6/20/11: Belardes is commitment No. 15
 The Saddleback football program announced over the weekend that another member of the 2010 football team has signed a scholarship agreement with a four-year university. Wide receiver Matt Belardes became the latest member and will continue his career at Menlo College, running the season total to 15.
Belardes had an outstanding sophomore season in 2010, finishing with 35 receptions for 454 yards and three touchdowns. In two seasons at Saddleback, Belardes totaled 39 catches for 486 yards and three touchdowns and his 35 receptions in 2010 ranks as the No. 40 highest total in a single season in the history of the program
Menlo College is located in Atherton, California, and is an independent NAIA program. The Oaks finished the 2010 campaign at 4-7 overall.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
Michael Frisina, K, Boise State
Andrew Douglass, LB, Robert Morris
Taber Cheo, LB, Evangel
Lanny Papanikolas, WR, Weber State
Matt Reza, S, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Chais Pinesett, LB, Jackson State
Brad Curtis, QB, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Alex Castellanos, LB, Rhode Island
Michael Campana, RB, Humboldt State
Matt Belardes, WR, Menlo College
4/18/11: Gaucho running back commits to Humboldt State
 Another member of the 2010 Saddleback football team has committed to a 4-year program, running the total to 14 for the year. Running back Michael Campana decided to continue his football career at Humboldt State University.
Campana played for the Gauchos in both 2008 and 2010. He led Saddleback with a lofty 6.5 yards-per-carry this past season on 24 rushes, scoring two touchdowns on the season. Campana also caught four balls out of the backfield and made four tackles on defense.
Campana becomes the 14th player from the 2010 squad to earn a spot on a 4-year roster from a Saddleback team that finished 8-3 on the season and the No. 2 seed in the Southern California playoffs.
Humboldt State plays an NCAA Division II schedule in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Lumberjacks finished 8-3 in 2010.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
Michael Frisina, K, Boise State
Andrew Douglass, LB, Robert Morris
Taber Cheo, LB, Evangel
Lanny Papanikolas, WR, Weber State
Matt Reza, S, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Chais Pinesett, LB, Jackson State
Brad Curtis, QB, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Alex Castellanos, LB, Rhode Island
Michael Campana, RB, Humboldt State
3/23/11: Gaucho linebacker commits to Rhode Island
 The Saddleback football program added to its commitment total this past week when, according to the football office, linebacker Alex Castellanos committed to the University of Rhode Island. This is the 13th commitment of the offseason, with more reportedly on the way.
Castellanos finished sixth on the team with 50 tackles and was second on the team with eight tackles-for-loss. The sophomore also had 2.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries in an attacking-style defense that was among the best in the state in 2010.
Castellanos becomes the 13th Gaucho to commit this offseason and the fourth linebacker leaving with a scholarship.
The University of Rhode Island is located in Kingston, Rhode Island, and plays an NCAA subdivision schedule (formerly D1AA) in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
Michael Frisina, K, Boise State
Andrew Douglass, LB, Robert Morris
Taber Cheo, LB, Evangel
Lanny Papanikolas, WR, Weber State
Matt Reza, S, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Chais Pinesett, LB, Jackson State
Brad Curtis, QB, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Alex Castellanos, LB, Rhode Island
3/7/11: Gauchos have No. 1 scholar football team in the south
 The Saddleback football program received yet more good news over the weekend when it found out it had more players named to the SCFA Scholar Team than any other program in Southern California. The Gauchos had 10 players meet the requirements while the other 36 programs had just 67 named to the team.
Saddleback has always prided itself in putting the word “student” before athlete when talking about its student athletes and the 2010 football team is another solid example of the price one has to pay to be a Gaucho. Saddleback had more players named to the 2010 Southern California Football Association Scholar-Athlete Team this past season than any other team in the southern half of the state, with no other program having more than six players named to the team.
John Akiba (RB), Michael Campana (RB), Taber Cheo (LB), Michael Frisina (K), Lanny Papanikolas (WR), Shawn Priester (CB), Sean Reilly (QB), Matt Reza (S), Samuel Tautolo (OC) and Steven Watts (OT) all met the minimum requirements of a 3.0 grade point average combined with a minimum of 36 units, 27 of which must be in academic (non-physical education or sport activity) courses. The next closest teams were Citrus College and Bakersfield College, who both had six players meet the requirements.
“This is a great day for Saddleback football,” Dean of kinesiology and athletics Tony Lipold (pictured) said. “This is bigger than any win on the field and shows that we are succeeding in preparing our athletes for the future.”
Saddleback finished the 2010 football season at 8-3 overall and was the No. 2 seed in the Southern California playoffs.
2/7/11: Two more Gauchos sign at 4-year schools
 The Saddleback football program has had a banner off-season so far, with a large pool of athletes deciding where they will continue their college careers. Linebacker Chais Pinesett and quarterback Brad Curtis are the latest to sign, bringing the total to 12 for the year.
Pinesett had a number of options to choose from before deciding to continue his career at Jackson State University, in Jackson, Mississippi. He finished his sophomore season with 53 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss and six quarterback hurries in 10 games. Jackson State is an FCS (formerly D1AA) program that plays in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
 Curtis will continue his career at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, an NCAA D2 program located in Weatherford, Oklahoma, playing in the Lone Star Conference. He finished his career at Saddleback throwing for 1,484 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2009 and 2010.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
Michael Frisina, K, Boise State
Andrew Douglass, LB, Robert Morris
Taber Cheo, LB, Evangel
Lanny Papanikolas, WR, Weber State
Matt Reza, S, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Chais Pinesett, LB, Jackson State
Brad Curtis, QB, Southwestern Oklahoma State
1/26/11: Gauchos reach double-digits in football commits
 The Saddleback football program not only had a great season on the field, but now is getting things done off the field as another member of the Gaucho 2010 team has made a commitment to a 4-year program. Safety Matt Reza took an official visit to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last weekend and committed to the Mustangs while he was there.
Reza had a sensational season for Saddleback, leading the team in both tackles (77) and interceptions (3) while being a unanimous selection to the All-National Division Southern Conference Team. He finished with 100 tackles, four interceptions and 3.5 tackles-for-loss in his two seasons with the Gauchos, and will head up to the Central Coast to play at SLO, a Football Championship Subdivision program (formerly D1AA) located in San Luis Obispo, California.
 The Reza commitment brings the total of 2010 Gauchos moving on to 4-year programs to 10 for the year, an outstanding total for late January.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
Michael Frisina, K, Boise State
Andrew Douglass, LB, Robert Morris
Taber Cheo, LB, Evangel
Lanny Papanikolas, WR, Weber State
Matt Reza, S, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
1/22/11: Another Gaucho football player headed to 4-year program
 The Gaucho football staff has had a banner season of getting players out to 4-year universities so far and this past week it saw its total rise to nine players from the 2010 squad. Wide receiver Lanny Papanikolas decided to continue his football career at Weber State, a Football College Subdivision program located in Ogden, Utah.
Papanikolas was a part of the Saddleback program for the past two seasons out of Skyline High School in Utah, and will head back to his home state to further his football career. He is one of nine Gauchos from the 2010 team that have already made decisions after being a part of a Gaucho football program that went 17-5 over the past two years.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
Michael Frisina, K, Boise State
Andrew Douglass, LB, Robert Morris
Taber Cheo, LB, Evangel
Lanny Papanikolas, WR, Weber State
1/12/11: Three more Gauchos commit to 4-year universities
Three more members of the 2010 Saddleback football team have committed to four-year universities in the past two weeks, running the total commitments to eight for the year. One more player from the 2009 squad has also made a decision to head to a new program, as Saddleback players continue to impress the scouts from around the country.
 Early-enrollee players are not common place at the community college level but in 2010-11, the Gauchos have been busy at work getting players to the next level. With five already signed to play at 4-year programs, kicker Michael Frisina and linebackers Taber Cheo and Andrew Douglass have joined the crowd. Frisina will continue his career at Boise State University, after taking an official visit to Boise last weekend. Douglass will play at Robert Morris University while Cheo will play at Evangel University.
