College of the Redwoods football took another big step on Saturday.
In the team’s second year competing at the more competitive National Division, Redwoods likely secured a first bowl berth in the division with a nice bounce-back win.
Playing at Laney College and riding a three-game losing streak, Redwoods answered the call with a dominating afternoon and ran out to a comprehensive 44-13 victory.
And the players answered the call in more ways than one.
An injury earlier in the week to tight end Quinton Buckland, one of the team’s most consistent offensive weapons this year, coupled with having several players sick, did not help matters.
“We had a ton of adversity this week,” said White, who had three players sidelined because of sickness on the way down. “So it was definitely a show of resilience by our team,.”
It meant switching some things up at the last minute.
“We had a bunch of kids that hadn’t played much step up,” White said. “The defense played lights out. They played extremely well.”
So too did quarterback Landon McKee, who was making his second straight start in place of injured Kasen Covert.
McKee completed 15-of-21 passes for 331 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
“Four touchdowns, no picks and 331 yards,” White said, “The stats speak for themselves.
“He distributed the ball to our playmakers.”
McKee completed two TD passes to Uriah Carlston (13 and 52 yards) and one each two Tre Silva (62 yards) and Justice Anthony (35 yards).
The game was close early, with a pair of Brandon Sailer field goals, from 44 and 47 yards, the only scoring until late in the second quarter.
But just before halftime Kuron Devlin came up with an interception for CR — the first of two takeaways on the day for the former St. Bernard’s Crusader — which he returned 47 yards to set up Carlston’s first TD of the game and the visitors led 13-0 at the break.
Redwoods would then take control of the game after outscoring the home team 21-7 in the third quarter.
Sailer would add a third field goal from 31 yards four minutes into the fourth quarter and former Fortuna Husky Kavi Syhaphom Bolden would close out the scoring with an 84-yard TD run with two minutes remaining.
Timothy Sousou led the CR defense with seven tackles, including six solo, while Kameron Rague had six tackles, five solo, as well as an interception.
“We had a three-game losing streak against some really good teams and we needed to bounce back and win this one,” White said.
With the win, Redwoods closed out the regular season 6-4 overall and 2-3 in conference, while Laney dropped to 4-6 and 1-4.
CR will find out whether or not the team has qualified for a bowl game on Sunday, although it appears likely at this stage.
A potential bowl game will likely take place next weekend.
