.

The busy Molinowski finished with a game-high 12 solo tackles and also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, while Long has quickly established himself as one of the most important players on that side of the ball and finished with seven tackles, a forced fumble and half a sack, as well as the game-sealing safety.

Kicker and punter Ryan Thomas also had a big game and he helped set up the late safety after pinning San Jose back deep in their own territory late in the game.

Livingston completed 13 of 23 passes for 220 yards and the two touchdowns, as well as throwing a pair of interceptions.

And he got plenty of protection from an offensive line that has been a bright spot for the team early in the season, most notably left tackle Cale Kuska, whom White described as dominating.

“Offensive line played well,” the coach said.

Jordyn Bowers also found the end zone on a nine-yard TD run in the third quarter as the Corsairs battled back to tie the game at 21-21.

Bowers finished with 35 yards rushing on nine carries.

“We have a good all-around team where a lot of guys can step in and make plays for us and that’s been a big deal in our success,” White said.

The loss was the first of the season for San Jose, which dropped to 2-1.

Next up, the Corsairs will play a second straight home game when they welcome Chabot to the Redwood Bowl next Saturday, with kickoff set for 2 p.m.