Jaguars escape jaws of defeat to win season opener 26-24

Oscar Rodriguez took over the reins of the Southwestern College football program last season. Like in many instances, the timing wasn’t perfect.

The Jaguars clawed their way to a 2-8 record.

As the saying goes, that was then … and this is now. The Jags could be in for something much better tasting this season.

Take Saturday’s cliffhanging 26-24 non-conference win over the visiting College of the Canyons Cougars in front of a sun-splashed crowd at DeVore Stadium.

The hosts led throughout the contest, moving in front by scores of 7-0, 13-7 and 20-10 before the visitors staged a fourth-quarter rally with two big plays that resulted in touchdowns to take a 24-20 lead with 7:14 to play.

That was enough time to play with for Rodriguez’s crew to maneuver down the field to retake the lead, 26-24, on a one-yard run by redshirt sophomore quarterback Brayten Silbor.

And that was enough time for the Cougars to counter with what appeared to be a game-winning 27-yard field goal after a crushing run by Canyons signal-caller Jael Riley IV to the SWC 11-yard line.

Six seconds remained on the clock. If the Cougars were successful on the field goal, they would capture the game by a heart-breaking score of 27-26. If kicker Justin Assadi missed, the heartbreak would be reversed.

The kick sailed wide right and pandemonium broke loose on the Southwestern College sideline.

26-24 Jags.

Rodriguez had an ear-to-earn grin after the jubilation had finally settled down.

“That’s a playoff team — they’re one of the best programs in California,” the SWC gridiron boss said in regard to No. 24 Canyons. “For us to have a year of recruiting and an offseason, it shows how much more we can improve. We’re here to stay.”

Silbor, from Scottsdale, Ariz. via Lehigh University, engineered a fabulous SWC debut by completing 27 of 38 passing attempts for 287 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The former all-state Arizona prep QB connected with sophomore Nic Cline (three catches, 38 yards), Israel Garcia-Rotolo (four catches, 18 yards) and Israel Evans (two catches, 18 yards) on touchdown strikes.

Cline (Torrey Pines), redshirt freshman Garcia-Rotolo (Liberal, Kan.) and redshirt freshman Evans (Cypress, Texas) are also newcomers to the lineup.

Evans opened scoring on a 12-yard pass completion with 4:41 to play in the first quarter. Cline caught a 16-yard scoring pass early in the second quarter. Silbor passed nine yards to Garcia-Rotolo with 58 seconds to play in the third quarter to put the hosts up by 10 points.

But Riley (122 passing yards, 107 rushing yards) almost undid all of that on an eight-yard run with 11:45 to play in the fourth quarter to bring the Cougars to within 20-17 on the scoreboard. He then hit a wide-open joseph Saenz (eight catches, 111 yards) on a 40-yard bomb to put the visitors up 24-20.

Redshirt sophomore Jamarei Ashby-Phan (Scottsdale, Ariz.) keyed the Jags with 92 rushing yards on six attempts while redshirt freshman Caleb Blocker (Katy, Texas) rushed 12 times for 66 yards. Ashby-Phan was the team’s leading receiver with 80 yards on four receptions, including a 51-yard gainer.

Redshirt freshman Chance LaChappa (El Capitan) had an interception on defense.

Riley broke off a punishing 59-yard run during the second-half rally.

“We gave up two big plays, but we regrouped to find a way to win,” Rodriguez said.

The Jags play at Orange Coast College (0-1) on Saturday, Sept. 6, 6 p.m. The Pirates lost, 42-20, at Allan Hancock last week.

Southwestern College 2025 Football Schedule

September
6: Southern at Orange Coast, 6 p.m.
13: Southwestern at Long Beach, 1 p.m.
20: Mt. San Jacinto at Southwestern, 1 p.m..
27: Southwestern at San Diego Mesa, 6 p.m.

October
9: Southwestern at Palomar, 6 p.m.
18: Riverside at Southwestern, 2 p.m.
25: El Camino at Southwestern, 6 p.m.

November
1: Southwestern at Saddleback, 1 p.m.
8: Chaffey at Southwestern, 1 p.m.