Frisina set multiple kicking records at Saddleback in his two seasons and is the fifth all time leader scorer in the history of the program. He set a record as a freshman in 2009, when he made 48 consecutive extra points. Boise State had been playing in the Western Athletic Conference and will now play in the Mountain West Conference in coming years.
Douglass was a force on defense in 2010, recording 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, six sacks and five quarterback hurries in being named All-National Division Southern Conference and All-Region. Robert Morris is a FCS program (formerly D1AA) located in Moon Township Pennsylvania.
Cheo was dinged up with injuries for a part of the season but still managed to play in seven games, recording 11 tackles and 3.5 tackles-for-loss. He will play at NAIA program Evangel University, located in Springfield, Missouri.
In addition to the members of the 2010 team that have committed, former Gaucho safety Cameron Chadwick has decided to join Douglass at Robert Morris. Chadwick was originally headed to Henderson State this past season before deciding to sit out the 2010 season.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
Michael Frisina, K,
Boise State
Andrew Douglass, LB, Robert Morris
Taber Cheo, LB, Evangel
1/5/11: Seven Gauchos named all-region
 Seven members of the 2010 Saddleback football team were named to the Region IV football team this past week, handed out by the JC Athletic Bureau. Three offensive players, two defensive players and two special teamers were recognized as the top players in the region.
Saddleback had another stellar season in 2010, finishing 8-3 overall with the No. 2 seed in the Southern California playoffs. The Gauchos continued to rake in awards this past week when seven members of the 2010 squad were recognized as the best at what they do from the local region.
On the offense, linemen Max Little and Jon Chanda along with running back Donnell Dickerson were deserving award-winners while on defense safety Matt Reza and linebacker Andrew Douglass also earned well-deserved respect. Kicker Michael Frisina and punter Brendan Rowland both made the Region IV team as well, once again proving the Gaucho football program pays attention to the details.
All seven players were previously honored by the National Division Southern Conference as all conference players in November.
12/14/10: Two more Gauchos ready to sign on Wednesday
  Two more Saddleback football players have given verbal commitments to four-year institutions on Tuesday, running the totals to five for the season. Defensive end Blake Harrah and offensive lineman Steven Watts will sign letters of intent on Wednesday.
Harrah is a 6-foot-3, 255-pound defensive end that will continue his career at Oregon State University. The sophomore leader of the defensive front finished with 23 tackles, 3.5 tackle-for-loss and 2.5 sacks in being named Second Team All-National Division Southern Conference following the season. Harrah chose Oregon State over Middle Tennessee State.
Watts is the third member of the offensive line that will sign a letter of intent on Wednesday, and he is headed to Stony Brook University in January. At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, Watts was also a Second Team All-National Division Southern Conference selection following the season.
So far, five different Gauchos have given verbal commitments to four-year universities.
Gaucho Commits
Blake Harrah, DE, Oregon State
Max Little, OT, Humboldt State
Sean Reilly, QB, UNLV
Samuel Tautolo, OC, Iowa State
Steven Watts, OT, Stony Brook
12/14/10:
Three Gauchos give early verbal commitments
 Three members of the Saddleback College football team are expected to sign letters of intent on the early signing day this Wednesday, the first day that midyear transfers can officially commit to a 4-year institution. Center Samuel Tautolo, quarterback Sean Reilly and offensive tackle Max Little all gave verbal commitments over the weekend and plan to leave later this month to play at the next level.
 Tautolo was a two-year all-conference selection at center and took recent visits to Iowa State and Arkansas State before deciding on being a Cyclone. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound center will head to the Big 12 to play for Iowa State after a successful two-year stint at Saddleback where he anchored one of the best offensive lines in recent history in 2010.
Reilly broke multiple school records down the stretch for the Gauchos at quarterback and will take his act to UNLV after a visit to the Rebel program over the weekend. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound slinger with a cannon arm threw for a record-setting 1,178 yards and 12 touchdowns over a 3-game stretch, setting records for most passing yards over a two-game, and three-game period. He was a Second Team All-National Division Southern Conference selection following the season.
Little was called “nasty” at times by the coaching staff, and after making the first team all conference in 2010 has plans of signing with Humboldt State University on Wednesday. At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Little heads North after being one of the main cogs in what was a very athletic offensive line in 2010.
12/2/10: 2010 season caps off decade of dominance
The 2010 Saddleback College football season provided some of the most exciting memories in recent years. The Gauchos finished 8-3 with the No. 2 seed in the Southern California playoffs, capping off a decade of unparalleled success.
Saddleback’s appearance in the Southern California Bowl put a stamp on what has been an amazing 10-year run for the Gauchos. Saddleback is the only program in Southern California to have played in 10-straight bowl games over that time frame, with only three programs recording more wins throughout the decade. The .750 winning percentage over that time displayed a model of consistency as the Gauchos never once finished lower than second place, all the while playing in one of the toughest conferences in the nation.
Despite all the heroics over the 10-year period, the 2010 season provided some of the great moments in Saddleback football history. A handful of records were set by individuals as the Gauchos were once again on the brink of greatness throughout.
Quarterback Sean Reilly proved to be a model of consistency down the stretch, breaking a trio of school records in the process. His 1,178 yards passing over a three-game stretch broke both the records for a two-game stretch and a three-game stretch, and his five touchdown passes against Fullerton College was second to only Brian Shrock’s six touchdown passes against Long Beach City College in 2008. Reilly’s 405 yards passing against Palomar College ranks sixth in Gaucho history while his 391-yard performance against Fullerton and 382-yard performance against Mt. San Antonio rank seventh and eighth all time in the 43-year history of the program. His 34 completions against Fullerton College broke the record of 32 completions by Jason Whieldon against Grossmont College in 2001, while he also recorded 31 completions on two other occasions.
 No quarterback makes a living on his own, however, and for Reilly, wide receivers Tavaurus Abram, Julian Williams, Rodney Woodland and Matt Belardes had a lot to do with his success. Abram had the fourth best season in the history of the program as he grabbed 74 balls, many of which came at critical times in games. Abram’s big season ranked him No. 5 in the state of California in receptions when all was said and done. In addition to Abram, wide receivers Williams and Woodland were also big playmakers and along with Belardes, all four receivers finished the season with at least 35 catches. Williams finished with a team-leading 13.6 yards-per-catch while Woodland was a threat in both the passing game and the running game, leading the entire team in all-purpose yardage (108 YPG) despite playing a majority of the season injured. Belardes came on to be a big part of the offense during  the second half of the season, and may be best remembered for his 13-yard reception late in the fourth quarter on fourth down with the Gauchos facing playoff elimination against Fullerton College.
The running game played a bigger role in the success of the passing game than some may think, as five running backs rushed for over 150 yards on the season, four of which averaged over five yards-per-carry. Freshman Donnell Dickerson was the workhorse for the majority of the season, punishing defensive players with his aggressive and bruising style. Dickerson averaged 5.6 yards-per-carry, rushing for 697 yards and nine touchdowns despite playing a portion of the season injured. He also proved to be a great option in the passing game, finishing with 29 receptions for 309 yards and another score.
No great offense would be complete without the guys up front, and Saddleback had arguably its best offensive line in the history of the program in 2010. Four of the five starters were named to the All-National Division Southern Conference team, three of which earned first-team honors. Center Samuel Tautolo anchored an offensive line that allowed just 21 sacks on the season, despite throwing the ball 463 times. The Saddleback offense finished ninth in the state in passing yardage, and keeping the quarterback upright was instrumental as guard Jonathan Chanda and tackles Max Little and Steven Watts were key cogs all season up front for the cardinal and gold.
