Football:
Citrus College finished the 2024 season in fifth place in the National Central Conference standings.
But keep in mind, the NCC boasts the No. 1 (Mt. SAC) and No. 4 (Golden West) programs in the state.
On Saturday, Long Beach edged the Owls, 17-14, in the regular season finale for both teams.
Trailing 7-3 at the half, the Vikings scored a pair of third-quarter TDs.
Marques Guzman scored on a 24-yard TD pass from Jett Peddy, and Khalil Warren rumbled in from one yard out.
Hakim Haliburton pulled the Owls to within 17-14 of LBCC just 37 seconds into the fourth quarter with his 7-yard TD run.
But that would turn out to be the final score for either program.
Long Beach took an early 3-0 lead, as Eric Zavala booted a 34-yard field goal at 12:25 of the first quarter.
Citrus would take its first and only lead of the game with 46 seconds remaining in the first half.
Jake Denerson hooked up with Ridge Christlieb on a 6-yard TD pass.
Denerson completed 18 of 41 for 128 yards.
The Owls’ freshman tossed the one TD and one interception.
Denerson had a game-high 65 yards rushing on eight carries.
Jamahl Wilson (13-for-59) and Hakim Haliburton (13 for 51 & one TD) combined for 110 yards on 26 carries.
Wilson also had five receptions for 15 yards.
Sean Persson caught three passes for 43 yards.
Julian Borrayo had a pair of receptions for 20 yards, and Christlieb caught three passes for 18 yards.
Erik Saiz totaled 15 receiving yards on two catches.
Phillip Bangura had a game-high 14 tackles for Citrus.
Kyle Ferm had eight tackles, including a nine-yard sack.
Christian Sampson finished with six tackles and Keenan Eck had five tackles, which included one sack and a pair of tackles for-loss.
Citrus edged LBCC in first downs (24-23), total offense (321-288) and rushing yards (193-85).
Box Score:
CC: 0-7-0-7-(14)
LB: 3-0-14-0-(17)
Scoring:
LB: Eric Zavala 34 FG
CC: Ridge Christlieb 6 pass from Jake Denerson (Ruben Jimenez kick)
LB: Marques Guzman 24 pass from Jett Peddy (Eric Zavala kick)
LB: Khalil Warren 1 run (Eric Zavala kick)
CC: Hakim Haliburton 7 run (Ruben Jimenez kick)
Saturday’s National Central Conference Scores:
Long Beach 17, Citrus 14
Cerritos 49, ELAC 23
OCC def. SBVC via forfeit
Mt. SAC 34, Golden West 27
National Central Conference Standings:
Mt. SAC (10-0, 7-0)
Golden West (8-2, 6-1)
Long Beach (6-4, 5-2)
Cerritos (5-5, 4-3)
Citrus (5-5, 3-4)
Orange Coast (2-8, 2-5)
ELAC (2-8, 1-6)