Football ends disappointing season on a low note

Too many turnovers marred the Corsairs' defeat at the hands of West L.A. College in the football season's finale last Saturday. Their accumulation of four fumbles aided the opposition to an insurmountable extent, and allowed the Wildcats to come out on top 36-14.

"We showed poor ball control and just couldn't hold on to the ball," said sophomore running back Miles Nelson.

The first half of the contest would look promising for the Corsairs as they would once again be the first to get on the scoreboard, a trend that had run four games prior to facing West L.A. The touchdown came off of a long scamper by freshman running back Brandon Tillis for forty-eight yards.

But the Corsairs couldn't keep the momentum going, allowing the Wildcats' sophomore quarterback Spencer Phillips to hook up with his number one target on the day, sophomore wide receiver Joseph Hyman. Hyman contributed largely to West L.A.'s 371 yards passing by racking up a total of 165 receiving yards.

Santa Monica's fortune wouldn't get any midway through the second quarter, as Corsair quarterback James Cammack would cough up a fumble off of a sack, which subsequently turned into a twenty-nine yard touchdown return by West L.A.'s freshman linebacker Jevoni Buchanan.

Down by only one possession at halftime, the Corsairs trailed 15-7, but West L.A.'s aerial attack had no intentions on slowing down. They were able to put up yet another touchdown through the air, courtesy of Phillips to sophomore Tanqueray Towns this time.

Towns would also go on to total 72 yards receiving, complemented by the momentous touchdown.

"They had a talented group of receivers that kept making plays," said Nelson.

The Corsairs fortune looked to turn around, however, when freshman defensive linemen Karl Buchanan recovered a fumble and took it to the house for twenty-nine yards.

Late in the third quarter though, the Corsairs luck disappeared as quickly as it came. SMC quarterback James Cammack would give up his second fumble, allowing West L.A. to reach pay dirt for the third time. This left the Corsairs down by the score 29-14.

With the Corsairs still in range for a potential comeback, the West L.A. defense kept their foot on the Corsairs' throat, eventually sacking Cammack for eleven yards on a failed fourth-down conversion.

On the following drive, West L.A. would thwart the Corsairs' secondary for the last time, capitalizing on an eight-yard touchdown pass to the Wildcats' Joseph Hyman, which also gave him his second touchdown of the game.

At that point, the damage had been done against the Corsairs, and they failed to make a comeback against the 36-14 margin.

With their season at its final stop, the Corsairs can now only look forward to improving for next season and building on the step forward they took this season with new players and coaches.