In addition to all the individual milestones on offense, the defense provided the Gaucho fan base with an aggressive style of attacking defense. Saddleback finished fourth in the  state in sacks (35), just two behind the state leader while its 39 quarterback hurries ranked third overall. The Gauchos seemed to have a different star every week but it was linebacker Scott Graves that spent more time in opposing backfield’s than anyone, recording 10.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks during the course of the season. Safety Matt Reza led the Gauchos with 71 total tackles and also led a talented defensive backfield with three interceptions. Reza was joined by safety Gary Stevenson on the all-conference team, giving Saddleback a pair of hard-hitting playmakers in the secondary. Cornerback Temeni Brewster led Saddleback with nine pass break-ups during the season, but his open-field tackling in run support provided plenty of oohs and ahhs from the stands. The defensive line was very young, but sophomore returnee Blake Harrah trained the troops well for next year and was a pillar of consistency off the edge. Harrah battled through consistent double-teams, allowing freshmen Kevin Lindeman, Maua Vole, Kyle Long, Dustin Alewine and Brian Johnson to get their feet wet while combining for six sacks and 11.5 tackles-for-loss. No good defense succeeds without leadership in the middle, and inside linebacker Chais Pinesett battled through injuries to earn a spot on the all-conference team along with Andrew Douglass. Pinesett and Douglass combined for 89 tackles and 12 tackles-for-loss and, along with leading tackler Graves, made for one of the more talented linebacker crews in quite some time.
In the special teams, another record was set as Michael Frisina set the career record for extra points over a two-year period with 94. Frisina was 94-for-97 during his two seasons with the Gauchos and his two-year total was nine better than Derik Martinez’s 85 in 2001-02. His 154 points scored in his career ranks fifth all-time in Gaucho history and Frisina was a unanimous selection to the all-conference team as a result.
The Saddleback program has also developed some of the best punters in school history in recent years under the coaching guidance of Dana Roach. The 2010 season provided more evidence of this coaching as punter Brendan Rowland averaged 42.3 yards-per-punt, the second best season in Gaucho history to Andrew Larson’s 42.6 in 2005. Rowland’s heroics in the punting game ranked fourth in the state at season’s end and he was also a unanimous choice to the all-conference team as a result.
Not to be outdone, sophomore defensive back and kick-return specialist Timmy Smith made arguably the most entertaining play of the season when he returned a kickoff 108-yards for a touchdown against Cerritos College in the final game of the season. Smith’s scamper set the record for the longest play in Gaucho history, eclipsing a 102-yard kickoff return by Phil Spencer against Southwestern College in 1980. His 33.4 yards-per-return ranked second in the entire state at season’s end. It would turn out to be the final score of the season for the Gauchos, and what a lasting image it will leave for the Saddleback faithful.
Congratulations Gauchos on another stellar season in 2010! Keep the tradition going in 2011.
11/20/10: Saddleback's title hopes washed away
 The Saddleback College football team's hopes of a state title run were washed away in the rain and the mud of the Southern California Bowl on Saturday evening as the visiting Cerritos Falcons posted a 34-14 victory to end the Gauchos' season.
Saddleback's normally high-octane passing game was dampened by the wet field conditions and connection problems, despite the Gauchos' decided advantage in offensive plays. Saddleback had 80 offensive plays compared to just 58 for Cerritos. However, 21 of Saddleback's plays were incomplete passes and two were completed to the wrong team.
Freshman tailback Donnell Dickerson (left) was Saddleback's lone standout on offense as he had a season-high 142 rushing yards on 18 carries and added 106 receiving yards on seven catches for a total of 248 yards to account for the majority of Saddleback's 413 offensive yards. For his efforts, Dickerson was named as the bowl game Offensive Player of the Game.
Saddleback's woes started on special teams where two long snaps on punt attempts sailed over the punter's head, giving Cerritos excellent field position. Saddleback's defense also had a Jekyll-and-Hyde type of game, forcing five Cerritos punts but also giving up three long scoring plays on a 28-yard run, a 39-yard pass, and a 66-yard pass. The defense had the Falcons trapped at their own 3-yard line before Cerritos converted a third down for some breathing room and then connected on the 66-yard score. The Gauchos responded after the last Cerritos scoring pass as Timmy Smith took the ensuing kickoff from two yards deep in his own endzone, broke a tackle at his own 16-yard line, transversed the field twice and picked up some key blocks on an exciting touchdown return to cut Cerritos' lead to 34-14 midway through the third quarter.
A deluge of rain followed at the end of the third quarter and neither team was able to score in the fourth quarter.
Cerritos got on the scoreboard late in the first quarter but Saddleback answered on the first play of the second quarter as Dickerson found paydirt from 18-yards away. Cerritos answered right back on a 72-yard drive and it appeared that the game would be a horse race. But that is when Saddleback's first errant long snap gave Cerritos field position at the Gaucho 12-yard line and the Falcons scored again. Taber Cheo blocked the extra point attempt after the snap was high and the hold was late, giving Cerritos a 20-7 lead. Saddleback's next possession ended in another snap over the punter, but Brendan Rowland scrambled to collect the ball and kick it on the run to the 39-yard line. Cerritos scored on the first play, connecting on a 39-yard pass to go up 27-7 at halftime.
Saddleback's season ends at 8-3 while Cerritos (9-2) advances to the regional championship at Mt. San Antonio (11-0) on Saturday. The Mounties beat Bakersfield (8-3), 36-26, in the National Bowl which served as the other regional playoff semifinal.
11/19/20: Gauchos and Falcons meet the press on GSN
  The Saddleback Gaucho football coaches and players along with members of the Cerritos program got together on Thursday at the Southern California Bowl press conference held at Saddleback College in the gymnasium. The coaches talked about the magnitude of the game this Saturday and had on display some of the top performers, live on the Gaucho Sports Network.
Click on the following link to see the entire press conference, brought to you by the Gaucho Sports Network.
Southern California Bowl Press Conference
11/17/10: Southern California Bowl live on GSN w/game preview
 The Saddleback football game versus Cerritos College this Saturday will be broadcast live via streaming video on the Gaucho Sports Network, starting approximately five minutes before the kickoff. The No. 7 Gauchos and the No. 8 Falcons (according to JCGridiron.com) will do battle for a second time this season in the Southern California Bowl at Saddleback Stadium.
For those that cannot attend the game, no problems, we have got you covered. The Saddleback/Cerritos game can be viewed with a $10 charge by subscribing at the following link.
Game Preview
 Saddleback and Cerritos will play for the rights to play in the Southern California championship game next weekend and they are both familiar with one another. The two teams met on October 2 with the Gauchos winning a close battle on the road at Cerritos, 28-24. In that game, Saddleback grabbed a 21-7 lead at the half before the Falcons came storming back, taking a 24-21 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game. Saddleback, however, prevailed when they drove 63 yards in 11 plays, capped off by a Donnell Dickerson 1-yard touchdown run with 5:35 remaining to take a lead they would not relinquish. In that game, Dickerson ran for 117 yards on 18 carries while quarterback Sean Reilly found Tavaurus Abram for two touchdowns as the Gauchos turned back a previously undefeated Cerritos team that had been punishing teams during the early part of the season. The Saddleback defense was active, sacking Cerritos quarterback Kane Wilson three times while recording 10 tackles-for-loss.
Fast-forward the clock seven weeks and the two teams both come in on high notes, as the Gauchos won two straight games with a high-powered offense to grab the No. 2 seed in the Southern California playoffs while Cerritos has won four straight games, capturing the National Division Northern Conference championship.
 Saddleback had a fairly balanced offense for the majority of the season but in recent weeks has been throwing the ball at will. Quarterback Sean Reilly has thrown for 796 yards and eight touchdowns over the last two weeks for the Gauchos while wide receivers Tavaurus Abram, Julian Williams and Matt Belardes have combined for 49 catches. The Saddleback offense has put up 1,058 yards of offense while scoring 95 points in beating Palomar College and Fullerton College.
Cerritos has been a pillar of consistency on offense, scoring 21 or more points in all 10 games this season. Running back Daveon Barner has been the workhorse, rushing for 946 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.5 yards-per-carry behind a big and physical offensive line. Quarterback Kane Wilson, son of former NFL quarterback Dave Wilson, is averaging 181 yards passing-per-game while throwing 15 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Wide receiver Dion Curry leads the Falcons with 32 receptions for 471 yards and four scores as Cerritos has six receivers with 10 or more catches.
On defense, Saddleback has been very active up front, recording 35 sacks (3rd in state) and 73 tackles-for-loss. Safety Matt Reza leads the Gauchos in both tackles (71) and interceptions (3) while linebacker Scott Graves has spent a ton of time in the backfield, recording 10.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. Safety Gary Stevenson has done a little of everything, recording 54 tackles with 6.5 tackles-for-loss while making two interceptions of his own. Linebackers Andrew Douglass and Chais Pinesett have been equally impressive, combining for 81 tackles and 10.5 tackles-for-loss.
