Riverside City provides instant classic with furious comeback; Mt. SAC, San Mateo and Modesto also advance in football playoffs

RIVERSIDE - In the first round of the Southern California Football Association playoffs, No. 2-ranked Riverside City College had to face some adversity but put together a dramatic comeback to defeat No. 8-ranked San Diego Mesa College 37-30.

The Tigers improve to 10-1 on the year and inch one game closer to defending their 2023 3C2A State Championship. The Olympians end their season at 8-3.

RCC finished with 533 total offensive yards, including 402 passing yards and 131 rushing yards.

Brady Jones went 33-for-56 for Riverside, throwing one touchdown pass and two interceptions.

Defensively, Esaia Bogar had five tackles – all solo efforts – including a sack for 11 yards and a quarterback hurry. Peter Eyabi followed with four tackles, including two sacks.

After finding themselves in unfamiliar territory – trailing 27-0 at halftime – the Tigers woke up in the second half and started chipping away at the deficit.

Halfway through the third quarter, RCC finally broke through the scoreless drought as Brandon McMasters ran in a one-yard touchdown to put the Tigers on the board. RCC then scored on its next possession off another McMasters touchdown to cut the lead to 16 points with just under two minutes to go in the quarter.

Luis Marin kept the momentum rolling in Riverside's favor with a 31-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter before Jones found Dominic Cox open for a 49-yard touchdown with eight minutes left in the game. RCC went for two on the point-after-touchdown attempt but couldn't convert.

The Tigers tied the game, 30-30, off another McMasters touchdown with 2:40 left on the clock, before Eyabi came up with a huge defensive stop, sacking the Olympian quarterback to end the visitors' next drive.

With less than a minute left to play, Marquis Monroe got Riverside's drive off on an excellent start, breaking through the Mesa defense for 61 yards all the way to the three-yard line. Devyne Pearson then ran in the touchdown before Marin made it a perfect 4-for-4 on PAT kicks.

The Olympians had one more drive in them, but Ashaad Chapman shut down any chance of Mesa tying the game after grabbing a game-ending interception to seal the 37-30 victory for the Tigers.

Riverside looks to defend its 2023 SCFA Championship as it heads to No. 1-ranked Mt. San Antonio College next week to see who will represent the South at the 3C2A State Championship on Dec. 14.

(Riverside City College Athletics)