Walnut, Calif. – Well, it certainly wasn't pretty. But in a do-or-die situation, the No. 3–seeded Mt. SAC Football Team found a way. In a wild, five-overtime battle on Saturday, November 22, the Mounties pulled off a narrow 42–40 victory over No. 6–seeded El Camino College in the first round of the SCFA Regionals. A win is a win—and this one pushes Mt. SAC to 10–1, while El Camino closes its season at 8–3 after one of the most dramatic playoff games in recent program history.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Mt. SAC started off strong, making their way down the field for 48 yards in the opening scoring drive before Kenneth Junger Porta drilled a 44-yard field goal to put the Mounties up 3-0. Damien Smith then capped a 12-play, 69-yard grind with a 6-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 10–0 and giving Mt. SAC complete control of the opening frame.
Just seconds into the second quarter, the Mounties struck again—this time with fireworks. Hunter Herrera launched a deep ball to Conrad Tuffly, who maneuvered past the El Camino defenders for a 46-yard score and a 17–0 advantage. El Camino responded on a short-field opportunity, with Andrew Maushard finding Mark Baker for a 12-yard touchdown that sent Mt. SAC into halftime up 17–7.
Whatever was said in the Warriors' locker room during halftime clearly worked. El Camino came out with new energy in the third, immediately cutting the lead to 17–14 on a 29-yard burst from Azeon Nelson. Mt. SAC adjusted by turning to Daunte Bell, and he made an instant impact—delivering a 32-yard touchdown strike to Bronseman Davis to push the lead to 24–14.
But El Camino refused to go away. Damonte Bias ripped off a long 44-yard touchdown run, trimming the lead to 24–21. Bell answered right back, dialing up Tuffly for the second time—this one a 51-yard bomb—to extend the margin to 31–21.
With one quarter left, momentum shifted in favor of the Warriors. The Mounties stalled offensively, and the defense faltered as El Camino scored on an 18-yard pass before hitting a literal last-second 21-yard field goal to tie the game at 31–31 and send the playoff showdown into overtime.
Mt. SAC struck first in OT, as Damari Wiggins made a 25-yard touchdown run look easy, lifting the Mounties to a 38–31 edge. But Bias responded again for the Warriors, tying the score 38–38 after the first overtime.
The second and third overtime rounds saw both defenses step up, forcing repeated stops. In the fourth OT, the teams traded scores yet again—an El Camino pass from Maushard to Baker, followed by a successful Mt. SAC run by Aiden Ramos—locking the game at 40–40.
Finally, in the fifth overtime, the Mounties took the field first. Bell delivered under pressure, connecting with Davis to push Mt. SAC ahead 42–40. El Camino had one last chance, but the Mountie defense stood tall, stuffing Jaden Moore's rush attempt to end the game, end the Warriors' season, and send Mt. SAC into the next round of the playoffs.
While Mt. SAC is traditionally fueled by its run game and usually by Ramos, El Camino managed to keep him out of the end zone—though he still produced a strong 103 yards on 25 carries. This time, the receivers took center stage, with Tuffly and Davis delivering game-changing plays all night long.
On defense, Teyondre Coleman and Dakota Mendoza led the charge with 10 tackles each. Nasjae Richardson, Blake Hiligh, and Gavin Stewart all registered interceptions, while David Medellin added a sack.
Meanwhile, Junger Porta went a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points and 1-for-2 on field goals, totaling 8 crucial points in the win.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- Total Offense: Mt. SAC 502 | El Camino 460
- Rushing Yards: Mt. SAC 173 | El Camino 253
- Passing Yards: Mt. SAC 329 | El Camino 207
- First Downs: Mt. SAC 26 | El Camino 25
- Time of Possession: Mt. SAC 48:24 | El Camino 41:36
NEXT UP:
The Mounties continue their postseason run next Saturday, November 29, when they travel to face No. 2–seeded Saddleback (9–1) in the SCFA Regional Semifinals. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. Let's go, Mounties!
STAY CONNECTED:
Follow Mt. SAC Football on Twitter @mtsacfootball or Instagram /mtsacfootball/
Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on Twitter @MtSAC_athletics or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics
For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.