Two minutes and forty-three seconds were left on the clock as Citrus freshman wide receiver Dennis Patrick Jr. caught a 22-yard touchdown pass.
Freshman quarterback Kody Olmos threw the ball that cut the Owls’ deficit to seven points, but the late touchdown was not enough.
The Owls lost to the Allan Hancock Bulldogs 28-21 on Sept. 29 at Citrus College. The Owls are 3-2 as they begin conference play.
Patrick led the Owls in rushing and receiving, gaining 58 yards from the air and 29 yards on the ground.
“All you have to do is give me the ball,” Patrick said.
The Bulldogs improve their record to 3-1.
Citrus players said they are ready to fix their mistakes and move forward.
“As a player we have to go back to practice and reconstruct on what we can do differently going into the next game,” Owls freshman cornerback Tre Curtis said.
The team started the game strong, jumping up 14-0 by the second quarter.
On their first drive the Owls moved the ball 78 yards. Sophomore running back James Brown caught a 6 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Austin Zavala.
The Owls defense was unstoppable in the first half, forcing the Bulldogs into four punts on their first 4 drives.
The Owls capitalized with a 30 yard touchdown pass to Brown from Zavala.
The Bulldogs struck back with a 25 yard touchdown pass to running back Joe Guzman early in the second quarter.
In the third quarter the Bulldogs shifted offensive momentum.
“We didn’t play well,” Curtis said. “And as my position the cornerback we should have been on it,.
In the third quarter the Owls gave up three touchdowns. Bulldogs running back Ryheem Skinner scored two.
The Bulldogs returned a touchdown on a blocked punt fumble.
“We didn’t have them in the second half,” Owls defensive back Grant Wilson said.
Down by seven, the Owls gave a financial push in the fourth quarter.
On a crucial third and three, the Bulldogs handed off to Skinner for a three yard gain, moving the chains and running out the clock.
The Owls host their first conference game against Desert College at 1 p.m on Oct. 13.