Cerritos is very active and physical on defense as linebacker David Lopez is currently 18th in the state with 90 tackles on the season. Sensational safety Keith McGill has lived up to the hype after committing to Utah early in the season and is currently third in the state with seven interceptions. The Falcons are currently 8th in the state, forcing 13 fumbles on the season.
Between the Numbers
Total Offense
Cerritos, 398.3 YPG (19th in state)
Saddleback, 408 YPG (15th in state)
Total Defense
Cerritos, 318.1 YPG (14th in state)
Saddleback, 333.7 YPG (20th in state)
Offensive Scoring
Cerritos, 32.2 PPG (21st in state)
Saddleback, 34.8 PPG (10th in state)
Defensive Scoring
Cerritos, 19.4 (5th in state)
Saddleback, 24.1 PPG (21st in state)
11/17/10: 17 Gauchos earn all conference honors
 The Saddleback football team was well represented at the post-season coach’s meeting on Monday as 17 Gauchos were named to the All-National Division Southern Conference Team. Nine Saddleback players were named to the first team while eight others received second team recognition.
Saddleback was well represented on offense as center Samuel Tautolo, guard Jonathan Chanda and tackle Max Little all made the first team as offensive linemen. Running back Donnell Dickerson and placekicker Michael Frisina were also first team selections as the offense had five players named to the first team.
The defense was also well represented, in particular in the defensive backfield where corner Temeni Brewster and safety Matt Reza were named first team. Linebacker Andrew Douglass and punter Brendan Rowland were also first team selections as the Gauchos had four players selected to the first team on defense.
Eight others were selected to the second team as quarterback Sean Reilly, wide receivers Tavaurus Abram and Julian Williams along with offensive tackle Steven Watts were recognized on the offensive side. Defensive linemen Blake Harrah and Brian Johnson along with linebacker Chais Pinesett and safety Gary Stevenson were also selected to the second team.
Saddleback finished the regular season 8-2 and now will face Cerritos College in the Southern California semifinals on Saturday at the Southern California Bowl.
11/14/10: Saddleback to host Cerritos in playoff semifinals
 To no one's surprise, the CCCAA Bowl Selection Committee has asked Saddleback (8-2) to host Cerritos College (8-2) in the Southern California Bowl
on Saturday, November 20, starting at 6:00 p.m. on the Saddleback College campus. The bowl game will also serve as one of the regional playoff semifinal games with the winner advancing to the regional finals on November 27.
Saddleback, seeded No. 2 in the region, will face No. 3 seed Cerritos for the second time this season. The two squads met on October 2 at Cerritos during the non-conference schedule with Saddleback earning a 28-24 victory. Both teams showcased strong rushing attacks during that game with Saddleback's Donnell Dickerson carrying the ball 18 times for 117 yards. His 1-yard touchdown  plunge in the fourth quarter proved to be the winning score as the Gaucho defense held firm in the closing minutes. Cerritos tailback Daveon Barner accounted for 101 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
The emphasis on the rushing game limited both teams' aerial attacks. Saddleback quarterback Sean Reilly passed for 181 yards, which is about one-half of what his average was during the last four games of the season. Cerritos quarterback Kane Wilson threw for 128 yards, or about 50 yards less than his season average.
The winner of this game will advance to the regional championship game to face the winner of the National Bowl which will feature top-ranked Mt. San Antonio (10-0) hosting No. 4 Bakersfield College (8-2).
11/13/10: Gauchos sting Hornets for apparent playoff berth
 The Saddleback football team finally got a chance to do some dancing of their own on Saturday with a stunning 42-39 win over Fullerton College. The Gauchos will likely advance to the Southern California playoffs with the win when the coach’s association announces the playoff matchups on Sunday.
Two weeks back, Saddleback had to sit and watch as Mt. San Antonio College celebrated on their own turf with a last second win. This time around it was the Gauchos who were dancing after Sean Reilly hit Rodney Woodland on a 2-yard fade pattern with 34 seconds remaining on the clock. For Saddleback, a likely 2-seed in the upcoming playoffs as the Gauchos entered the contest rated No. 2 in the California Coach’s Poll, the determining factor in the playoff picture.
Saddleback and Fullerton combined for 977 yards on the day and it became apparent down the stretch that whoever had the ball last was going to win. The Gauchos held a 35-26 lead with just over six minutes remaining but the Hornets would not go down quietly. Just when Saddleback had Fullerton on the ropes, the Hornets showed tenacity by scoring two late touchdowns to take a 39-35 lead with 2:17 remaining on the clock. The Gauchos responded with a 60-yard drive in nine plays, capped off by the Woodland touchdown. Fullerton had one last gasp to try and get into field goal position, but Saddleback stifled the Hornets on four plays, sacking Fullerton quarterback Darius Banks on the final play of the game to run out the clock.
 Quarterback Sean Reilly came up big in the biggest game of his life, completing 34-of-50 passes for 391 yards and five touchdowns. His biggest completion of the game came with in the final two minutes with the Gauchos faced with a 4th and 10 at midfield. Reilly calmly found Matt Belardes open in a zone, 13-yards downfield to keep the Saddleback playoff hopes alive. Reilly then found Belardes for another six yards before completing two straight passes to Tavaurus Abram down to the Fullerton 10-yard line with just 41 seconds remaining on the clock. After a Gaucho timeout, Reilly then threw the ball to Woodland inside the 5-yard line where Fullerton was whistled for pass interference at the 2-yard line, setting up the game-winning touchdown.
 Saddleback only had the ball for 24:29 the entire game, but made the most of their opportunities. Belardes led the team with 10 catches for 102 yards, but it was Julian Williams that burned the Hornets two times in the first half, finishing with 124 yards on seven catches. Abram had another solid effort of his own, finishing with nine receptions for 78 yards. Woodland, playing through injuries, finished with seven catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. In all, the foursome of receivers finished with 33 catches for 389 yards and five touchdowns on the afternoon.
The rushing game was led by Abram and Donnell Dickerson, who kept the Fullerton defense off balance. Abram finished with 47 yards on five carries while Dickerson rushed for 33 yards on eight carries, including an 11-yard touchdown run late in  the third quarter.
Although it didn’t seem like it when you looked up at the final stat sheet, the Saddleback defense had some solid performances of their own. The Gauchos sacked the Fullerton quarterback six times and collected a couple of fumble recoveries. Gary Stevenson led Saddleback with seven tackles on the day as the Gauchos recorded nine tackles-for-loss. Bryant Chirinos only recorded 2.5 tackles on the day, but two of them were for sacks and he forced a key fumble late in the game as the Saddleback defense made some key plays in big situations.
For Saddleback, the win propels the Gauchos to 8-2 on the season and a second place finish in the National Division Southern Conference, a game back of top-ranked Mt. San Antonio. If the rankings remain the same between now and Sunday morning, the Gauchos would host a playoff game against Cerritos College, provided Cerritos wins at Allan Hancock College on Saturday night. Saddleback defeated the Falcons 28-24 on October 2.
11/7/10: Offense clicking on all cylinders in win over Palomar
  The Saddleback football team has been waiting all season for a bust-out game on offense and Saturday night’s 53-38 win over Palomar College was just that. The Gauchos rolled up 591 yards of offense as quarterback Sean Reilly (left) hooked up with wide receiver Julian Williams (right) for three scores in the win.
Reilly and Williams had career games, both etching their names in the Gaucho record books. Reilly’s 405 yards passing was the sixth highest total in the program’s history and just 25 yards off the school record of 433 yards passing by Jason Whieldon back in 2001. It was the highest amount of yards passing for a Saddleback quarterback since Brian Shrock threw for 408 yards in 2007. Williams’ three touchdowns ties the single-game record set nine previous times, most recently by Nick Hutter and Jay Wisner, who both had three touchdowns apiece against Long Beach City College in 2008.
Saddleback held a 25-21 lead with under five minutes remaining in the third quarter before exploding for 28 points over the next 15 minutes of the game. The Gauchos twice had leads of 22 points during the fourth quarter, as the two teams combined for 58 points over the final 30 minutes of play.
