Photo by Emilia Alfaro
Photo by Emilia Alfaro

Warriors Struggle to Score in Loss to Palomar

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College could not find the points on Saturday night in a 14-10 non-league loss to visiting Palomar at Featherstone Field in Murdock Stadium.

The Warriors outgained the Comets 443 yards to 249 and doubled up Palomar on first downs with a 21-9 advantage.

But the Comets used the big play to put up two touchdowns which proved to be the difference as the Warriors managed just one touchdown and a 32-yard field goal, all in the first half. The Warriors missed one field goal and turned the ball over on downs five times to go along with two interceptions.

The Comets opened the scoring with a 41-yard interception return by Mason Thomas after Aidan Semo's pass went off the hands of Mark Baker and popped straight up into the air. Thomas reeled it in at the 41 and took it to the house to put Palomar up 7-0.

The Warriors answered later in the period as Azeon Nelson's two-yard touchdown run capped off a 15-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 4:06 for the Warriors to tie things up.

The Warriors would take the lead on a 32-yard field goal from Cooper Dileva but the Comets immediately answered on their next drive as K.J. Chatham connected on a 66-yard TD pass to Skai Donnell for a 14-10 lead.

The defenses took over from there as neither team would score in the final 36:55.

Rashad Lawrence led the Warriors defense with 10 tackles (eight solo) including one of the team's two sacks on the night. Kaleb McCutcheon added eight tackles and Thomas Liava'a added seven to lead the ECC defense.

For the Comets, Steven Arteaga was all over the field with 19 tackles (11 solo) while Isaiah Strong added 14 tackles (10 solo).

The Warriors are now 14-9 all time against Palomar, suffering their first loss to the Comets since 2021. The Warriors had won five of the previous six meetings prior to Saturday's loss.

The team will look to regroup next week as they host defending state champions Riverside on Saturday at 6 p.m.