By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director  

SANTA MARIA — College of the Canyons built a narrow halftime lead then posted a second half shutout to defeat No. 24 Allan Hancock College 27-14 and get back in the win column after a four-game slide. 

Canyons (3-4, 1-1) needed just 1:13 seconds to score the first points of the game with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Chayden Peery to Zyon Slade which capped a four-play 64-yard opening drive. The Cougars were aided by 30 yards of personal foul penalties by the Bulldogs on the drive. Ty Morrison's PAT made it a 7-0 score.

COC freshman Quentin Moten set the Cougars up for another first quarter scoring drive with his first of two interceptions in the game. Moten's return brought the ball back to the Allan Hancock 25-yard line, where the Cougars went back to work. Moten now has four interceptions in the year.

Moments later, Canyons doubled down when sophomore Cole Bullock hammered into the end zone on a one-yard touchdown run with 6:37 to go in the first quarter. Morrison's second PAT gave COC a 14-0 advantage. 

Allan Hancock (3-4, 1-1) got back into the ballgame with a 40-yard touchdown run from Latrell Brown with 2:42 to go in the first quarter. Brown finished the game with 103 yards on 11 carries to help pace the Bulldogs. AHC ended the contest with 212 yards on the ground. 

Morrison gave Canyons another boost with a 20-yard field goal with 12:06 to go in the half to cap another long Cougars' scoring drive and put the game at 17-7. 

The Bulldogs answered back with a prolonged 17-play drive that was aided by a pass interference call on a key third down that brought the ball into Canyons' territory. Allan Hancock running back Dior Kennedy also converted a 4th-and-1 from the COC 27-yard line. Four plays later it was Kennedy finding the end zone on a one-yard score to end the first half scoring at 17-14.

COC freshman quarterback Bryce Dickson led the Cougars offense to begin the second half and eventually found the end zone on a one-yard scamper. Dickson also passed for 36 yards on the drive with completions to Slade, Calvin Littles and Jacobee Taylor. Morrison's third PAT pushed the score to 24-14.

The sophomore kicker added three more points on a 25-yard field goal with 1:04 to go in the third quarter to end the scoring at 27-14. The two sides then played a scoreless fourth quarter with the Cougars emerging victorious.

The COC defense came up with fourth quarter goal line stand after the Bulldogs could get no closer than the Cougars' the four-yard line. Prior to that, the Bulldogs failed to convert on a 35-yard field goal attempt.

Canyons limited the Bulldogs to 114 yards through the air between quarterbacks Jackson Clavel and Esekielu Storer.

COC rushed for 147 yards in the game led by Jordan Anderson's 80 yards on 10 carries. Semaj Freeman and J.D. Sumlin totaled 29 and 26 rush yards, respectively. Littles led the receiving corps with four catches for 59 yards.

Peery started the game under center and finished 4-of-9 for 42 yards and a touchdown. Dickson was 5-of-12 for 95 yards with a long gain of 35 and also rushed for 12 yards.

Bullock led the Cougars' defense with 12 total tackles, including six solo takedowns. Brian Snoek and Koy Mortensen recorded six tackles each. Mortenson had 1.5 tackles for loss included in that total.

James Jennette finished with five tackles, a half a sack, a tackle for loss and a pass break-up. Esai Martinez, Sean Miller, Jackson Volk and Jackson Stein all recorded tackles in the offensive backfield to aid the Cougars' efforts.

Morrison was perfect in his PAT and field goal attempts and handled all punting and kick off duties, with four touchbacks in the game.

Canyons will now return home to host conference opponent East L.A. (4-3, 1-1) College at Cougar Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 29. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Live stream coverage of Saturday's game will be available to fans free of charge on YouTube via the Cougars Sports Network.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

—Photo by Dylan Stewart/1550 Sports