Not to be outdone, wide receiver Tavaurus Abram continued his season-long roll on a night when he was not the primary target in the red zone. Abram finished with another nine catches for 97 yards on Saturday, giving him 61 receptions for the season. The season-high 61-catch total puts him in a tie for fifth place all time for receptions in a season, tied with Chris Bernard in 2001 and Jim Poettgen in 1974.
  Saddleback used the combination of Donnell Dickerson and Chris Pierce on the ground for most of the night, as the two combined for 100 yards rushing with Dickerson scoring twice. The crowd was also electrified when running back Michael Campana scampered 34 yards for the final score of the game for the Gauchos with 4:55 remaining on the clock.
Kicker Michael Frisina also equalled a school record as he booted four field goals in the win, connecting on kicks of 20, 22, 35, and 39 yards. He was also a perfect 5-for-5 on PAT attempts. No Saddleback kicker has booted four field goals since Brett Thompson last completed the task in 1996 against this same Palomar team.
The win puts Saddleback into a position for a possible playoff berth, provided they can beat Fullerton College next week on the road. That game will be played at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Stadium beginning at 1:00 p.m. Fullerton and Saddleback are both tied for second place in the National Division Southern Conference at 3-1 after the Hornets fell in a close battle to Mt. San Antonio on Saturday night (23-27). Fullerton is 6-3 overall on the season.
10/30/10: Gauchos edged by Mounties on last play
 It was billed as the best matchup in the nation for community college football on Saturday, and both Saddleback and Mt. San Antonio lived up to that billing as both teams played stiff defense in the first half, then opened it up in a wild second half of scoring before the Mounties were able to throw a touchdown on the scoreboard on the last play of the game for a 33-31 victory.
The win helped Mt. SAC (8-0), the top-rated team in Southern California, remain unbeaten and at the top of the National Division Southern Conference standings. Saddleback (6-2), the No. 3 team in Southern California, falls a game behind Mt. SAC in the conference standings.
Saddleback took a 10-7 lead into halftime after Matt Belardes hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Sean Reilly. On paper, the Gauchos had a distinctive edge in the first-half stats, running 54 plays for 287 yards as compared to the Mounties who had collected just 132 yards on 31 plays and were just 1-of-8 on third down conversions.
Saddleback's Timmy Smith took the opening kickoff of the second half and returned it 54 yards to the Mt. SAC 35-yard line to shorten the field. Four plays later Reilly found running back Donnell Dickerson on a swing pass that Dickerson took 28 yards down the left sideline for a score, giving the Gauchos a 17-7 advantage.
But Mt. SAC answered back with 17 straight points, scoring on an 11-play, 80-yard drive and then tying the score with a field goal after a high snap went over the Saddleback punter's head deep inside Gaucho territory. The Mounties took the lead in the fourth quarter following a Saddleback fumble. The Mounties converted that into a 10-play, 59-yard scoring drive.
Saddleback tied the score at 24s on its next possession when Rodney Woodland converted a short pass from Reilly into a 59-yard scamper up the middle of the field for a touchdown, but Mt. San Antonio regained the lead with a 25-yard field goal.
It appeared Saddleback's luck had run out when the Gauchos turned the ball over on downs during its next possession with four incomplete passes after a personal foul moved the ball to the Mountie 32-yard line. Two running plays and a false start put the Mounties into a third-and-seven situation when Mountie quarterback Nick Lamaison threw his first interception of the game with linebacker Erik Akre making the snag and returning it to the Mountie 36-yard line with just under two minutes to play in the game. Reilly was more patient and efficient on this drive, completing three consecutive passes including a 25-yard strike to a wide open Tavaurus Abram at the goal line to put Saddleback up, 31-27, with less than a minute remaining in the game.
Lamaison connected on a couple of passes to put the ball at Saddleback's 23-yard line with :11 showing on the clock. After a short scramble, Lamaison's next pass fell incomplete between receivers in heavy traffic at the goal line. With no time showing on the clock, Saddleback's sideline erupted in celebration . . . until a back judges flag showed up on the field. A pass interference call moved the ball to the Saddleback 7-yard line and added :01 to the clock. That was enough time for Lamaison to throw the ball up to the back of the endzone where Mountie wide receiver Michael Edwards was able to make the winning catch, setting off a celebration of greater proportion on the Mt. San Antonio sideline.
Reilly (31 of 55) threw for 382 yards and four touchdowns, marking the most single-game passing yards by a Gaucho quarterback in three seasons. It was also the first time a Saddleback quarterback had ever thrown for more than 300 yards against a Mt. San Antonio College defense. The 31 completions and four touchdowns were each one shy of tying single-game records in those categories. Reilly had two passes dropped at the goal line on separate drives.
Julian Williams and Abram each had eight receptions on a night when nine receivers were involved in the offense and linebacker Alex Castellanos led the Gauchos with 10 tackles, including one for a loss. Matt Reza and Temeni Brewster each added eight tackles and combined for three pass break ups.
Saddleback will host Palomar on Saturday, November 6, in its final regular-season home game of the 2010 season. Kickoff is at 6:00 p.m.
10/27/10: Gauchos versus Mounties this Saturday
GAME NOTES:
Saddleback and Mt. SAC is likely the top game in the country this weekend, with the winner gaining the early jump on the rest of the conference for the conference title. Mt. San Antonio is the defending state and national champions (by JCGridiron.com), finishing 13-1 in 2009. Their lone loss last season was to Saddleback (24-14) on September 26, 2009.
The two teams have met 15 times in the past, with Saddleback holding an 8-7 advantage in the series. The Gauchos have won four of the past six meetings, with the lone losses during that stretch coming in 2007 & 2008.
 Mt. SAC is led on offense by quarterback Nick Lamaison (pictured), who played for the Mounties in 2008 before redshirting at the University of Tennessee in 2009. Lamaison is currently third in the state, throwing for 302 yards-per-game. The Mounties have used a running-back-by-committee approach on the ground, led by Bryce McBride with 398 yards and seven touchdowns. Mt. SAC has six receivers with more than 10 catches on the season, led by Michael Edwards with 32 receptions for 724 yards and six touchdowns.
The Mounties have been a force on defense, recording 30 sacks and 74.5 tackles-for-loss. Vaikalafi Lutui, brother of former USC Trojan and current Arizona Cardinal Deuce Lutui, leads the defensive line with five sacks and 12 tackles-for-loss. Line-mate Bojay Filimoeatu has also been a workhorse, recording seven sacks and nine tackles-for-loss. Safety Malcolm Murray, who signed with Oklahoma State last season before opting to return to Mt. SAC, leads the secondary with three interceptions on the season.
Saddleback has had a balanced attack on offense in 2010, scoring 13 times on the ground and 12 through the air. The Gaucho rushing attack has five running backs with over 100 yards on the seaosn, led by freshman Donnell Dickerson with 430 yards and five touchdowns. Sean Reilly took over the starting spot at quarterback in week four and has been efficient, throwing for 960 yards and eight touchdowns against just three interceptions. Tavaurus Abram has been the workhorse at wide receiver and is currently 10th in the state with 44 receptions.
The Saddleback defense seems to have a different star every week, as eight players have 25 or more tackles on the season, led by sophomore Matt Reza (45). Linebacker Scott Graves leads the Gauchos with 8.5 tackles-for-loss while the Gaucho defensive unit is currently fourth in the state with 27 sacks on the season.
Inside the Numbers
Scoring Offense:
Mt. SAC, 36.4 (7th in state)
Saddleback, 31.7 (18th in state)
Scoring Defense:
Mt. SAC, 15.7 (4th in state)
Saddleback, 18.7 (6th in state)
Rushing Offense:
Mt. SAC, 136.1 (36th in state)
Saddleback, 135.1 (38th in state)
Passing Offense:
Mt. SAC, 314.4 (4th in state)
Saddleback, 230.7 (20th in state)
Rush Defense:
Mt. SAC, 19.7 (1st in state)
Saddleback, 123.6 (22nd in state)
Pass Defense:
Mt. SAC 228.6 (54th in state)
Saddleback, 161.1 (5th in state)
10/23/10: Saddleback efficient in win over Lancers
 Saddleback was efficient and methodical in dismantling Pasadena City College at Robinson Stadium in Pasadena on Saturday night, scoring each time it made it into the red-zone and coming up with big plays on defense to prevent the Lancers into the endzone after the opening drive on the way to a 37-7 triumph.
