WALNUT – One week after defeating Hancock College in a 24-21 final-second game, the Bakersfield College Renegades lost 39-17 at Mt. San Antonio College on Nov. 28. That eliminated BC, the National Northern Conference champion, from the playoffs in the Southern California Regionals.
BC (10-2, 6-0 NNC) was held most of the first quarter by Mt. SAC’s (11-1, 6-0 in National Central Conference) defense. Down 10-0 in the first quarter, BC kicker Josh Gallington missed short on a 49-yard field goal, which would have been his longest all year.
From then on, BC scored two touchdowns and a field goal, which showed BC had life and could compete with No. 1-ranked Mt. SAC. It wasn’t until the last two minutes of the game that Mt. SAC scored twice on interception returns.
“They’re a good team. Defensively, they did a lot of good things,” said BC quarterback Logan Kilgore. “That was basically the state championship tonight because Mt. SAC’s going to roll these other teams.” Kilgore took a late hit in the fourth quarter and seemed a bit woozy. “I don’t know,” he said of the injury. “Something with my head, [but] it’s just part of the game.” Kilgore completed 15 of 30 passes with three interceptions with 225 yards and was sacked twice by Mt. SAC’s secondary.
After the game, Kilgore attended the BC volleyball playoff match against Pasadena. There, when asked if he’d return next season to BC, he said, “I’d love to come back, [but] at the end of the day, I’ve got to do what’s best for me.”
With the score 23-17 and seven minutes left, BC coach and NNC coach of the year Jeff Chudy explained why he did not put the offense on the field and relied on BC kicker Josh Gallington, whose kick was blocked by Mt. SAC.
“Because the quarterback (Kilgore) got shaken up,” Chudy said. “We were just trying to get within field goal range. Three more points it would have been 23-20. Gallington’s been money all year. It just got tipped.”
Chudy added about how Kilgore being hit affected the game, “He got hit pretty hard on one of the scrambles, right before we went for the field goal. His bell was definitely rung. Obviously, we didn’t know it at the time but we knew it after he came off the field that he was a little foggy.”
With the score 26-17 with less than two minutes left in the game, Kilgore was hit late. BC recieved a first down for the penalty and on the next play, Kilgore threw his second interception to Mt. SAC’s Malcolm Murray.
BC wide receiver Rishard Matthews led the receivers with 140 yards and running back Ben Estill punched in BC’s only two touchdowns on a 1 and 30-yard run. Gallington was 1-for-2 on his field goal kicks.
“There’s a lot to be learned from this game. There’s a lot of freshmen playing on that field,” said Chudy. “We had some opportunities. We gave ourselves a chance to compete up until the end. We got ourselves into a whole. We gave up some big plays early on, probably didn’t execute like we wanted to execute.
“I was proud of the fact that our guys hung in there. We made it a really great game – it was a nail biter up until the last two minutes.
“They made the plays. You’ve got to tip your hats to them. At the end of the day, we lost the game – we didn’t lose a loved one. It hurts but you’ve got to give them credit,” said Chudy,
BC defeated Hancock in stunning fashion Nov. 21 in the Golden Empire Bowl at Memorial Stadium. Down 21-13 late in the fourth quarter, the Renegades rallied after Hancock kicker Nate Stein missed a 19-yard kick.
Renegade Vince Van Horne pulled in a 28-yard touchdown to make the score within two of Hancock. Kilgore decided to throw once again to Van Horne for the two-point conversion, and Van Horne took the ball out of a Hancock defender’s hands to tie the score.
With the score 21-21, the BC defense held Hancock on all rushing plays and forced Hancock to punt with 3:27 left in the game.
BC got the ball back at the Hancock 48-yard line and ran the ball and the clock down until only two seconds remained with a BC timeout.
Gallington succeeded in his 22-yard game-winning kick that made the score 24-21 and put BC in the regional playoffs.
“We were going go down fighting. At [that] point in the game it was 21-13 and we just felt our guys were capable of putting it in,” said Chudy.
“Van Horne, what can you say about that guy, he just makes things happen. That guy is just clutch,” added Chudy about Van Horne’s crucial catches in the fourth quarter.
Renegade receiver Matthews, who returned three punts for 124 yards, received the most valuable player of the Golden Empire Bowl. Offensive player of the game was BC’s Estill, who carried the ball 24 times for 111 yards and one touchdown, and the defensive player of the game was Hancock’s Brennan Locker who had five solo tackles.
After the Mt. SAC loss, Chudy reflected on the season. “I thought the Hancock win was a great statement as to the type of character that this football team has shown all year,” Chudy said. “We played our hearts out. We had a great season. This is fourth out five years we’ve made it to this semifinal game so that’s a lot to be said about the football program.”
Chudy mentioned how injuries affected the season. “We lost two key players this year,” he said. “Andre Smith is not a guy that’s easily replaced and Maurice Hays, [too].
“At our level, we don’t have guys like that around the corner. To have those guys not finish the season and make it this far, we accomplished a lot.Hard work and guys that play together as a group, [if] you take those combinations of unselfishness and work ethic, it goes a long way.”
BC running back Andre Smith, who was injured in the second game this season can return to the team next season.
“He’s had surgery on his leg and just have to see what happens from here. If somebody comes in and offers a full scholarship it’s pretty hard for him to turn that stuff down,” said Chudy.
As far as recruiting, Chudy mentioned, “We’ve been to a lot of local high schools so far, a lot of these guys are the playoffs, [so] we’ll have campus invitations after the holidays.”
BC earned its share of conference awards. Kilgore was named the NNC offensive MVP of the year. BC defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was named defensive MVP.
Other BC players that were selected to the first team were outside linebacker Jordan Mudge, Estill, Matthews, injured-defensive lineman Maurice Hayes, outside linebacker Casey Sorrell, safety Tanner Webb and Gallington.
Second-team selected players from BC were offensive lineman Joel Turribates, wide receiver Will Randle, defensive end Brache Hayes, Van Horne, outside linebacker Tierney Yates, and defensive lineman Joey Bertrand.