Sequoias Deck El Camino, 54-27

Saturday’s game probably was the toughest season opener for the El Camino College football team since John Featherstone took over as coach seven years ago.

The Warriors’ defense had a difficult time containing an explosive College of the Sequoias’ offense in a 54-27 loss to the Giants at Murdock Stadium.

The Warriors went into the game ranked No. 2 in the state by the JC Athletic Bureau and Sequoias was No. 4. Both teams won postseason bowl games and were 9-2 last year.

The Warriors never recovered from a 28-7 halftime deficit. Sequoias’ tailback John Martin was impressive with 23 carries for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

Warrior quarterback Rod Anderson completed 13 of 29 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown and tailback Mark Harper rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns.

Neither team could generate much offense until replacing their starting quarterback. Anderson completed two of five attempts and threw an interception before freshman Jerry Singleton stepped in.

Sequoias’ starting quarterback Dwight Brumley, a sophomore who broke nine school records last year, completed four of 17 attempts for 88 yards before coming out. He also threw two interceptions.

Freshman Robert Dougherty replaced him midway through the second quarter and revived the Giant offense.

Sequoias scored its first touchdown on a two-yard run by John Martin with 14:05 left in the second quarter. The drive started at the El Camino 17 after an interception and took three plays.

The Warriors then replaced Anderson with Singleton with 13 minutes 56 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Singleton completed his first three passes for 58 yards.

El Camino drove 70 yards behind Singleton with Harper scoring on a three-yard touchdown run.

The Giants proceeded to score three unanswered touchdowns for a 28-7 halftime lead. Sequoias drove 93 yards in four plays and Martin scored on a 33-yard run with 6:54 left before halftime.

Singleton fumbled on the second play of El Camino’s next possession and Sequoias’ Jimmy Moore recovered at the El Camino one. Two plays later, Dougherty rushed for the score.

The Giants’ last touchdown before half came after a fake field goal attempt. Backup quarterback Scott Polk hit Jason Glick for a 14-yard touchdown pass.

El Camino got two touchdowns in the first five minutes of the second half and Sequoias scored with 9:36 left in the third quarter. Anderson threw a nine-yard pass to Demetrius Boykins for the Warriors’ first score and freshman Latario Rachal returned a punt 41 yards for the second.

Sequoias drove 80 yards in three plays in its next possession, which ended in a 48-yard touchdown pass from Brumley to Jones for a 34-21 lead. That was followed by Martin’s third touchdown.

The sophomore running back from Florida sprinted 26 yards up the middle for a 40-21 lead with 6:33 left in the third quarter.

With 3:02 left in the third quarter, Harper scored on a one-yard run after Anderson had passed 54 yards to Fred Safford. El Camino’s two-point conversion failed and Sequoias led, 40-27.

The Giants opened the fourth quarter with a 4:22 possession that ended in Dougherty’s eight-yard touchdown for a 47-27 lead. The Giants increased their lead, 54-27, when Dougherty passed 11 yards to Don Chaney with 4:01 remaining.