Sophomore transfer Chris Pierce made the most of his first start at tailback for the Gauchos (6-1, 2-0 in conference), picking up 82 yards on 17 carries including an 18-yard touchdown trot midway through the first quarter to give Saddleback a lead they would not relinquish. He also added five pass receptions for 66 yards to account for 148 of Saddleback's 409 total yards of offense.
Pasadena took the opening kickoff and turned it into a score for a 7-0 lead. After struggling to gain just 10 yards on six plays, the Lancers connected on a 43-yard pass play to get on the scoreboard. Saddleback would answer immediately with a play from the same playbook, moving the ball 23 yards on six plays before quarterback Sean Reilly found Tavaurus Abram wide open behind all of the defenders for a 33-yard scoring play.
Linebacker Chris Connolly forced Pasadena to fumble on its next possession and Matt Reza recovered, giving the Gauchos a short field at the Pasadena 27-yard line. It took Pierce two carries to make it into the endzone on runs of nine and 18 yards, giving Saddleback a 14-7 lead. The Gauchos would actually go on to score 37 unanswered points.
Michael Frisina kicked the first of three field goals on Saddleback's next possession, splitting the uprights from 39 yards away. He would later add a chip shot from 27 yards late in the third quarter and a line drive from 40 yards early in the fourth quarter. Safety Timmy Smith would cap Saddleback's scoring and put an end to Pasadena's offensive hopes by intercepting a pass at midfield and darting upfield for a 50-yard touchdown return with just over four minutes to play in the game.
Saddleback's offense put up 76 plays in gaining 409 yards (5.4 average) and was able to control most of the clock (32:33 minutes). The Gaucho defense limited Pasadena to 312 yards on just 64 plays (4.9 average) while forcing two fumbles and intercepting the Lancers three times.
Reilly was 20-of-32 for 242 yards and a touchdown and the Gauchos were able to spread the offense out with eight tailbacks and seven players catching passes.
Temeni Brewster and Smith led the Gauchos on defense, each recording six tackles and an interception. Reza added five tackles with linebacker Andrew Douglass posting five tackles and an interception.
Saddleback returns home on Saturday, October 30, to host Mt. San Antonio College at 6:00 p.m. in the campus stadium.
10/16/10: Gaucho Homecoming has a happy ending
 Although the introduction did not go as planned, the middle of the production was a work of art and the crowd was pleased with the finale as Saddleback held on to defeat Grossmont 30-20 on a foggy and wet Homecoming evening.
Grossmont took the opening kickoff 60 yards in 11 plays to kick a 23-yard field goal and get on the scoreboard first. And it looked like Saddleback would answer right back when Timmy Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards to the Griffin 15-yard line. But the Gaucho drive went backwards from there, resulting in a punt. When Saddleback's defense held, the Gauchos received the ball near midfield and started another drive. This one ended in a lost fumble at the Grossmont 22-yard line.
The Griffins found paydirt early in the second quarter on a 70-yard pass play coming on third-and-long to take a 10-0 lead before the Gauchos decided to grind out some offensive yardage. Saddleback got on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter as Sean Reilly connected on three passes for 44 yards and running back Michael Campana found some small holes in the line to sneak through, including a 1-yard dive for the touchdown. The Gauchos took the lead late in the second quarter after grinding out more yardage on the ground before Reilly found Tavaurus Abram wide open for a 17-yard scoring pass and a 14-10 lead at intermission.
Saddleback took the opening drive of the second half 68 yards, grinding out more yardage on the ground behind a determined offensive line. The Gauchos ran the ball five times for 40 yards before Reilly found Kyle Long on a 5-yard scoring pass to grab a 20-10 lead. Saddleback's defense held Grossmont to three plays and a punt, allowing the offense back onto the field. The offense worked magic through its rushing attack and determined offensive line, pushing Grossmont out of the way as part of a 16-play, 85-yard scoring drive. Ten of those plays were rushing plays, capped by John Akiba's second-effort plunge from 1-yard away to get into the endzone for a 27-10 lead.
Grossmont would score on a 46-yard pass play late in the quarter to cut the lead to 27-17. The two teams would then exchange five punts to open the fourth quarter before Grossmont put together a drive starting at its own 4-yard line, advancing on a 71-yard pass play, then stalling out and settling for a 31-yard field goal and a one-possession game, 27-20. But Saddlebck thwarted Grossmont's next drive when Matt Reza intercepted a tipped pass and returned it to the Griffins' 2-yard line. Grossmont's defense held this time, but Saddleback's Michael Frisina (pictured) was able to put the game out of reach with a 20-yard field goal.
Akiba ended with 70 rushing yards on 17 carries and Saddleback was able to run the ball 48 times for 131 yards. Reilly ended with 177 passing yards and two touchdowns. Grossmont quarterback Ryan Woods, who averaged 322 passing yards per game, was in jeopardy of even clearing 200 yards until those two long pass plays in the second half. He finished with 316 yards on 18-of-39 passing, but was sacked five times by Saddleback's defense.
The Gauchos (5-1) will travel to Pasadena on Saturday, October 23, for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff against the Lancers.
10/12/10:
Football back up to No. 13 in the nation
 The Saddleback football team is back on the rise in the national polls as JCGridiron.com has the Gauchos rated No. 13 in the country. Saddleback will square off against No. 19 Grossmont College this coming Saturday for homecoming.
Saddleback had the week off for a bye but jumped one spot as a result of a loss in front of them in the rankings. The Gauchos’ lone loss of the season came against Bakersfield (4-1), who still remains ahead of the Gauchos at No. 11. Saddleback’s remaining schedule includes games against No. 19 Grossmont, No. 35 Pasadena City, No. 1 Mt. San Antonio, No. 30 Palomar and No. 32 Fullerton.
JCGridiron.com is in its sixth year of ranking teams nationally and is a part of the Rivals.com network. For a complete list of the JCGridiron Dirty 30 rankings, click on the following link.
JCGridiron Dirty 30
10/2/10: Gauchos edge Falcons in closing minutes
Saddleback survived a 17-point, second-half scoring barrage and the defense held firm deep in its own red-zone, turning back Cerritos' final drive and preserving a 28-24 win Saturday night in Norwalk.
 Cerritos (4-1) scored on a 14-yard pass play in the first quarter to open a 7-0 lead, but Saddleback (4-1) answered just three minutes later when quarterback Sean Reilly found Tavaurus Abram (pictured) on a 9-yard touchdown pass to cap a 10-play, 81-yard drive. The Gauchos then opened up a 21-7 halftime lead when tailback John Akiba had a 6-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter and then Reilly found Abram for a 12-yard scoring pass midway through the period.
Cerritos would score a touchdown in the third quarter, then added the tying touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Falcons would go ahead, 24-21, on a 36-yard field goal with 10 minutes to play. Again, Saddleback would answer right back by putting together an 11-play, 63-yard scoring drive as Donnell Dickerson carried the ball in from about three inches away out of the wildcat formation on fourth down.
The Falcons tried to put together a winning drive, but quarterback Kane Wilson was sacked by Devin Thurman and Thomas Graff at the Saddleback 13-yard line with just 1:15 to play and the Gauchos were able to burn the clock to preserve the win.
Dickerson finished with 18 carries for 117 yards, Reilly was 20-for-32 for 181 yards, and Abram caught five passes for 59 yards and those two touchdowns. The defense was led by Scott Graves and Matt Reza with 10 tackles apiece. Graves had three tackles for lost yardage, two quarterback hurries, and a 15-yard fumble return. Thurman added nine tackles with 2.5 tackles for lost yardage, 1.5 sacks, a pass break up, and forced a fumble. Andrew Douglas added eight tackles, including a sack and two quarterback hurries.
The Gauchos will have a bye on the calendar October 9 before returning home for its Homecoming Game on October 16 when Saddleback hosts Grossmont College at 6:00 p.m.
