Santa Ana College shows promise but drops season opener to Moorpark 21-19

Community college football returned to Santa Ana Stadium Saturday night with the first game for Santa Ana College (in red uniforms). (Photo courtesy Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone)

Santa Ana College’s football team looked impressive in its first game of the season, but fell to Moorpark 21-19 Saturday night at the Santa Ana Bowl.

It marked the first game for new Dons Coach Anthony White and the first for the program since the 2019 season. Last season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Dons led 13-7 at halftime after Aaron Rojas drilled two short field goals in the second quarter.

However, in the third quarter, the Raiders scored on consecutive possessions to take the lead. Trevor Jungman scored on a 1-yard TD run and Jacob Carbajal caught a 24-yard TD pass from Trae Johnson to give Moorpark a 21-13 lead at the 8:36 mark of the third quarter.

Tyler Shimomura hauled in an 8-yard TD pass from Luke Wilson to cap a nine-play, 63-yard scoring drive with 8:14 remaining but Wilson’ s pass attempt for a 2-point conversion fell incomplete and the Dons trailed 21-19.

Wilson completed 23 of 43 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns but he injured his left knee with 4:36 left and did not return. Arthur Shaw, Shimomura and Andrew Andrade each had five receptions for Santa Ana.

Andrade caught a short pass from Wilson and raced 46 yards for a TD early in the first quarter to give Santa Ana 7-0 lead. Freshman linebacker Matthew Galvan led the Dons’ defense with 12 tackles.

Johnson completed 23 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Raiders (1-1).

“We had a lot of guys playing their first game and we had some first-game jitters,” said Coach White. “It’s been a tough first 18 months, we had setbacks with COVD but we’ll continue to get better and execute.” 

The Dons host San Jacinto next Saturday night at the Santa Ana Bowl.

—Courtesy Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone