Defense Grinds Out Home Win over No. 20 Canyons

TORRANCE, Calif. --- It was a battle of defenses on Saturday night at Murdock Stadium with No. 6 El Camino College coming out on top, 17-13, over No. 20 Canyons.

The Warriors had five takeaways on the night including four crucial interceptions to pull out the victory and stay unbeaten early in the season.

Brett James shined in the defensive backfield for ECC as he led the team with eight tackles (three solo), forced a fumble and came away with two critical interceptions.

James' first pick came on a crucial Cougars drive near the end of the first half. Following a couple of brutal penalties by the Warriors' defense that elongated the Cougars' 10-play, 49-yard drive on two occasions, James came up with the big play as he jumped in front of a Cougars' receiver at the Warriors' own 12-yard line to pick off quarterback Logan Scarlett and kill the drive, helping to keep the game tied 3-3 at halftime.

His second pick sealed the game as he picked off Jazel Riley's pass at the Warriors' 17-yard line to give ECC possession with 2:04 left in regulation and essentially put the game away.

The Warriors scored 14 points in the third quarter to take a 17-3 lead on a 17-yard touchdown reception from Mark Baker and a seven-yard scoring run from Azeon Nelson, both coming off Cougars' turnovers.

Latrell Cannon picked off Scarlett at the Canyons' 45 and the Warriors marched down the shortened field in nine plays to score on Baker's scoring reception.

Anthony Delguidice then picked off Riley on the Cougars' next drive and returned it all the way to the COC 12-yard line. Nelson would require two rushing attempts to punch it into the endzone for a two-score lead.

The Cougars did not go away though, scoring a touchdown and a field goal on their next two drives to make it 17-13 with 8:02 left in regulation.

The Cougars then caught a big break as a punt by William Struyck hit a Warriors player on the helmet as he was running in punt coverage. The Cougars recovered at the Warriors' 45 with 4:34 left. They would drive to the 33 but on fourth-and-9, Riley lobbed up a pass in the middle of the field where James leapt into the air and came down with his second pick to kill the Cougars' last viable scoring opportunity.

The Warriors are now 3-4 all time against the Cougars and have won two straight in the series that began in 2004. The Warriors 17 points are the lowest total by a winning team in the series' seven-game history. The Warriors will look to have their first 3-0 start to a season since 2017 when they travel to Walnut, Calif. On Sept. 13 to take on No.3 Mount San Antonio in the final non-league game of the season. The Mounties defeated No. 9 San Diego Mesa on Saturday night, 21-18.