SBCC was unable to overcome four first-half turnovers and fell to San Bernardino Valley Colllege, 45-34, in season-opening college football game on Saturday in San Bernardino.
San Bernadino scored four touchdowns off the Vaquero mistakes and built a 35-7 lead by halftime.
SBCC worked its way back into the game and cut the deficit to 38-27 on a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alexander Cuevas to wide receiver Elijah King with 12:09 left in the fourth quarter.
But the Wolverines responded behind quarterback Daniel Epperson. He broke off a 34-yard run on a second and 4 at the SBCC 41, and then hit Brandy Holmes for a 7-yard touchdown, giving the Wolverines a 45-27 lead with 9:32 to go.
The Vaqueros struck back as Elijah Cunningham returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to make it 45-34.
SBCC’s defense gave the offense a couple more chances to score but the Vaqueros couldn’t sustain a drive. The first drive started at 7:12 and ended with a punt. They got the ball back with 4:41 left, but that drive ended after three straight sacks of Cuevas.
In his SBCC debut, Cuevas completed 13 of 27 passes for 207 and a touchdown. He was intercepted once. He also ran for two scores. Chad Woolsey was the Vaqueros’ leading rusher with 82 yards on 15 carries.
The game got off to a bad start for SBCC. On the opening kickoff, the ball bounced off the Vaquero returner’s shoulder pads and San Bernardino recovered at the 7. Kevin Dyer ran for the touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.
A pass interception led to the Wolverines’ second touchdown, an 11-yard pass from Epperson to Samuel Rodriguez.
Cuevas fumbled in the end zone and San Bernardino recovered for a touchdown to make it 21-0 at 12:35 of the second quarter.
Cuevas cut the deficit to 21-7 with a 1-yard run. But the Wolverines countered with a couple of Epperson TD passes. The second one was set up by a SBCC fumble.
The Vaqueros got a field goal on the last play of the quarter as Blake Levin converted from 37 yards.
