A Triumphant Homecoming

At last, the football team’s offense has found the answer to its lack of an identity — Rashad Hall.

The Contra Costa College sophomore running back has shown more confidence rushing the ball this season, proven in the squad’s 59-16 Homecoming game obliteration of Shasta College on Saturday.

In the contest Hall ran for 199 yards and three touchdowns leading all rushers in both categories.

“The main focus was to get Rashad going early,” Comet coach Alonzo Carter said. “He’s been a little nicked up (early in the season) but now he’s healthy and running angrily.”

The Comets (4-3 overall, 2-0 in the Bay Valley Conference) were able to rush for a total of 416 yards against the Knights’ (2-5 overall, 0-2 in the BVC) defense, winning their second consecutive game.

After an interception by CCC defensive back Malique Earl, the Comets utilized Hall early. He broke away from Shasta defenders, scoring on a 54-yard run on the Comets’ first possession.

So far this season CCC has a total of 1,480 yards on the ground with Hall rushing for 780.

Hall has scored nine rushing touchdowns this season.

“Something told me that I had to pick up (my intensity) and be a key part of the offense,” Hall said. “Our team is steadily rising and we have to take it day by day.”

After holding Shasta to a field goal on the Knight’s second drive, the Comets managed to respond quickly when quarterback Lamar McKnight rocketed a pass to wide receiver JaMachel Torrez on a fourth down with six yards to go.

rrez sped past Shasta defenders en route to the 37-yard touchdown.

“This was one of those games where the quarterbacks had to be smart,” McKnight said. “In this game, our offense brought some of the same swagger it showed last week against Yuba.”

The Comets’ offense looks to continue its surge this Saturday when it faces Mendocino College (3-4 overall, 2-0 in the BVC) at home at 1 p.m.

Currently the Comets are tied with Mendocino for first place in the BVC.

“(Prior to this game) our offense was ranked 65th in the state,” McKnight said. “We had to give ourselves a reality check — we had to step it up.”

CCC’s high-powered offense, led by Hall, overwhelmed the Knights’ defense, scoring on five of the squad’s seven first-half possessions, to take a 35-13 at the half.

On defense the Comets were sound, forcing two turnovers (an interception and a fumble recovery) in the first half.

“Defensively we started flat. We wanted to key in on (Shasta’s) offense,” Carter said.

“It took us a minute to get used to what they were doing.”  
The No. 1 state ranked CCC defense was able to hold the Knights to 274 total yards, force three turnovers and get four sacks.

“I’m proud of my group,” Carter said.

“We let the win over Yuba (last week) carry over to all three phases (offense, defense and special teams) of this game.”