COD Football: Mathis rushes for 205 yards, Roadrunners fall on the road, 40-28

COD (1-4) started out strong and even had a great day on the offensive line, with a rushing attack of 205 yards, but it did not translate into enough points, as Desert fell at the LA Harbor Seahawks (1-4), 40-28.

Putting Desert on the road for the third consecutive game on the 2019 schedule, this time making the drive to the Los Angeles port city of Wilmington, the Roadrunners were looking to get back on the winning side of things after last week's frustrating loss. The "Road Warriors" defense started out very strong, as freshman linebacker Isaiah Sierra (Tucson (AZ) Empire) blocked a Seahawks field goal attempt on the first drive and sophomore running back Jaymes Jackson (Royal Oak (MI) Shrine Catholic) recovered.

On the next Harbor possession, sophomore defensive back Roger Dyujay (Salt Lake City (UT) Olympus) picked off a pass by the Seahawks quarterback and darted 81 yards to get Desert on the scoreboard first, giving the Roadrunners an early 7-0 lead.

Harbor would respond on their next possession, going 47 yards in seven plays for a touchdown, but the extra point was blocked, by the Desert defensive tandem of Sierra and Jackson, keeping the Roadrunners in front, 7-6.

Unfortunately, the Seahawks would return the "Pick-6" favor, by taking a pass from freshman quarterback Alejandro Verdugo (Tucson (AZ) Andrada Polytechnic) the other way, 32 yards and a 13-7 lead for Harbor.

Thankfully, Desert would regain that lead, as the Roadrunners would take their next possession and go 75 yards in five plays, helped by a huge 43 yard catch and run by freshman receiver De'jion Martin (Gaithersburg (MD) Watkins Mill) and wrapping up with a 17 yard score from Verdugo to freshman receiver Joziaha Winfrey (Desert Hot Springs H.S.), to give the Roadrunners a 14-13 advantage with 4:36 left in the first quarter.

Unfortunately, that would be the last time Desert would have the lead, as Harbor rattled off the next 17 points unanswered, all in the second quarter, with both teams going into halftime, the Seahawks holding a 30-14 lead.

In their third possession of the second half, Desert would close the gap, chewing up almost four minutes of game clock and going 75 yards in nine plays, culminating in a huge 25 yard run by freshman running back Trey-Quan Mathis (Wooster, OH) and after a two-point conversion from Verdugo to Martin, cutting the Harbor lead to eight, 30-22.

Mathis would grab a total of 205 yards for the Roadrunners on the afternoon, along with two scores.

The Roadrunners took their first possession of the fourth quarter and tried to turn it into three points, but the 42 yard attempt by sophomore kicker Diego Martinez (Thermal Desert Mirage) sailed wide right. On the very next possession for Harbor, the Seahawks took two huge shots at the end zone, one of those resulted in a 74 yard touchdown pass to give Harbor a 37-22 lead.

Desert would add one more score in the game, as Mathis scampered in from five yards out and a two-point conversion pass attempt failed, with 5:23 left in the game.

Football has not had a home game in 35 days and is looking to upset an undefeated team. The Roadrunners are also looking for revenge after a tough road loss last season to the Citrus Fighting Owls of Glendora (5-0). The last time the Roadrunners knocked off Citrus was 2009, but Desert has a 5-2 record against the Owls in Palm Desert, kick off is at 6 p.m.

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Letícia Gonzalez dos Santos (@lelealohasports on Instagram)