9/30/10: No. 21 Gauchos to face No. 9 Falcons
 The Saddleback football team moved up three spots in the latest JCGridiron.com Dirty 30 national rankings after defeating Victor Valley College, 49-20. The Gauchos will face the No. 9 team in the country, Cerritos College, this Saturday night.
Saddleback moved up three spots with the latest win, but will face arguably its toughest test of the season when they go on the road to face the 4-0 Falcons. Cerritos has been dominant thus far, winning games by an average of 22 points-per-game. The Falcons have been particularly good at running the football, averaging 247 yards-per-game and ranking No. 3 in the state in rush offense. Davion Barner (pictured right) leads the Falcons, averaging 9.6 yards-per-carry on the season.
Conversely, Saddleback has been very active up front on defense as the Gaucho defense is rated No. 15 in the state in rush defense (99-YPG) while having the third most sacks in the state, with 17 through four games. Saddleback has also been very good on the ground on offense, as Donnell Dickerson (pictured left) leads the Gauchos with 295 yards rushing and four touchdowns through four games.
Saddleback was at No. 24 in the JCGridiron.com Dirty 30 rankings a week ago, their lowest ranking of the season. A win over Cerritos would likely vault the Gauchos back into the top-20.
Game time on Saturday is 7:00 PM at Cerritos.
9/25/10: Gauchos in a rout over Victor Valley
Sophomore quarterback Sean Reilly ran for one touchdown and passed for three more as Saddleback plastered Victor Valley College, 49-20, Saturday afternoon in Victorville.
Sophomore defensive back Gary Stevenson put Saddleback on the scoreboard just over three minutes into the game when he intercepted a Ram pass and returned it five yards for a touchdown. Reilly added a 1-yard plunge later in the first quarter to make it a 14-0 game, and then Rodney Woodland returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter and it appeared that a rout was on. But Victor Valley started to answer back, returning an interception 67 yards for a touchdown and then adding an 8-yard run to cut the deficit to 21-13. Saddleback would have its own answer to those scores, adding four consecutive touchdowns in the second half. Woodland had a 45-yard run and then Reilly threw three touchdown passes, finding Matt Belardes (25 yards), Kyle Long (1 yard), and
Woodland (32 yards) to build a 49-13 lead.
Reilly ended up connecting on 17 of his 26 pass attempts for 204 yards while Woodland had 210 all-purpose yards, including three touchdowns.
Saddleback (3-1) will travel to Cerritos College next Saturday, October 2, for a 7:00 p.m. game against the Falcons before taking a week off. The Gauchos will return home on Saturday, October 16, to host Grossmont College in the Homecoming game. Kickoff will be at 6:00 p.m.
9/18/10: Gauchos squeeze by Chaffey
Saddleback was able to escape with a 17-13
victory over Chaffey on Saturday night in an SCFA non-conference battle that turned out to be a closer contest than what was expected.
 Saddleback, a nationally ranked program which plays in the top conference in the SCFA, hosting Chaffey, a team which was unranked and playing in the middle tier of a three-tiered system. In fact, Chaffey's two wins this season were narrow victories over two programs that Saddleback beat 72-7 and 52-0 last year.
What a difference a year makes. Despite being a year removed from those lopsided wins, many thought Saddleback would have an easier time handling Chaffey, a team which was allowing opponents almost 200 rushing yards per game. But the Panthers held their own, limiting Saddleback to just 77 rushing yards on 35 carries. Saddleback's defense had even more success against Chaffey's rushing attack, holding the Panthers to minus-9 rushing yards on 26 carries.
Saddleback's defense also limited Chaffey to just 134 passing yards on 17-of-35
attempts. The defense also posted four sacks. Saddleback's passing game accounted for 266 yards but no scores. Brad Curtis played the first half and was 13-of-24 for 146 yards but was intercepted at the Chaffey 1-yard line with just 19 seconds to play in the half and his Gauchos trailing 7-3. Sean Reilly took over at quarterback in the second half and showed a spark off the bench, going 8-for-13 for 120 yards. Reilly was intercepted at the Chaffey 14-yard line to end a drive with Saddleback leading 17-7.
The Gauchos (2-1) got on the scoreboard just 2:25 into the game when Michael Frisina booted a 27-yard field goal. Chaffey (2-1) took the lead in the middle of the second quarter on Reggie Bryant's 1-yard run.
Saddleback regained the lead just over five minutes in the third quarter as Donnell Dickerson posted a 4-yard run. The Gauchos extended that lead about four minutes later when Dickerson took a screen pass 37 yards to the Chaffey 3-yard line and then John Akiba ran the ball in on the next play. Chaffey tightened the score late in the fourth quarter when Dickerson fumbled the ball at his own 32-yard line and the Panthers' Gerald Hines ran it back 32 yards for a touchdown. Charles Holmes was able to secure the victory for Saddleback when he recovered Chaffey's ensuing onside kickoff attempt.
Saddleback will travel to face Victor Valley College on Saturday, September 25, for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
9/11/10: Gauchos run over by Renegades
Saddleback saw a seemingly comfortable 24-13 lead vanish in the final 16 minutes of Saturday's football game as Bakersfield scored 28 unanswered points to post a 41-24 victory.
 The Gauchos (1-1) had a rough start as they fumbled away the opening kickoff. Bakersfield (2-0) was able to capitalize with an 18-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead. But Saddleback would come right back to tie the score on its ensuing possession as Donnell Dickerson plunged in from one yard out to cap a 76-yard drive. The Gauchos added another score on their second possession as Dickerson broke through the line on a fourth-and-one and outran the defensive secondary for a 60-yard touchdown. The teams traded field goals in the second quarter and Bakersfield added a second field goal with just over a minute to play in the first half, cutting Saddleback's lead to 17-13 at the intermission.
Saddleback took a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter as quarterback Brad Curtis found Rodney Woodland for a 33-yard scoring strike. And that would be the end of the highlight reel for Saddleback as the rest of the game belonged to the Renegades. Bakersfield put together an 80-yard drive near the end of the third quarter and then took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter after limiting Saddleback to a three-and-out. The Renegades strung together a pair of 20-yard pass plays followed by 15- and 13-yard rushes before quarterback Lyle Negron scampered in from five yards away.
Curtis fumbled the ball away on the third play of Saddleback's next drive and Bakersfield converted that turnover into seven more points just two plays later. Bakersfield added another score late in the fourth quarter after John Oglesby blocked Brendan Rowland's punt. The Renegades were in the endzone just five plays later.
Curtis was 21-of-33 for 173 yards, with both Woodland and Tavaurus Abram each catching seven passes. Dickerson had four receptions and added 158 rushing yards on just 15 carries. Matt Reza (pictured) led Saddleback's defense, posting 11 tackles. Trumaine Smith and Gary Stevenson were both credited with nine tackles and Stevenson added a pass break up, a sack, and two tackles for lost yardage.
The Gauchos will be home again on September 18 hosting Chaffey College at 6:00 p.m.
9/7/10: Gauchos rated No. 10 in the nation
The Saddleback football team moved up two spots to No. 10 in the JCGridiron.com Dirty 30 national rankings following a 37-6 win over Orange Coast College on Saturday. The Gauchos will take on No. 20 Bakersfield College this Saturday in the home opener at 6:00 PM.
Saddleback took advantage of two teams in front of them losing last weekend, breaking into the top-10 for the first time this season. The Gauchos finished the 2009 season rated No. 9 in the nation by JCGridiron.com.
JCGridiron is part of the Rivals.com network, and is in its sixth season of ranking community college football programs nationwide. You can view the entire rankings by clicking on the following link.
JCGridiron Dirty 30
The Gauchos will take on No. 20 Bakersfield this Saturday and fans can view the game live on the Gaucho Sports Network. For information on how to sign up for the game, click on the following link.
Gaucho Sports Network
9/5/10: Gauchos pillage Pirates to open 1-0
 The Saddleback football team made its 2010 debut on Saturday night in fine fashion, beating Orange Coast College 37-6 to open the season with a win. The Gaucho defense was stellar, holding the Pirates to just 163 yards of total offense.
Saddleback sprinted to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter as quarterback Brad Curtis found Tavaurus Abram on a 31-yard pass on the opening drive followed by a 3-yard touchdown run by Donnell Dickerson. The Gauchos defense then recorded a safety on the ensuing drive and never looked back.
