The Los Medanos College Mustangs surrendered 41 unanswered points from the second quarter on to their undefeated rival Contra Costa College Comets in a 48-7 road loss Saturday, October 3.

Scoring began quickly as CCC’s first drive of the game ended with a 43-yard pass from quarterback Cameron Burston (191 yards, 3 touchdowns) to wide receiver Malcolm Hale (6 catches, 69 yards, touchdown).

Later in the quarter, LMC tied the game with a 1-yard gallop into the end zone from running back Billy Wells (19 rushes, 74 yards, touchdown), who has now scored in two consecutive games. However, this would be the only touchdown the Mustangs scored, as the Comets piled on the rest of the points in the game.

CCC running back Harris Ross averaged nearly 9 yards per carry on the evening, running for 142 total yards, highlighted by his 35-yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter that gave them a lead, and they would not look back.

On two back-to-back drives in the second quarter, the Mustangs drove the ball down field into Comet territory, but could not make anything of them as they ended on a failed fourth down attempt, and a punt.

The Comets received the ball to begin the second half, as they orchestrated an economic drive that gained positive yards on each of its eight plays, including a 15-yard rushing touchdown by Burston extending the lead to 14.

LMC’s initial second half drive lost 16 yards, aided by a holding penalty, a false start, and a sack on quarterback Gabe Taylor. The ensuing punt was returned 30 yards by Hale, and gave the Comets great field position on their next drive, which they took advantage of. Burston threw his second touchdown pass of the day, this time to wideout Jaelen Collins, his only catch of the game.

Burston threw his third and final touchdown pass on the opening play of the fourth quarter to wide receiver Sterling Taylor (4 catches, 56 yards, touchdown) that made the score 35-7. Burston’s backup, Louis Michael, was brought into the blowout for the rest of the contest.

Michael only tossed four passes, but one of them went to wideout Maverick Bradford for a 65-yard score. Less than a minute later, an LMC fumble near their own goal line was recovered by CCC and taken to the house, resulting in their final points in the onslaught.

Before the game, LMC head coach Chris Shipe acknowledged it would be a tough game, and said he expected “a very hard battle.”

After the loss, he was determined to look ahead.

“Keeping our heads up and focus is all we need for Hartnell,” he said.

The Mustangs have a much needed bye week as they have more time to prepare for their away game against the also undefeated Hartnell College Panthers Saturday, Oct. 17.