San Mateo, Calif. – State and national junior college / community college football titles will be at stake on Saturday, December 14, when College of San Mateo hosts unbeaten Mt. San Antonio College (12-0) in the 3C2A Championship Game at College Heights Stadium.
Although CSM (11-1) will be playing in the title game for a third straight season, as three-peating Northern California Football Conference Champions, the Bulldogs have won only one previous official 3C2A gridiron crown in their 103-year history. That came in 2022, over Riverside City College, by a record 55-0 score. It is part of San Mateo's current 22-game home field winning streak.
Riverside took the 2023 state title over a visiting San Mateo team, 24-21, with a game concluding field goal, as well as the 2019 title with a final score of 31-14. The Tigers were denied a fourth straight state appearance when Mt. SAC won last week's Southern California Football Association title, 37-35, on a late 48-yard field goal.
Mt. San Antonio won the only previous game with San Mateo. The Bulldogs hosted the 2009 state finals on a rainy day and lost to the Mounties, 7-6. Mt. SAC has taken the state crown four times including 1997, 2009, 2010 and 2014, while San Mateo is officially 1-3 in 3C2A title games.
LIVESTREAM: There will be a free livestream of Saturday's game by baosn.tv, which produces events at an ESPN+ level. It's also available on Samsung Smart TV, tablet, and phone. Direct online link: https://baosn.tv/cccaa/
RANKINGS: The JC Athletic Bureau's final 2024 regular season poll has Mt. SAC No.1, followed by Riverside at No. 2 and NorCal pacesetter San Mateo at No. 3. The respected Massey computer ratings has CSM No. 1, ahead of Mt. SAC at No. 2. Riverside is No. 3, followed by Modesto and Butte. Next, in order, are Fresno, American River, Golden West, Sierra, San Diego Mesa and Ventura. Those teams, also, rank in that order nationally, according to Massey -- ahead of all 53 National JC Athletic Association teams. Saturday's winner, therefore, can expect to top the final Massey ratings.
COACHES: Mt. SAC Head Coach Bob Jastrab has a record of 179-44, including three state titles, since 2005. He is considered the first California Community College coach to reach 100 wins in his first ten seasons.
CSM Head Coach Tim Tulloch is 64-10 over six seasons at the Bulldogs helm, including five consecutive seasons with double digit wins (totaling 56 wins and 7 losses, an 88.9%-win rate). Since the COVID-19 interruption in 2020, Tulloch has a 44-6 record over the past four years.
MATCH-UPS:
TEAMS: On average, Mt. SAC scores 43.5 points per game, ranking No. 3 in the state. The team averages 297.7 rushing yards and 220.0 passing yards per game, for a total offensive output of 517.7 yards. In comparison, San Mateo averages 34.1 points per game, with 170.4 rushing yards and 180.8 passing yards, totaling 351.2 yards of offense per game.
Defensively, the Mounties allow 18.0 points per game, giving up an average of 82.2 rushing yards and 218.9 passing yards, for a total of 301.1 yards per game. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, lead the entire state in defense, allowing the fewest points per game at just 12.3. They surrender an average of 80.3 rushing yards and 159.8 passing yards, for a total of 240.0 yards per game.
RUSHING: The state's top two National Division rushers will lead their teams into battle. All-Central League running back Devin Miles of Mt. SAC leads the state's division with 1,255 yards total, 114.1 yards per game and has scored 15 rushing touchdowns.
San Mateo's Lolo Mataele, the All-Bay 6 League offensive player of the year, leads the entire state with 20 rushing touchdowns and 120 points. He is second in National Division rushing yards with 1,185 – which is just 68 yards shy of the CSM record of 1,253, set in 2005 by the Bulldogs future Super Bowl MVP, Julian Edelman.
PASSING: Noah Fuailetolo, Mt. SAC's leading quarterback, has completed 112 of 182 passes (61.5%) for 1,413 yards and 15 touchdowns, with just five interceptions and a 143.9 collegiate efficiency rating.
San Mateo's All-Bay 6 signal caller Dominic Ingrassia started the season as a grayshirt but has taken the helm due to injuries. He has guided the team to nine straight wins while completing 98 of 159 passes (61.1%) for 1,510 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, earning a collegiate efficiency rating of 163.4.
De'shon Thompson is Mt. SAC's All Central League wide receiver, with 45 catches for 607 yards and 6 scores. CSM has an All-Bay 6 receiver in KB Boone-Nelson, with 735 yards on 36 receptions (20.4 yards per catch), and 6 touchdowns.
KICKING: San Mateo placekicker Dieter Kelly leads the state in kick scoring points at 103 and has 19 field goals with a long of 52 yards; all of which are program records. Mt. SAC's Jacob Bonilla has kicked 10 field goals and tallied 70 points, while teammate Matthew Fidone has three field goals, including the 48-yard winner against Riverside last week. The pair have kicked for 94 total points.
CSM punter Tashi Dorje leads the state with a 43.7 average and has a long of 66 yards. Nicolas Garcia averages 37.5 yards for Mt. SAC, with his longest reaching 67 yards.
RETURNS: Mt. SAC's Adrion Boyd is the All-Central League kick returner. He averages 43.6 yards and has scored 2 TDs. San Mateo's Hassan Mahasin leads the Bay 6 in KO return yards with a 33.0-yard average. He also averages 9.2 yards per punt return and has caught 36 passes for 318 yards (8.8 yards per reception). Mahasin has scored in all three categories, totaling 5 touchdowns.
DEFENSE: The Mt. SAC defense is anchored by several All-Central selections. defensive lineman Darien Jackson has recorded 27 tackles and 5 sacks, while linebackers Teyondre Coleman and Kalim Mikhail contribute with 40 tackles and 1 interception, and 50 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss, respectively. In the secondary, cornerback Brayden Hapner has tallied 26 tackles and 2 interceptions.
CSM has the Bay 6 League Defensive Player of the Year, defensive lineman John Gayer, who leads the state with 15 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. The Bulldogs also have several All-League selections including defensive lineman Ezra Funa, who has 12 tackles for loss and 50 total tackles, linebacker Malaki Teo with 43 tackles and defensive back Kalen Woods, who has recorded 3 interceptions and 38 tackles.
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