Unbeaten CSM claims 7th straight victory

With CSM’s campus being entirely closed down Saturday and Sunday as a precaution in case electrical power was cut by Pacific Gas & Electric, the Bulldogs had to go into hurry-up mode to not only transport the team to Oakland on 24 hours notice, but to clear their locker room and facilities of all game-day equipment and uniforms as the campus was not accessible Saturday.

“I’ll tell you what, we have an unbelievable staff,” CSM head coach Tim Tulloch said. “… It was everybody. It’s like moving a small army. And I’m just grateful that we have so many people to do what we did to move on such short notice.”

Tulloch said all the players took their uniforms and equipment home Friday. Then Saturday, they reported to a parking lot across the street from CSM’s campus, which they turned into a makeshift outdoor locker room to get suited up for the 1 p.m. start in Oakland.

Once on the field, though, it was business as usual for the Bulldogs (2-0 Bay 6, 7-0 overall), who entered as the No. 1 ranked team in Northern California. CSM posted 13 points in the first quarter, took a 19-0 lead into halftime, and answered a third-quarter surge by Laney with a clutch defensive stand and more dynamic exploits from freshman quarterback Luke Bottari and the rest of the offense.

“There were a lot of guys who stepped up,” Tulloch said, “and Luke had an especially big day, and made some exceptionally hard throws look easy. … Luke just continues to step up in this offense.”

CSM continues to dominate on defense. Ranked sixth in the state in fewest yards allowed at 244.6 per game, the Bulldogs outgained Laney 395-272 in total yards.

The defensive showing culminated into two clutch plays to open the fourth quarter. Laney (1-1, 3-4) had scored on its previous two possessions to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 19-14. Then, after CSM place kicker Dylan Moghaddam booted his third field goal of the day to up the lead to 22-14, Laney went on the march again.

With the Eagles starting the next drive at their own 25-yard line with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, quarterback Ryan Mackey completed passes of 15, 23 and 6 yards to help move the ball to the CSM 8-yard line by the start of the fourth.

Then on third-and-4 from the 8, CSM safety Bennett Williams came up with one momentous stop, followed by another. The sophomore drilled slot receiver Dior Walker-Scott for a 1-yard loss to force fourth down. On the decisive play, Williams met Tyrell Smith near the first-down marker, stopping him 1 yard shy of it for a mere 2-yard gain to force a turnover on downs.

“They tried to run the ball that way and our defensive line stepped up and handled their blocks at the line of scrimmage, and he came in and hit it,” Tulloch said. “It was a big play and it was a time when it was important for someone to step up and make a tackle.”

With CSM taking over at its own 8, Bottari led the offense downfield by completing passes to four different receivers on the drive. He opened with a 5-yarder to sophomore slot Jermaine Jackson, then added a 20-yarder to sophomore wide out Terrell Carter, passes of 11 and 7 yards to Jackson, passes of 20 and 17 yards to sophomore receiver Mason Starling, then connected with freshman running back Darrell Page for a 17-yard score to cap the day’s scoring.

Bottari finished the day 22-of-36 passing for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Page gained 127 total yards, including 29 carries for 110 yards out of the backfield.

Six different CSM receivers caught passes, with Carter leading the way at six receptions for 88 yards.

Jackson added five receptions for 72 yards, including a 27-yard TD catch on the Bulldogs’ first possession of the game, a catch that loomed large for the rest of the day as Laney insisted on keying on him after that, opening the field for other targets, Tulloch said.

Starling added five catches for 72 yards, while freshman Isiah Kendrick racked up four catches for 48 yards.

Following Jackson’s scoring catch, the Bulldogs scored on the very next play from scrimmage. Mackey rushed the ball on first down but fumbled after an 8-yard pickup, opening the door for sophomore defensive back Isaiah Downes to scoop it up and scamper 27 yards for a touchdown, giving CSM a 13-0 lead.

Maghaddam’s point-after try failed, but the sophomore made up for it by converting second-quarter field goals of 37 and 27 yards, then added a 38-yarder in the third quarter.

“All those points are important,” Tulloch said. “And when our offense sustains a drive, we need to get points out of it … and our field goal team did great putting it through the uprights.”

With the win, CSM is one of two Bay 6 Conference teams remaining without a loss in conference play. Chabot (1-0, 4-2) is the other but did not play Saturday as its home game scheduled against Santa Rosa Junior College was postponed.