“I thought our guys played hard on defense,” defensive coordinator Steve Crapo said. “They were flying around and making plays, and made it hard for the Orange Coast offense.”
Saddleback’s defense finished with six sacks on the night, holding the Pirates to 2-of-15 on third down conversions. They were equally impressive against the run, holding Orange Coast to just 15 yards on the ground.
The Gaucho offense had a number of solid performances as Curtis connected on 20-of-34 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Abram finished with eight receptions for 84 yards and two touchdowns on the night as Saddleback rolled up 395 yards of offense in the game. Dickerson led the Gauchos with 61 yards on 15 carries on the ground.
Saddleback will host Bakersfield College in the home-opener on Saturday at 6:00 PM. The Renegades come in at 1-0, fresh off a 52-41 win over Los Angeles Pierce College on Saturday night. The game will be broadcast live via streaming video on the Gaucho Sports Network.
8/30/10: Football opens the season at No. 12 in the nation
With many of the programs east of California opening up their season last weekend, the Saddleback Gaucho football team moved up one spot to No. 12 in the JCGridiron.com Dirty 30 rankings. Saddleback will open the season at Orange Coast College on Saturday.
The Gauchos saw one team drop below them in the rankings as Navarro College (TX) had a sloppy performance in week one in falling nine spots to No. 14. Saddleback was rated No. 9 by JCGridiron to finish the 2009 season.
JCGridiron.com is part of the Rivals.com network and has been ranking teams nationally since 2005. You can view the complete set of rankings by clicking on the following link.
JCGridiron Dirty 30 Rankings
8/9/10: Gaucho football transfers reaches 18
 The Gaucho football program has had another successful offseason as the number of players transferring to 4-year programs has reached 18. The latest was wide receiver Aziz Spellman-Smith, who said yes to Tabor College.
Spellman-Smith joins Brad Boles, Josh Andrews and Paul Gonzalez as players that have committed in the past month, as reported by the football office.
Spellman-Smith finished with 20 receptions for 318 yards and three touchdowns for the Gauchos in 2009. He is a 5-foot-11, 195-pound wide receiver out of Mission Viejo High School. Spellman-Smith will head to Tabor College, an NAIA program located in Hillsboro, Kansas.
Boles finished with 11 receptions for 123 yards and two scores playing alongside Spellman-Smith in the receiving corps for Saddleback in 2009. He is 6-foot, 175 pounds and graduated from Rim of the World High School before playing for the Gauchos. Boles will continue his career at West Virginia Tech, an NAIA program located in Montgomery, West Virginia.
Linebacker Josh Andrews (Mililani HS, HI) had a big season for the Gauchos in 2009, finishing fifth on the team with 42 tackles and eight tackles-for-loss. He signed with Mesa State College, an NCAA DII program located in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Gonzalez (Temecula Valley HS) also had a fine season at defensive end for Saddleback in 2009, finishing with 21 tackles and one sack for the Gauchos. He will play at Midwestern State University, an NCAA DII program located in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The latest signings bring the Gaucho total to 18 for the year.
2009 Gaucho Commits
Aziz Spellman-Smith, WR, Tabor
Brad Boles, WR, West Virginia Tech
Josh Andrews, LB, Mesa State
Paul Gonzalez, DE, Midwestern State
Dominique Vinson, DB, Colorado State
Jason Young, LB, Lindenwood
Morris Kesseloff, P, Lindenwood
T.J. Knowles, WR, South Florida
T.L. Edwards, CB, Middle Tennessee State
David Ingram, QB, Lambuth
Dominic Glover, DE, Oregon State
Richard Crawford, CB, SMU
Eric Richter, OL, Colorado
Jai Morris, RB, Lindenwood
Jeremy Rodenburg, DB, Henderson State
Cameron Chadwick, DB, Henderson State
Kyle Caldwell, OL, Western Illinois
Kameron Thurmond, WR, Grambling
7/8/10: Gauchos No. 13 in preseason rankings
The Saddleback College football program has a long and historic past and the early preseason rankings say the Gauchos will once again be in the mix in 2010. JCGridiron.com (Rivals.com) ranks Saddleback No. 13 in the nation in the first of their two preseason Dirty 30 rankings.
Saddleback finished 9-2 in 2009 and was rated No. 9 by the online publication to finish the season. The Gauchos have finished in the top-15 in each of the past four seasons, including No. 3 back in 2006.
JCGridiron.com is on the Rivals.com network and is considered by many to have the best rankings in the business. The rankings by JCGridiron.com include both teams from California and the rest of the country.
According to the rankings, Saddleback will play seven other programs listed in the top-40 in the nation. All six of the programs in the National Division Southern Conference have made the list of ranked teams, including 2009 national champion Mt. San Antonio, who comes in at No. 7 to start the season. Fullerton College starts the season at No. 9 in the rankings while Palomar College comes in right behind the Gauchos at No. 14. Grossmont College comes in at No. 20 while Pasadena City College is on the bubble at No. 37. Other programs listed in the rankings that Saddleback will play includes No. 17 Bakersfield College and No. 19 Cerritos College.
2010 Dirty 30 Preseason Rankings (volume 1 of 2)
1. Arizona Western 9-2
2. Blinn (TX) 10-1
3. El Camino (Calif.) 8-3
4. East Mississippi 10-1
5. San Francisco (Calif.) 10-1
6. Ft. Scott (KS) 10-1
7. Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) 13-1
8. Navarro (TX) 10-1
9. Fullerton (Calif.) 10-2
10. Gulf Coast (MS) 9-2
11. Butler (KS) 7-3
12. Coffeyville (KS) 6-4
13. Saddleback (Calif.) 9-2
14. Palomar (Calif.) 10-3
15. San Mateo (Calif.) 10-2
16. Snow (UT) 10-2
17. Bakersfield (Calif.) 10-2
18. Grand Rapids (MI) 9-1
19. Cerritos (Calif.) 9-2
20. Grossmont (Calif.) 8-3
21. Butte (Calif.) 8-3
22. Pearl River (MS) 6-3
23. Georgia Military 4-3
24. Canyons (Calif.) 6-5
25. Tyler (TX) 7-3
26. Iowa Western 4-4
27. Reedley (Calif.) 6-5
28. Riverside (Calif.) 1-9
29. Ellsworth (IA) 9-2
30. Hutchinson (KS) 6-4
Others on the Bubble: Santa Rosa (Calif.) 5-5, Glendale (AZ) 6-5, Los Angeles Harbor (Calif.) 9-2, Dean (MA) 5-2, Citrus (Calif.) 3-7, Ventura (Calif.) 7-4, Pasadena City (Calif.) 5-5, Los Angeles Pierce (Calif.) 7-4, Santa Monica (Calif.) 3-7, ASA (NY) 2-3
6/14/10: Gaucho football schedule is finalized
 The Saddleback College football schedule is set for 2010 and once again the Gauchos will be facing some of the toughest competition in the nation. Saddleback will open the schedule on the road at Orange Coast College on September 6 and play six programs that all finished the season rated in the top-25 in the nation by JCGridiron.com in 2009.
Saddleback will be a part of the National Division Southern Conference in 2010 along with Grossmont College, Pasadena City College, Mt. San Antonio College, Palomar College and Fullerton College. All five teams spent time in the JCGridiron.com Dirty 30 rankings during the course of last season and this season should be no different.
Saddleback is coming off a 9-2 finish in 2009 when they won the Western State Bowl (31-20 over Canyons) and finished No. 9 in the nation in the final JCGridiron rankings.
All five home games and any potential home bowl/playoff games will be broadcast live on the Gaucho Sports Network.
Here is an early glance at the 2010 schedule:
Sept. 4 @ Orange Coast
Sept. 11 vs. Bakersfield
Sept. 18 vs. Chaffey
Sept. 25 @ Victor Valley
Oct. 2 @ Cerritos
Oct. 9 bye
Oct. 16 vs. Grossmont
Oct. 23 @ Pasadena City
Oct. 30 vs. Mt. San Antonio
Nov. 6 vs. Palomar
Nov. 13 @ Fullerton
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